Helping Low-income People Find Solutions to Civil Legal Problems

Youth Law & Education >  View all topics   Listing of self-help materials and informational publications. There are 53 resources     Page 1 of 2 Access to public education and school rights    A Guide for Public School Students in WA (Separate Website) This guide provides general information on students' rights in Washington state public schools. It is not meant to provide legal advice. This guide does not address the rights of students in private schools tribal schools public colleges or universities. By: ACLU           Educating Homeless Children and Youth (Separate Website) 2005 Guide to their rights. Link to PDF file. By: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty           Education of Homeless Children and Youth A short fact sheet about the federal McKinney-Vento Act which protects the rights of children and youth in homeless situations to attend and succeed in school, including pre-school. By: Columbia Legal Services           Make a Difference in a Child's Life - Education Advocacy Manual (Separate Website) A manual for helping children and youth get what they need in school. By: TeamChild           Parent's Guide to School Board Advocacy in WA (Separate Website) Th is publication is designed to serve as a tool for parents who want to communicate and advocate before their school board. It is not meant to provide legal advice. By: ACLU           School Rights of Immigrant and Refugee Children and their Parents in Washington State All children living in the United States have a right to go to public school for free regardless of their immigration status. This publication explains this and other school rights. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           Students and Parents! Know Your Rights in Disciplinary Proceedings** This publication lists your rights with regard to school discipline and disciplinary proceedings. By: TeamChild     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Truancies and School Attendance Information about what happens when your child does not attend school and the school files a truancy action. By: Columbia Legal Services     Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Spanish / Español        back to top         Discrimination in public education    Equity Education (Separate Website) The equity education program is designed to ensure all students have equal opportunities in education regardless of their race, national origin, gender or special needs. Equity education staff provide technical assistance to district officials to help them better understand and implement state and federal equity laws, and monitor their activities for compliance with those laws. By: Superintendent of Public Education           How to File a Discrimination Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (Separate Website) Anyone who believes that an educational institution that receives Federal financial assistance has discriminated against someone on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age, or who believes that a public elementary or secondary school, or State or local education agency has violated the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act, may file a complaint. The person or organization filing the complaint need not be a victim of the alleged discrimination, but may complain on behalf of another person or group. By: Office for Civil Rights        back to top         Emancipation    Emancipation of Minors If you are a resident of Washington and are at least 16, but not yet 18, and you want to be legally considered an adult, you can use this packet to ask the court to order that you be emancipated (legally declared an adult). By: Northwest Justice Project          back to top         Foster care placement issues and transition    Child Advocacy Central - Helping People Help Youth (Separate Website) Lots of useful information for foster care parents, adoptive parents, relative care providers, parents and child care providers.           Foster Care Publications (Separate Website) This web site offers many publications on the topic of foster care including "Assessing the Affects of Foster Care" and "Federal Tax Benefits for Foster and Adoptive Parents" and "A Guide to SSI and Social Security Benefits for Children and Youth in Out-of-Home Care". By: Casey Family Programs        back to top         Homeless youth    Educating Homeless Children and Youth (Separate Website) 2005 Guide to their rights. Link to PDF file. By: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty           Education of Homeless Children and Youth A short fact sheet about the federal McKinney-Vento Act which protects the rights of children and youth in homeless situations to attend and succeed in school, including pre-school. By: Columbia Legal Services        back to top         Immigration issues affecting youth and children    Mediation: Should I Use It? 3226EN - Mediation is an informal way to resolve disputes without going to court. The parties attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement with the help of a neutral mediator. Mediation can be used in many types of disputes. By: Northwest Women's Law Center - Legal Information and Referral Line     Read this in: Spanish / Español        back to top         Juvenile offenders    Office of Public Defense - Spokane County (Separate Website)           Office of the Public Defender - King County (Separate Website) Information on where to go and how to request an attorney for a criminal matter at public expense.           Public Defender Offices in Washington State (Separate Website) Partial listing of Public Defender Offices in Washington state. By: Washington Defender Association           Sealing Juvenile Court Records in Washington State In Washington, juvenile court records do not automatically disappear when an individual turns 18. In fact, almost all your juvenile records remain open for the public to view unless you ask a court to ?seal? them. This packet contains the forms and instructions necessary to help you do this on your own. By: Columbia Legal Services           Washington: An assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Juvenile Offender (Separate Website) The first-ever report assessing the quality of attorneys representing children in Washington?s juvenile offender cases will be released today. The report finds that, while there are successes and failures in every county, many counties fail to enact and follow professional standards of public defense, that defenders often are not adequately trained or supervised, and that excessive caseloads inhibit proper representation. By: American Bar Association        back to top         Medical and mental health issues for children    A Kinship Caregiver's Guide to Consenting to Health Care A kinship caregiver is a relative who is taking care of a child but is not the child's parent. This guide provides a child's kinship caregiver information about consenting to health care options. By: Columbia Legal Services           Application for Children's Medical Benefits (Separate Website) Application form for persons under the age of 19 who want medical benefits.           Basic Health Plus - Medical Coverage for Children (Separate Website) Basic Health Plus is a Medicaid program for children in qualified households. If you are eligible for Basic Health your children may be eligible for Basic Health Plus. They must be under age 19 and U.S. citizens or legal residents who arrived in the U.S. on or before August 22 1996. If your children are not living in your household you may be able to enroll them in Basic Health but not Basic Health Plus. By: DSHS           DSHS Application for Children's Medical Benefits (Separate Website) Department of Social & Health Services application for children's medical benefits.           DSHS Medical Programs for Kids Medical programs in Washington provide full medical and dental coverage for children whose families have incomes up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Read this publication to find out who qualifies. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File     Read this in: Russian / Pусский , Spanish / Español           Good News! The Children's Health Care Program is back in 2006 Medical coverage for children of low-income familes is available. By: Healthy Kids Now!     Read this in: Spanish / Español           Health Care Rights of those Under 18 Years of Age This publication outlines what health care services you may receive without the consent of a parent or guardian. By: Northwest Justice Project       Other Formats:   PDF File           Healthy Ties: The Grandparent's and Other Relatives Guide to Health Insurance for Children (Separate Website) What you need to know about Medicaid and The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). By: Children's Defense Fund           Living Will Registry (Separate Website) The Washington State Living Will Registry allows you to store your living will documents in a secure, online database. A living will gives you the power to record your medical decisions in the event you're unable to communicate and gives your physician vital information about your treatment wishes. Only authorized health care providers may access and view your documents in the registry. The registry also stores your emergency contact information so that family and next of kin can be contacted. By: Department of Health           Providing Health Care to Minors Under Washington Law A summary of health care services that can be provided to minors without the consent of their parents or guardians. By: Columbia Legal Services        back to top         School discipline