Q. VIII.1 Can a young person under the age of 18 and
not living with his/her parent/guardian, receive SSI
benefits directly?
Q. VIII.2 Can
a young person under the age of 18 and living
independentlyfrom his/her custodial parent, get the
child support payments directly that would otherwise
go to the custodial parent?
Q. VIII.3 If
an adopted youth who is over the age of 16 comes to a
shelter and the adoptive parents were receiving a
subsidy for that child (under a subsidized adoption
program), do the adoptive parents continue to receive
that subsidy while the child is at the shelter? Is
the youth eligible for some/all of that money? Does
the shelter have any special responsibility in this
area?
Q. VIII.4 Can
a minor receive any form of public assistance? Food
Stamps?
Q. VIII.1 Can a young person under the age of 18 and
not living with his/her parent/guardian, receive SSI
benefits directly?
A. A young
person not living with his/her parents may apply
to the Social Security office to receive his/her
SSI benefits directly. The toll free number for
the Social Security Administration is
1-800-722-1213. Depending upon the age and
circumstances of the minor, the Social Security
Administration may want to designate a
"representative payee."
Q. VIII.2 Can
a young person under the age of 18 and living
independently from his/her custodial parent, get the
child support payments directlythat would otherwise
go to the custodial parent?
A. It
depends. If the young person is
"emancipated" and living apart from
his/her custodial parent without permission,
he/she may relinquish his/her right to support
depending on the nature of the court order.
Depending on the circumstances, the young person
may wish to discuss the reasons for leaving home
with the noncustodial parent. In cases where the
young person should receive child support
directly, it may be necessary to return to court
to amend the court order. In the event the parent
refuses to continue support and the decision to
leave home was based on "extraordinary
circumstances," the minor through a
"guardian ad litem" (someone over 18),
may file a Petition to amend the prior order and
seek support.
Q. VIII.3 If
an adopted youth who is over the age of 16 comes to a
shelter and the adoptive parents were receiving a
subsidy for that child (under a subsidized adoption
program), do the adoptive parents continue to receive
that subsidy while the child is at the shelter? Is
the youth eligible for some/all of that money? Does
the shelter have any special responsibility in this
area?
A.
Generally, a child only remains in a shelter for
a brief period of time. In such cases, the
parents remain responsible for his/her care and
custody and, therefore, the assistance received
should not be terminated. At the same time, the
fact that they continue to receive it reinforces
the fact that the parents continue to be
responsible for the care of the child. Only in
cases where the parent loses custody of the child
or forces the child to leave home would a
question arise regarding their right to such
assistance.
Q. VIII.4 Can
a minor receive any form of public assistance? Food
Stamps? What are the guidelines for each?
A. Any
person over the age of 16 can apply to receive
public benefits. New restrictions established
under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
(TANF) are making the approval process very
difficult for young people. A youth who has no
other option may need public assistance. However,
the five year lifetime limit to receive
assistance will apply.
