When children lose parents to death, addiction or incarceration, sometimes the state becomes their legal guardian. An investigation by NPR and the Marshall Project has highlighted that many states, including Alaska, take the dependent child’s social security benefits, often leaving them with no money to help them when they turn 18 and age out of foster care. A class action lawsuit mounted by former Alaska foster youth challenging this practice is now underway.
HOST: Lori Townsend
GUESTS:
- Jim Davis, attorney, Northern Justice Project
- Mateo Jaime, lawsuit plaintiff
- Katrina Edwards, lawsuit plaintiff
- Alex Carter, lead lawsuit plaintiff
- Joe Shapiro, reporter, NPR
LINKS:
PARTICIPATE:
Call 550-8422 (Anchorage) or 1-800-478-8255 (statewide) during the live broadcast.
Send an email to talk@alaskapublic.org (Comments may be read on air).
Post your comment during or after the live broadcast on social media (Comments may be read on air).
LIVE Broadcast: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 10 a.m. on APRN stations statewide.
LIVE Web stream: Click here to stream.
