Nephew is ward of state and can’t have more than $3k in bank; what are our options?

Hi community! My great nephew is being raised by my elderly parents who are both retired. His mom passed away and his father is absentee, and my parents have custody.He’s 17, almost 18, and is technically a ward of the state of Connecticut and on Husky public health insurance.My nephew is a great kid, and he works hard. He’s got $2100 in the bank. My mother says he can’t have more than $3000 or he jeopardizes state benefits he’s eligible for. When i asked for source documentation, she said it’s common knowledge.I want to help him make good financial decisions and I don’t want to put his benefits at risk. He’s definitely had it tough enough.Any idea what we can do when he approaches this savings threshold?We’re also talking about getting him a secured credit card to start to build his credit. Any flags with that?Thanks for any feedback. via /r/personalfinance https://ift.tt/3iCOarQ