Children: foster care; conditions on the use of certain benefits for a child in foster care; provide. Amends 1994 PA 203 (MCL 722.951 - 722.960) by adding sec. 8f.

This bill requires Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services to screen children entering foster care for eligibility for state and federal benefits within 90 days and to apply for those benefits if it serves the child's best interests. Starting in October 2026, the state generally cannot use a child's earned income or benefits to pay for their foster care, though exceptions exist for special needs services or conserving funds for future needs. The department must act as a responsible manager of these funds, providing regular accounting to the child and their guardian ad litem, and offering financial literacy training to older youth. Additionally, the law mandates that any assets or income the child owns be transferred to them when they leave the system or turn 18.