Child and Youth
The Child and Youth Law Program helps children from low income families obtain needed educational and healthcare services.
The Child and Youth Law Program is a unique and innovative program that focuses on directly representing children. The program includes four parts: individual representation, systemic advocacy, education in the professional community and public education.
How Can Child and Youth Law Program assist your family?
The Child and Youth Law Program attorneys can provide education and advice regarding the education and healthcare rights of children. The project's attorneys may be able to provide representation and accompany parents to meetings (including IEP meetings) with school officials and teachers.
Attorneys with the Child and Youth Law Program assist eligible children in accessing healthcare benefits to which they are entitled under Medicaid. The attorneys also provide legal representation for Medicaid denials and terminations. The Child and Youth Law Program may be able to help in preventing the termination of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Additionally, the Child and Youth Law Program assists eligible children to access mental healthcare benefits.
Signs That Your Child Needs Help
· Frequent phone calls from school due to misbehavior
· Not reading at or near grade level
· Failing all or most subjects
· Repeatedly failing yearly achievement tests
· Being held back a grade or more
· Receiving multiple suspensions
· Not getting the help at school you think your child needs
· Missing a lot of school due to illness
· In need of mental health services and no one will help
· Failing to learn basic math facts
What Services Child and Youth Law Program Offers?
· Representation at meetings with the child's school, including:
- Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) meetings
- Multi-factored evaluation (MFE) meetings
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings
- Section 504 meetings
· Legal representation at school disciplinary meetings and hearings
· Education to parents and children about the child's education, healthcare rights, and mental healthcare rights
· Legal representation at hearings for termination of Medicaid or SSI benefits
· Legal representation for eligible children denied access to mental healthcare treatment or for children placed in state custody to gain access to mental healthcare treatment
· Due to limited resources, we cannot represent every child eligible for our services; however we will provide information and referrals, technical assistance or counsel and professional advice.
· Trainings
Links to Activity and Resource Websites
For Children and Youth
Below are links to websites and online communities for children and youth with disabilities, including learning disabilities. They feature a variety of activities including games, message boards and stories to read by other youth about their personal experiences. Some also include information for children and youth about other types of disabilities.
Just Because We Have a Disability Doesn't Mean We Byte
Represent - Magazine for kids in foster care
Living w/ LD - specifically for teens
AbilityOnline.org - requires registration
Adolescent Health Transition Project
For Parents
Below are links to resources with information on various learning disabilities and helpful tips for parents in assisting and advocating for their child.
Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities
Child Development Institute - Learning Disability Information
Down Syndrome Information Alliance
How Can CYLP Help?
CYLP attorneys can provide education and advice regarding the education and healthcare rights of children with disabilities. We may be able to provide representation, advise parents of their children's rights and accompany parents to meetings (including IEP meetings) with school officials and teachers.
If you feel your child is not getting the assistance he or she needs at school, stop by one of our offices or call our intake department from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday-Friday at 614-241-2001.