Bill Would Stop PA Counties From Taking Foster Kids' Money

Pennsylvania lawmakers, Shapiro admin push to end practice of counties taking Social Security money owed to foster kids

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and...

Lawmakers, Shapiro admin push to end practice of counties taking Social Security money owed to foster kids

After a 2025 Resolve Philly / Spotlight PA investigation, a federal directive urged states to end the practice.

Bill would stop PA counties from taking foster kids' money

Lawmakers are renewing a push to end the practice of Pennsylvania counties diverting Social Security benefits owed to children in foster care into their own budgets, after new federal directives called on states to take action. An investigation published last year by Resolve Philly and Spotlight PA that analyzed four years of data found at least 1,300 children in Pennsylvania have had money taken from them this way, to the tune of at least $15.7…