More than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States, and approximately 50,000 of those children live in California. The foster care system is overseen by the state and implemented by county child welfare agencies.

On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae sits down with Assemblyman Isaac Bryan who has a been a powerful advocate of reforming the foster care system. He has several bills that he is hoping will be passed and sent to the governor to sign into law this year.

“AB 1512 has been called one of the most impactful child welfare bills across the country because if California can make this change, it’ll have a ripple effects all across the nation,” Bryan said. 

California child welfare agencies have been under fire for pocketing foster children’s Social Security benefits. AB 1512 would require counties to screen and apply for Social Security benefits when children enter foster care and provide fair notice to key parties. The funds must also be used in the child’s best interest for unmet current needs or conserved for future use. 

“I do want to give credit to Supervisor Hilda Solis for her leadership at the county to help change this practice and I want to give credit to the entire Board of Supervisors because the County of Los Angeles has recognized this as a problem, and they are sponsoring the state legislation, along with San Diego,” said Bryan. 

McRae also met with one San Diego couple who adopted two sisters who they fostered for a period of time. Amy and Mike Tagwerker discovered that the County of San Diego had collected nearly $25,000 of the children’s benefits after their birth dad passed away, and deposited the money into municipal accounts. The family worked with the Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) on the issue. 

“When you use money that’s intended for a child, for your own benefit instead of in the best interest of the child, you’re violating your fiduciary obligations, as well as your ethical duties to act in the best interest of that vulnerable child,” said Amy Harfeld, national policy director at CAI. 

“These are funds that could go into a college fund for them, their first apartment, a car, and there are kids out there who have aged out of the system that didn’t even know that they were entitled to funds to help them. So it’s not just about us,” said Mike Tagwerker. “It’s about how do we make a change? How do we help affect change so that this doesn’t affect other kids down the line that are going through the same thing?”

Amy Tagwerker testified in support of AB 1512 and her daughters, Victoria and Bella, are now receiving their survivor benefits. A lawsuit has been filed on their behalf against the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services, Agency Child Welfare Services to try to recoup the $25,000 the county previously took. “In Focus SoCal” reached out to San Diego County for comment, but did not hear back. 

“I am honored to be the voice for these kids, for these kids that have had a really hard start to life,” Amy Tagwerker said. 

McRae also sits down with State Senator Susan Rubio who is working on several legislation surrounding human trafficking. California is one of the largest sites of human trafficking in the country, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. 

SB 376 would grant survivors the right to have a human trafficking advocate and a support person at any interview by law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, or defense attorneys. Rubio emphasized that this is critical, especially for victims who may be minors. 

“My bill will give them the right to an advocate. That means someone that understand the system, someone that can guide the conversation and protect them from incriminating themselves because they don’t know what to say or how to say it,” Rubio said. 

Senator Rubio also encourages the public to support victims of human trafficking by reporting anything that seems inappropriate. 

“I think that all of us can be a lot more vigilant. I think if you see something that doesn’t seem right, stop to ask, stop to inquire or call the police to ensure that they’re investigating,” said Rubio.

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