Children's Collaborative Model in Utah Highlighted by Social Security Advisory Board as National Model for Bereaved Children

3 Million Children Lose a Parent, Yet Less than Half Receive Survivors' Benefits

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB) released a new report highlighting the urgent need to improve access to Social Security Survivors Insurance (SI) benefits for children. Despite the critical role SI benefits play in reducing child poverty, fewer than half of eligible children currently receive them.

The report cites Utah as the first state to implement two innovative practices. The SSAB report highlighted these changes, noting: "One school district in Utah includes a checkbox on its back-to-school form for families to indicate that a child has lost a parent or caregiver. Death certificates in Utah now include a checkbox to indicate surviving minor children. This information is sent to a case manager from United Way who works with the family to identify supports, including SI benefits. The Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support is working with Utah and other states on these initiatives." (page 12)

In Utah, nearly 1 in 15 children will experience the death of a parent, caregiver, or sibling—a rate that mirrors the national crisis, where 1 in 11 children will face this profound loss. These systemic changes ensure grieving families are identified early and connected with support when they need it most.

The Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support, partnering with the New York Life Foundation, has been instrumental in advancing these efforts and is now working with additional states to replicate Utah's model.

"Utah created a system that connects families with support the moment tragedy strikes. When children and families are strengthened in the face of loss, they become more resilient and self-reliant, reducing the need for government services over time and saving taxpayer dollars," said Gov. Cox. "Utah is showing that with commonsense innovation and compassion, we can help families emerge stronger and set an example for the nation."

The report also underscores both the challenges and opportunities in strengthening this safety net. Families must currently apply for children's SI benefits in person or by phone, with no online application option available—creating additional hurdles for grieving families already facing financial and emotional strain. While overall awareness of SI benefits is relatively high, significant disparities exist by age, race, ethnicity, and marital status. Younger adults and minority families are less likely to know their children may qualify. In fact, only 26 percent of Black children who are eligible apply for social security benefits.

To address these barriers, the SSAB urges the Social Security Administration (SSA) to modernize its systems and expand outreach. The recommendations include creating an online application and self-scheduling system for SI benefits, establishing data-sharing agreements with states to proactively identify eligible families, partnering with funeral directors to ensure grieving families are informed of potential benefits, and resuming both targeted outreach and the mailing of annual Social Security Statements to workers. "The recommendations echo what our foundation has been focused on for more than 15 years - ensuring that every eligible child receives the support they need during one of the hardest moments of their lives," said Heather Nesle of the New York Life Foundation.

Each year, more than three million children in the U.S. experience the death of a parent, and six million experience a parent, caregiver or sibling death. Yet fewer than half of those eligible receive Social Security Survivor Benefits. By embedding bereavement identification into school and vital-record systems and connecting families through trusted community case managers, states can ensure no child navigates loss alone.

The SSAB report goes further, recommending that the Social Security Administration adopt strategies pioneered in Utah nationwide. This includes proactive data-sharing with states to identify eligible families, partnerships with funeral directors to improve outreach, and renewed efforts from Social Security to connect families with critical resources. "Utah's leadership proves that simple, systemic changes can transform the lives of grieving children," said Catherine Jaynes, CEO of the Children's Collaborative. "We are proud that the federal government is taking notice—and we are eager to help more states build the same compassionate, coordinated systems."

The Children's Collaborative is actively partnering with states and communities ready to adopt these proven approaches. Children who receive timely support and evidence-based care are more likely to thrive academically, maintain their health, and build resilience into adulthood. These better outcomes don't just benefit families; they also reduce long-term costs to society, from health care to lost productivity, making this a high-return investment in our nation's future.

About the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support
Founded in 2021, the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support works to ensure that no child grieves alone. By partnering with schools, healthcare systems, and state agencies, the Collaborative builds networks of care to identify, connect, and support bereaved children and their families across the nation.

Media Contact:
Emma Trout
Chief Program Officer
[email protected]
5176488894

SOURCE Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support