Educational Empowerment Project The Educational Empowerment Project assists students and their caregivers in enrollment, school discipline, and special education matters. LACY strives to ensure that children and their families have a meaningful voice in the educational process. Since 2002, LACY has collaborated with the Department of Family & Children's Services, Juvenile Probation, and Morrissey Compton Educational Center through Project YEA! to provide educational advocacy for youth in foster care or in the juvenile justice system. LACY staff also conducted multiple trainings for parents, social workers, probation officers and attorneys about the special education process.
Emancipation Project The Emancipation Project seeks to educate minors, parents, and service providers on the realities of emancipation - LACY represents minors who qualify for emancipation in the court process. Many youth are unaware of the requirements and consequences of emancipation. In the past year, LACY received hundreds inquiries about emancipation and the preparation necessary to present a successful case.
Guardianship Project The Guardianship Project attempts to help children stabilize their lives by seeking legal guardianships, the mechanism by which the court names an alternate caretaker for a child. LACY continues to accept referrals from the Department of Family & Children's Services, Catholic Charities, and other service providers to help establish guardianships and prevent minors from entering the foster care system. The Santa Clara County Probate Court and Unified Family Court have recognized LACY's expertise in this area by regularly appointing LACY to represent children in contested guardianship proceedings.
Homeless & Runaway Youth Project LACY joined forces with Emergency Housing Consortium and the Bill Wilson Center to form Youth Works, a comprehensive program to serve homeless and runaway youth. LACY staff conducts education and outreach sessions monthly for youth at the shelters within Santa Clara County. LACY attorneys and social workers advise youth on their rights and help them legalize stable living arrangements.
Safe Families Project The Safe Families Project provides representation and education for pregnant and parenting teens with regard to paternity, child custody and support, visitation, adoption, and public benefits. LACY staff regularly trained schools, students and other agencies about the rights and responsibilities of school-aged parents. A high-percentage of the youth involved in the Safe Families Project required legal representation in domestic violence proceedings. Last year, LACY expanded services to accept referrals from the Juvenile and Unified Family Court to assist young parents who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system due primarily to domestic violence. LACY continued long-term relationships with local domestic violence providers by participating in victim support groups and teen batterer's treatment.
School Based Legal Clinic LACY continued its weekly presence at the school-based legal clinic at Andrew Hill High School, a unique program in the Bay Area. LACY staff provided confidential legal advice and representation on a variety of issues last year including immigration, guardianship, delinquency, restraining orders, foster care, homelessness and child custody.
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