BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) – A federal official from Idaho is taking steps in his new post to end a nationwide practice of states collecting Social Security benefits entitled to foster youth and using it to pay for the children’s care.

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families, or ACF, on Thursday announced it notified governors of the 39 states that had not yet taken action to end the practice of keeping foster youth’s Social Security survivor benefits.

ACF Assistant Secretary Alex Adams previously told the Idaho Capital Sun that he’d first become aware that Idaho had done this when he became director of the state Department of Health and Welfare.

Adams in May issued a directive to the state agency to end the practice of using Social Security survivor benefits entitled to foster

See Full Page