A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT authorizing the north carolina department of health and human services to develop a system to reserve a designated amount of supplemental security income benefits received by the state for a child in foster care who is eligible to receive those benefits under the federal social security act to assist the child in transitioning out of the foster care system.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 108A‑49.1.  Foster care transition payments.
(a)	The Department shall develop a system to reserve and disburse supplemental security income (SSI) benefits received by the State for children residing in licensed foster care homes in this State who are at least 16 years of age, but younger than the age of 18, and eligible to receive SSI benefits under Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1381. The Department shall reserve an amount, not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000), for each child eligible to receive SSI benefits, which sum shall be in lieu of reimbursing the State for care and maintenance of the child in foster care. In determining the amount to be reserved for each child, the Department shall ensure that the sum does not exceed federal SSI resource limits such that the sum would render the child ineligible for SSI benefits.
(b)	Upon the child's departure from the foster care system, the Department shall pay to the child the sum reserved for that child under subsection (a) of this section. The sum shall be used to assist the child in the child's transition from the foster care system.
(c)	The Social Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section."
SECTION 2.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall develop the reserve and disbursement system for supplemental security income benefits described in G.S. 108A‑49.1, as enacted in Section 1 of this act, on or before July 1, 2008.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.