Key Updates: Social Security Eligibility for Youth in Care | Enhancing continuing education and professional development

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Description

Course Description: In 2022, Illinois became one of a small but growing number of states to legislatively require the conservation of federal benefits for some youth in care by passing Public Act 102-1014. The Act impacts the manner in which the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services handles Social Security Disability, Social Security Income, and other federal survivor’s benefits for youth in the care of the Department. This webinar will explore how child welfare systems historically handled children’s benefits, the national movement to change these practices, the provisions and status of implementation of PA 102-1014.

Length/Credit Hours (total): 1.0 hr

Participant Learning Objective(s):
As a result of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the legal framework regarding federal benefits for youth in care
2. Explain how child welfare agencies, including Illinois DCFS, have handled federal benefits for youth in care
3. Summarize the provisions of PA 102-1014, and the steps practitioners and courts can take to protect the rights for youth in care under PA 102-1014

Contributors

Jennifer Cleveland

Currently serves as the Ethics Officer and Legislative Counsel for DCFS (Effective 12/15/23). She joined DCFS in 1998 as a Social Worker and has represented DCFS as an Attorney in various capacities since 2005, most recently as Special Counsel for the DCFS Guardianship Administrator. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University, a Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University, and a Juris Doctor degree from The John Marshall Law School.
Danielle Gomez

Director of Legislative Affairs for the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Divisions of the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian. She joined the office in 1997 and since 2000, Danielle’s practice at the office has focused on systemic and policy measures to improve the quality of care for the Public Guardian’s thousands of clients who are in the care of, or whose lives are touched by, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

She is a recipient of the Foster Care Alumni Association of America- Illinois Chapter Child Welfare Advocates of the Year 2015 award. She graduated from Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

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Description

Contributors

Jennifer Cleveland

Danielle Gomez