HI HB1229

Prohibits the Department of Human Services from using social security benefits or supplemental security income received on behalf of foster children to pay for foster care services

Requires DHS to establish individual savings accounts for foster children who receive social security payments and deposit all such payments into these accounts

Foster children gain access to their savings accounts when they leave foster care through family reunification, adoption, or aging out of the system

Between 2018 and 2022, DHS collected $1,500,000 in social security payments on behalf of 37 foster children

Hawaii had 1,418 children in foster care as of September 30, 2021, and approximately 10% of U.S. foster youth are entitled to social security benefits