The Social Security Act allows reimbursement of foster care payments under Title IV-E in any month in which a child receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. A child may be Title IV-E reimbursable in a month when the child receives SSI. If a child is eligible for both SSI and Title IV-E benefits in a month in which the child is in foster care, the state reports the amount of Title IV-E reimbursement to the Social Security Administration (SSA). When the SSA is informed that the child is receiving Title IV-E benefits, "the child’s SSI payment shall be reduced dollar for dollar without application of any exclusion," decreasing the SSI benefit by the amount of the Title IV-E payment (SSI Program Operation Manual).
Factors to consider when determining whether to continue concurrent receipt of TitleIV-E and SSI include:
- Title IV-E maintenance cost reimbursement income exceeds the SSI income limit (this includes Title IV-E and state match);
- Suspension of SSI exceeds one year;
- The extent of the child’s disability and the likelihood of receiving SSI again when the child is returned home, placed in an alternative permanent situation, or reaches age eighteen (18) or nineteen (19) and is no longer eligible for Title IV-E;
- The selection of concurrent receipt of Title IV-E or SSI is made with the child’s best interest in mind. The fiscal advantage to the agency is a secondary consideration. The decision to request termination or suspension of SSI benefits is made by the Family Services Office Supervisor (FSOS) with input from the SSW, the children's benefits worker (CBW), and the child’s parents (unless termination of parental rights (TPR) has occurred).