Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - Practice Areas / Useful Links & Resources

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Resources for Children and Families

Child Link- Provides Service Coordinators who help children, from birth to age three who have developmental delays or disabilities, and their families living in Philadelphia obtain supports and services.

Elwyn, Inc., Early Intervention – Elwyn is a non-profit human services organization recognized nationally and internationally as experts in the education and care of individuals with special challenges and disadvantages.

Medical Assistance / CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program)

Parents Involved Network of Philadelphia - An organization that assists parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Public Citizens for Children and Youth - Improves the lives and life chances of our region’s children through thoughtful and informed advocacy. PCCY also operates the Child Healthwatch Helpline that can
help families apply for Medical Assistance or CHIP for their children on the phone – with no in person appointment necessary: 215-563-5848 X17

Philadelphia Community Services for Children and Adolescents - Resources for children and adolescents with special needs

Philadelphia’s Mental / Behavioral Health System

Philadelphia’s Mental Retardation System - Resource Directory for people with mental retardation, families and professionals. Linking people with needed resources supporting choice, self-determination and inclusion.

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Advocacy for Children and Families

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Disabilities Rights Network of Pennsylvania (DRN) (formerly the Disabilities Law Project) - The legal services organization advocating for the civil rights of persons with mental and physical disabilities, and legal backup center to Pennsylvania Protection & Advocacy, Inc. The DRN is a statewide, non–profit corporation designated as the federally–mandated organization to advance and protect the civil rights of all adults and children with disabilities.

Education Law Center - The Education Law Center (ELC) is a non-profit legal advocacy and educational organization, dedicated to ensuring that all of Pennsylvania's children have access to a quality public education.
Juvenile Law Center http://www.jlc.org/index.php
One of the oldest children's rights organizations in the United States, working on behalf of children who have come within the purview of public agencies

National Center for Youth Law - The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) uses the law to improve the lives of poor children. NCYL works to ensure that low-income children have the resources, support, and opportunities they need for a healthy and productive future.

National Health Law Program (NHeLP) - The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) serves legal services programs, community-based organizations, the private bar, providers and individuals who work to preserve a health care safety net for the millions of uninsured or underinsured low-income people.

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Other Advocacy Groups

Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) - The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national non-profit that works to improve the lives of low-income people. CLASP’s mission is to improve the economic security, educational and workforce prospects, and family stability of low-income parents, children, and youth and to secure equal justice for all.

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of Philadelphia (HIAS) and Council Migration Service - HIAS and Council provides law-related immigration services to the foreign born and their families who seek asylum, family reunification, permanent legal status and citizenship in the U.S. HIAS and Council offers refugee counseling and processing assistance, acculturation, education and advocacy to, and on behalf of, prospective refugees, immigrants, their families, and friends in the Delaware Valley and the Tri-State region.

Homeless Advocacy Project - HAP provides free legal services through volunteers to homeless people, and to non-profit community groups developing affordable housing and other services for the homeless

National Center for Law and Economic Justice (formerly the Welfare Law Center) - The National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ) advances the cause of economic justice for low-income families, individuals and communities across the country.

National Senior Citizens Law Center - The National Senior Citizens Law Center advocates before the courts, Congress and federal agencies to promote the independence and well-being of low-income elderly and disabled Americans.

Pennsylvania Health Law Project - Provides free legal services to lower-income consumers, seniors, and persons with disabilities who are having trouble accessing publicly funded healthcare coverage or services.

Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) - Provides information about services, and brochures concerning legal issues that may be of interest to clients, the community, and other legal services organizations.

Philadelphia VIP - Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program (VIP) is dedicated to providing indigent individuals in Philadelphia equal access to the legal system in civil matters by referring them to volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and others who provide legal services free of charge.

Protection and Advocacy - Resources to help you advocate for the rights of persons with a disability.

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Legal Resources
Federal Register

FindLaw - General legal information service, including codes, U.S. Supreme Court and published circuit court cases

Legal Brief.com - Federal laws with full U.S. Code and C.F.R.

Legal Information Institute (LII) Social_Security Social security law overview, selections from U.S. Code and C.F.R.

National Organization of Social Security Representatives

Social Security Advisory Services - Social Security law, information, and resources

Social Security law

Social Security Rulings and Acquiesence Rulings

U.S. Code and C.F.R.

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