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Be part of the change. At the Family Forward Rally in DC!Title IV reform rally. Music. Speeches. Meet with your Senator. Meet with your Congress person. Attend to class to learn how to navigate Congress as a private citizen…..
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DJ Brian Lee
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Speaker Schedule:
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Brian Lee Announcer
Across from Union Station
Legislation Schedule:
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DC advocacy Classes
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Housing Coordinator
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Example Legislation:
HR Advocacy Bill 8866
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HR 2526
Here is the report on examining the efficiency of Title SSA dollars in finding missing minors.
HR 2426: Enhancing Efficiency in Finding and Protecting Missing Minors Under SSA Funding
Introduction
This report addresses the urgent need to optimize the use of Social Security Act (SSA) funds in protecting minors under government care, particularly through the Find and Protect Foster Youth Act (HR 2426). It examines the federal funding allocated to finding and protecting foster children, unaccompanied migrant minors, and other SSA-funded wards of the court. The report identifies inefficiencies within current data systems and reporting processes, and it offers recommendations for improvement.
Congress has a constitutional duty to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. By auditing the SSA budget and reevaluating how funds are allocated to programs like Amber Alerts, the FBI, and facial recognition technologies, we can better serve vulnerable children who depend on these resources.
Who Are the Missing Minors?
This issue extends beyond foster children to any minor under the protection of the U.S. government, whether through foster care, disability programs, or migrant resettlement. Congress must ask: How is this money being spent, and how can it be more effectively utilized?
1. Title IV-E (Foster Care) – Provides funding for children who qualify under poverty or SSA disability criteria.
2. Medicaid (SSA Title IV) – Dual funding mechanisms:
• State-level Medicaid insurance for indigent children, including most foster children.
• Medicaid for disabled children, using the ICD-10 system for federal data collection and billing.
3. Unaccompanied Migrant Minors – Funded through Title IV resettlement programs.
Problem #1: Missing Children
Thousands of children under Title IV funding are missing, many unaccounted for in the system. For example, data from Iowa’s Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse revealed 188 missing juveniles, but only 31 had photographs. Facial recognition technology, a tool funded by SSA, is ineffective without photos, rendering this investment wasted for the majority of cases.
Solution: Mandate Photos in Missing Person Reports
Congress must require that all missing children reports who are recipients of SSA funds, include a photograph. Non-compliant agencies should face a withholding of SSA funding. Using the power of the purse, Congress can ensure compliance and hold agencies accountable if they fail to protect these children.
Problem #2: Amber Alerts Are Ineffective
Amber Alerts currently only cover abductions, leaving out the 90% of missing children classified as runaways, according to a recent U.S. Marshals operation. This system fails the vast majority of missing minors, many of whom are highly vulnerable to trafficking. Billions of SSA dollars have been spent on Amber Alerts, yet their scope is too narrow.
Solution: Expand Amber Alerts
Amber Alerts should be expanded to include all missing children, not just abductions. This would vastly improve efforts to locate runaways and other vulnerable children who are at high risk.
Problem #3: Lack of Dedicated Funds for U.S. Marshal Sweeps
The U.S. Marshals have shown considerable success in recovering missing children through annual sweeps, yet they lack dedicated funding to continue this vital work. SSA funds could be redirected from less effective programs to the U.S. Marshals, ensuring that these sweeps continue regularly.
Solution: Allocate SSA Funds to U.S. Marshals for Annual Sweeps
Congress should allocate specific SSA Title IV funds to support annual nationwide sweeps by the U.S. Marshals, focusing on finding missing foster children, runaways, and unaccompanied migrant minors.
Problem #4: Foster Children in Hotels and Airbnbs
Foster children are increasingly placed in unstable housing arrangements, such as hotels or Airbnbs, leading to higher runaway rates and increased vulnerability to trafficking. This is not only dangerous but also a misuse of SSA funds.
Solution: Invest in Stable Housing for Foster Teens
By modernizing Title IV data systems using ICD coding, an estimated 2% efficiency savings—approximately $24 billion annually—could be reinvested in stable, alternative housing options for foster teens. Programs like Junior Marines, full-time college or trade schools with housing, and family reunification could provide better outcomes for these vulnerable children.
Problem #5: Foster Child Homelessness
Many children leaving foster care face homelessness due to a lack of long-term planning. It is unacceptable for SSA funds to be used on temporary housing without permanent solutions in place.
Solution: Partner with Habitat for Humanity for Permanent Housing
SSA funds should be used to create permanent housing for minors in foster care. Partnering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity can provide stable homes that children can inherit upon reaching adulthood.
Problem #6: Human Trafficking of Minors
Minors under SSA protection, particularly foster children and unaccompanied migrant minors, are trafficked at alarming rates. U.S. Marshals should conduct annual raids to rescue trafficked children and apprehend their traffickers.
Solution: Fund Annual U.S. Marshal Operations
Congress must allocate funds for annual U.S. Marshal operations dedicated to rescuing trafficked children and prosecuting traffickers. These operations should be a top priority to protect minors under SSA protection.
Problem: Outdated Data Systems
The Title IV data collection and billing system is outdated and fragmented, with states using their own inefficient systems. Implementing a unified ICD coding system, similar to Medicare, would modernize data collection and improve tracking and accountability.
Solution: Implement ICD Coding for SSA Title IV
Implementing ICD coding across all SSA Title IV programs would streamline data entry, allow for seamless sharing of information between state and federal agencies, and yield an estimated $24 billion in annual savings. This would significantly improve recovery efforts for missing children.
Problem #7: Unstable SSA Funding for Local Offices
Local SSA offices often face unstable funding due to entitlement qualifications, creating challenges in providing consistent care for children.
Solution: Reform SSA Funding Allocations
1. Eliminate the Adoption Bonus Payments from the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA).
2. Fund local SSA offices on a per capita basis, rather than per child headcount.
3. Remove the poverty entitlement clause that unfairly targets poor children for foster care entry.
Problem #8: Inadequate Oversight by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Putting the ACF in charge of improving information sharing for missing children is like asking a fox to guard the henhouse. An agency that has been part of the problem cannot be expected to audit itself effectively.
Solution: External Auditing and Oversight
Congress should establish independent oversight of SSA programs and consider passing HR 8866, the Advocates for Families Act of 2024, to ensure fair and transparent processes.
Conclusion
HR 2426 presents a crucial opportunity to reform how the United States finds and protects its most vulnerable children. By requiring photographs in missing person reports, expanding Amber Alerts, funding U.S. Marshal sweeps, and implementing ICD coding for Title IV programs, Congress can save lives and money. Efficient use of SSA funds will ensure that all children under U.S. care have the chance to grow into healthy, safe, and thriving adults.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Arthur
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Washington, D.C., United States
