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DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law that will ensure Colorado’s foster youth receive the financial benefits they are entitled to.
“I’ve seen this process play out first hand, and I want better for Colorado kids in the foster system,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “As a foster and adoptive parent, I am proud to pass this law to ensure federal survivor benefits are preserved for foster youth so they have the tools they need to build a stable life.”
“Foster children face immense challenges, and this new law ensures that they receive the benefits that they are entitled to,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Federal funds meant for foster youth shouldn’t be used to cover the cost of foster care, leaving these kids with nothing to show for it when they leave the foster system. This law puts an end to this process to better protect foster youth and improve Colorado’s child welfare system.”
Currently, county child welfare departments can apply for federal disability and parental death benefits on behalf of foster children and then use these funds without the foster child’s knowledge to pay for the cost of foster care. Beginning July 1, 2027, HB25-1271 creates new guidelines for county departments and the Colorado Department of Human Services.
Under this law, counties are required to determine if foster children may be eligible for federal survivor benefits and apply for those benefits on behalf of the child. These benefits cannot be used to pay for foster care costs. The law also requires the state to create guidelines for counties for benefit eligibility screening, appeals of denied benefits, account management and other provisions under this law.
Additionally, HB25-1097, also sponsored by Rep. Gilchrist, was signed into law. This law helps reduce trauma inflicted on foster youth by abrupt placement changes. The law requires caseworkers to create an individualized transition plan that prioritizes the mental, physical, and emotional needs of the foster youth when determining logistics, communication and timelines for child placements.