The Trump administration is pushing for states to stop holding onto federal benefits intended for foster care children. In December, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the practice stacks “the deck against children.”
Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate is voting on whether to change the state’s process of diverting benefits from children in foster care. One of the people in favor of the bill is 18-year-old Dawson Hayes. He lives in Concord and was formerly in foster care, and his social security benefits mostly went to the state.
Hayes spoke with NHPR Morning Edition host Rick Ganley about his experience in foster care and his support for the bill.
Transcript
Dawson, can you tell us about what your foster care situation was like? How did you end up in care?
At a very young age, roughly around 14 or 15, while I was in school, one of my teachers reported my family to DCYF [Division for Children, Youth and Families]. And the reason being is I smelled like weed. Then DCYF came to my house because they do their home checks, and they had decided that my parents weren't fit for taking care of me and my sister. And at that point, we were taken out of care from my parents and put into DCYF's care.
I know some kids in foster care are awarded federal benefits, others aren't. Why were you eligible for benefits and what were you told about why you didn't get them while you were in care?
As far as I know, the reason I received benefits from my mother – I did not get them from my father – was because she was disabled and unable to work. So her being not able to work, I guess it sort of goes down a waterfall or an umbrella to the children. And as I was in care, I would not receive those funds because I had no adult above me or taking care of me other than the people who were my foster parents. They received their own stipend to take care of me, but myself receiving funds as an individual since I was too young – I was below 18 – they deemed me not eligible to take care of my own funds and my own self. And so those funds were given to DCYF on my behalf.
And you ended up being adopted by your foster parents. Is that true?
Yeah, before I was adopted I jumped around a couple times from different houses, foster homes, roughly three or four times moving around New Hampshire. Eventually I did find a home where I felt fit. And Carolyn and Simon, my adoptive parents, asked me, 'Dawson, do you want to be adopted? Do you want to get out of this mess?'
Once you were out of foster care, you did get some of the benefits, but not all?
After I was adopted, I was 16, I believe. For two years, I was able to receive my own benefits and be a 'payee.' And I did save all that money and I invested it all, but the whole time while I was in DCYF, I couldn't get any of my money.
What were you told from DCYF about those benefits and where they were going?
My caseworker, she told me that as I aged out of foster care, that I would receive my benefits as a lump sum. So she had told me the whole time – because I did live with Carolyn and Simon a little bit before I was adopted. They were helping me financially to save for my future and make sure I was smart with my money and didn't spend it all. They were like, 'Well, all that money that you were supposed to be getting, do you know where it's going?' And I was like, 'No, I don't know where it was or anything.' So I never got them.
And you never got an explanation as to why?
No, but I think the money was used for my own care while I was not able to receive the funds. They paid for those visits, they paid the people, their payroll and stuff like that.
You're an electrician apprentice now. You're doing your own business?
Yeah. I'm an electrician apprentice at Irish Electric, and I also run my own company, North Point Home Services.
Seems like you're doing well.
I'd like to think so.
Why do you think the state should give you that money or give that money to foster children when, frankly, you're an example of someone who did end up doing very well without it?
A lot of kids who end up getting out of foster care, aging out, they end up homeless because they can't afford living these days. Things are so expensive. I'm trying to move out of Carolyn and Simon's. I can't afford it. [The] median home price is like $400,000, $500,000. I don't make that much money, and for all these children who age out of foster care, it could mean the difference between living on the streets or having a roof over your head and being able to eat every meal every day.
The money that was taken from me was $16,000. That's definitely not a life changing amount, but I could throw that into the S&P 500 and make 10% a year on it, you know what I mean? So being able to invest that money instead of it going to your care, I think that when you age out, it could definitely impact you in a more beneficial way than if it was to be used towards your care.
Now, the state would probably counter that and say, you know, we're using some of this money to help counteract the costs that we have for the foster care system. What's your response to that?
They receive government funding for DCYF and for the care of children and foster care. So in order to say that we don't have enough money, we're going to use your own benefits to pay for it – it's just wrong because they received that government funding, which is for the care or the placement of the children.
I think it's very important you put an emphasis on this matter because it's happening now. It's not something that's going to happen over time. Children are aging out of foster care as we speak, and they're going homeless. The homelessness in Manchester and Concord and all the nearby areas, it's crazy. And a lot of these kids are young and they're just aging out of foster care, and they're not being put in a good financial position and able to take care of themselves.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story spelled the name of Hayes' adoptive mother incorrectly. It has been corrected.
