VA HB578

Local departments must screen all foster children for eligibility for federal benefits from the Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or U.S. Railroad Retirement Board within 60 days of entering foster care and at least annually thereafter

Local departments must review existing representative payees to ensure they adequately represent the child's best interests and take action to appoint a different payee if necessary

Federal benefits received for foster children can only be used for the child's current, individual, and unmet needs—not for maintenance payments or care the Commonwealth is otherwise obligated to provide

Unused benefits must be conserved in protected accounts exempt from federal asset limits, such as ABLE savings trust accounts, and released to the child when they leave foster care

The Department must develop training for representative payees on fiduciary obligations and for foster youth age 14 and older on accessing and managing their federal benefits