Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice’s Post

As Southern Legal Center for Youth launches into its first full year of operations, I have two main goals: 1. Increase awareness in Atlanta and GA of unaccompanied youth and young adult homelessness as a LEGAL issue. 2. Improve referral connections for young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability to already existing legal services in the ATL community. This panel event was part of Goal #1. All of us hear about the housing and homelessness crisis, but we never talk about it at law school in terms of what we can actually do as law students to prevent and end homelessness. I want law students to know about all the levers they can pull, from individual representation to addressing systemic issues through legislation. The long term goal is that we close the gaps between the homelessness and legal systems so much so that in many instances they become the same system - that way, no young person will fall through the cracks.

Holistic, flexible responses are crucial to respond to service and policy gaps and address the complex needs of custodial grandparent - https://lnkd.in/gvaBpseN

For parents in California, navigating the complexities of a child custody case and understanding the nuances of child support is crucial, especially when it involves special needs children. California Family Code Section 3900 forms the bedrock of child support decisions in California, particularly for special needs children, and includes considerations such as increased financial aid, age factor, and government benefits. Learn more. https://bit.ly/4cnEXRc #specialneedschildren #specialneeds #childcustody #custody #divorcelaw #familylaw #familylawyers

EVERYONE deserves access to safe, affordable, and quality housing – regardless of their conviction history! New toolkit from The Fortune Society and Enterprise Community Partners seeks to educate housing developers and others about the fundamental barriers to housing for those with a history of criminal legal system entanglement, identify opportunities to improve equity for these individuals, and provide guidance on how to address current gaps in access. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3y43KdW #housingjustice

🏠 A Historic Milestone for Housing Justice in Pennsylvania! ⚖️I am thrilled to see that Pennsylvania is taking a monumental step forward by offering free legal representation to low-income renters facing eviction or other housing-related issues. For the first time ever, this critical support is available, and it’s a win for fairness and dignity for so many individuals and families across our state.We have long recognized the pressing need for counsel, and it’s inspiring to see this recognition turn into meaningful action. Ensuring legal support for vulnerable renters isn't just about addressing housing instability—it's about protecting basic human rights and paving the way for healthier, more resilient communities.This initiative is a reminder of what can be achieved when we advocate for what’s right and work collaboratively towards justice.#HousingJustice #EvictionPrevention #LegalSupport #Pennsylvania https://lnkd.in/gCFrTUtx

News from Springfield: Last week, three bills on CCH's legislative agenda were passed and have been sent to Gov. Pritzker for his signature! We thank all our supporters who completed witness slips, traveled to Springfield for a Lobby Day, offered testimony and/or contacted their legislators. Together, we move the needle on ending homelessness. What bills will be signed? 📃 HB 5407 will allow the State to better support the 58,000 Illinois students experiencing homelessness. 📃 HB 5564 will let service providers use more of their annual funding on case management and administrative costs, to better assist families with the housing support they need. 📃 HB 4768 will protect tenants from evictions and other forms of landlord retaliation if they report unsafe living conditions. Thank you, Rep. Michelle Mussman, Rep. Lilian Jiménez, State Rep. Will Guzzardi, Sen. Karina Villa and Sen. Laura Fin for your advocacy! Read CCH's 2024 legislative wrap-up here: https://bit.ly/3V8QYCB #Illinois #statepolicy #2024 #Springfield #advocacy #EndHomelessness

ProPublica’s latest investigative piece highlights how money, race and power heavily influences the family policing system. The article uncovers the practice of enlisting “professional expert witnesses” to justify family separation in favor of foster parent adoptions — a practice that even those “expert witnesses” say lacks scientific evidence. Stories like this remind us why abolition is necessary. Read the full article to learn more. https://buff.ly/3IJ3PWk #familypolicingsystem #abolition #SystematicBias #familyseparation

Navigating Child Support in New York? Get the clarity you need with our comprehensive guide. From calculating payments to understanding legal responsibilities, we cover it all. 🗽💼 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dKYxqzJ3 #childsupport #familylaw #legalinsights #lawliner

Great training coming up - if you represent or work with low-income families with child care needs, come check out this free training to learn how you can help families access the care they need.

As we reflect on 30 years of serving the children of DuPage who are experiencing the juvenile court system due to abuse and neglect, we are sharing Pearls of Wisdom from former foster care youth, volunteers, board members and other members of our CASA community. Today, one of our Advocates shares: "Never forget the critical role foster parents play. Their voices need to be heard too." Do you want to get involved? Learn more about becoming an advocate here: https://lnkd.in/gKbwap-i