6. Consequences for Other Public Benefits

The most common public benefits received by children involved in the juvenile court and their families are BadgerCare (Medicaid); Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Survivor benefits; Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), called Wisconsin Works; and Food Share, called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Children who are adjudicated delinquent don’t lose benefits based on the adjudication, but if they are placed out of home, the out-of-home placement can affect the family’s financial status.

BadgerCare provides healthcare for non-disabled adults, parents and children. It follows the child to any out-of-home placement, so a child being out of home does not have a negative effect on the child or family.

SSI and Social Security Survivor benefits also follow the child to out-of-home placements. Loss of these benefits may create a serious financial burden on families that are dependent on a child’s benefits to pay fixed costs such as rent. Additionally, SSI is not available to a “resident of a public institution,” that houses more than 16 people. 20 CFR §§ 416.211, 416.1325. So, children placed in residential treatment centers and correctional institutions will have their benefits suspended while in those institutions and will need to have their benefits reinstated when they are released.

TANF, Wisconsin Works, provides temporary assistance to families with children under the age of 18. If a dependent child is expected to be continuously absent from a parent’s home for more than three months, the parent must notify the Wisconsin Works agency within five days or lose benefits. Wis. Admin. Code § DCF 101.10. If there are no other dependent children in the home, the family will lose benefits. If there are other dependent children in the home, the amount the family receives does not change.

SNAP/Food Share, is based on family size. If a child is placed out-of-home, the family’s food allotment will decrease.