BRATTLEBORO-As Vermonters, we have a responsibility to take care of the state’s youngest residents, especially those children who may be abused and neglected and, as a result, enter the foster care system.
Unfortunately, our state is instead stealing from those vulnerable residents rather than caring for them and securing for each child a bright future.
The reality is that Vermont is taking approximately $1 million each year from the pockets of children in foster care who are entitled to Social Security disability and/or survivor benefits. These children — unlike other children in foster care who do not receive these benefits — are being forced, often without their knowledge, to literally pay for their time in foster care. We have created a two-tier and manifestly unfair system.
Considering Vermont is legally required to provide adequate funding for children in foster care without regard to the availability of other funding, like Social Security payments, it is doubtful the state could make an argument that a child’s Social Security benefits should be used to cover the cost of housing, food, and other aspects of basic care.
And yet, that is exactly what they are doing.
But we have a chance to change this! A bill to help resolve this problem, H.657, has advanced to the Senate.
Get in touch with your state senator today, because this bill may be voted within the week, and tell them to stand up for our children by supporting the bill and to be prepared to follow up with Gov. Scott who is threatening to veto what is essentially legislation that protects youth from theft by the state.
You can find your legislator at legislature.vermont.gov/people/. For most people reading this, your state senators are Wendy Harrisonand Nader Hashim.
To learn more about this issue, you can read my Viewpoint in The Commons [“The state is taking money from foster children,” March 29, 2023].
Lindsey Britt
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.
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