Some KIDS Legal Aid Client Stories

Successful School Transfer for Student with Disabilities

A 15 year old suffering from paralysis in his legs, motor impairment in his arms, mental retardation, chronic respiratory congestion, and anxiety disorder experienced significant hardship riding the school bus 12 miles to his assigned High School. On days when he swam, he was transported an additional 35 miles by the school. The trips caused him severe pain, but a local adjoining school district, which had a High School and pool within 4 miles of his residence, refused to agree to a transfer. After unsuccessfully taking the issue all the way to the state Commissioner of Education, the parent turned to KIDS LEGAL. The KIDS LEGAL attorney, utilizing medical records, video, and legal argument convinced the receiving district to accept the student.

Another Student with Special Needs Helped by KIDS Attorney

The mother of an 8 year old second grade boy contacted KIDS LEGAL when her son was repeatedly being removed from school for aggressive and threatening behaviors. Although her son had been psychiatrically hospitalized and had several mental health diagnoses, he was not identified as a student with an emotional disability. A KIDS LEGAL attorney represented mom in special education proceedings. Her 8 year old is now appropriately identified as a student with a disability and is receiving educational services in a therapeutic day treatment setting.

KIDS Attorney Helps Baby get Father, Benefits and Health Insurance

Unsure of what to do to help their patient, a young single mom and her newborn baby, doctors called the KIDS attorney for consultation. The baby was born with some physical malformations and kidney problems, requiring extensive surgeries. He’s a beautiful and happy baby despite his needs. Unfortunately, the baby’s father was killed serving in Iraq before he ever had a chance to see his child. With his untimely death, mom was unable to prove paternity, rendering her baby not only fatherless but without the survivor’s benefits and health insurance coverage. KIDS assisted this young mother in establishing paternity through the courts and now her baby receives military and social security survivor’s benefits and health insurance to assist with his multiple surgeries.

Teen mom has more than one problem:

A teen mother brought her baby to the pediatrics clinic for a well child checkup. During the visit, she told the doctor that she wanted to go back to high school to get her high school diploma. After telling the KIDS attorney about her patient, the KIDS attorney met with the teen mom while she was still in the exam room and learned that this young mother needed assistance in lots of areas. The KIDS attorney is now working on assisting her in returning to school to obtain her diploma, investigating what appears to be an incorrect social security reduction, and assisting with a housing problem. By addressing these multiple problems, this young family’s home life should be stabilized with affordable housing, increased income, and a chance to do better in life with a high school diploma.

KIDS Helps Teen Raise Rights to Privacy and to Have a Father

Within one week of her 18th birthday, Sheila's father filed a paternity action seeking DNA testing to prove he wasn't Sheila's father. Sheila's parents had been divorced since she was a little girl, and believed her father was her dad. Sheila did not want to have to get tested. Her father and mother were both represented by attorneys but Sheila was not. Her case was referred to KIDS and a KIDS attorney represented Sheila in the paternity case her father brought. Sheila's mother's attorney and Sheila's attorney filed motions to dismiss the case since paternity was established in the divorce and no legal remedies were available to the father. The KIDS attorney also raised Sheila's rights to have a father and her rights to privacy against DNA tested she didn't want to submit to as an adult child. The Court dismissed her father's case and Sheila did not have to have a DNA test.

KIDS Helps Pregnant Emancipated Teen Get Benefits

"Holly" contacted KIDS when she was in her third trimester of her pregnancy. She was 17 and could not live in either of her parent's houses safely. She had been living on her own for eight months. Because she was pregnant and due to give birth soon, she tried to apply for TANF (welfare). The Department of Health and Human Services told her that she was not eligible for TANF because she had not been out of her parents' homes for one year. She was in the process of getting emancipated and had an attorney for her emancipation hearing, but that attorney didn't know how to help her get TANF. A KIDS attorney consulted with the attorney who was representing Holly in her emancipation hearing to explain what findings had to be included in the emancipation order in order to help Holly get TANF benefits for herself and her child. After she was emancipated, the KIDS attorney contacted DHHS to prove she had good cause to get TANF benefits for herself and her child. Holly was approved and began receiving TANF in order to help support herself and her child.

KIDS Helps Special Education Student Return to School

Marvin had gotten into trouble and had a juvenile case in District Court. The Court referred Marvin to KIDS after it realized that Marvin was only getting two hours of tutoring a day for a total of two high school credits during his freshman year. This would have put him significantly behind his classmates and made it impossible for him to graduate on time. Marvin is a special education student because of learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A KIDS attorney attended the Pupil Evaluation Team meeting and advocated for appropriate services for Marvin, which involved Marvin returning to school in an appropriate classroom and getting tutoring to make up for the work he had missed when he was out of school on the home tutoring program. Marvin was also referred to community agencies for case management and counseling services. Marvin is expected to be able to graduate with his class.

Another KIDS Special Education Success Story

Jared's mom contacted KIDS after her son had failed school and showed behavioral problems over several years. Before she contacted KIDS, she had referred Jared for special ed services twice and was denied both times. After she contacted us, a KIDS attorney represented mom in a third referral for special ed services, and Jared was appropriately identified as a student with a disability. He began receiving instruction in a smaller classroom setting with case management and social work services and was also mainstreamed in regular ed classes to be with his nondisabled peers in a few classes. He is now passing all his classes and has had no behavior incidents since being identified as a student with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. His mother now feels that the school understands her son's disability.

Troubled Teen's Life Turns Around

Kaitlyn contacted us on her own in March 2003, when she was homeless and out of school. Kaitlyn also had a juvenile matter in court and didn't have an attorney to represent her. A KIDS attorney referred her to a juvenile defense attorney after first advocating for Kaitlyn to stop a bench warrant from issuing because she was unable to get to court due to no transportation. The KIDS attorney was then appointed as Kaitlyn's Guardian ad Litem in the juvenile proceeding and advocated for her to be placed in a therapeutic group home, stabilizing her housing and ensuring she received mental health and case management services that she required. The KIDS attorney, as Guardian ad Litem, also advocated on Kaitlyn's behalf in school to get her enrolled, develop appropriate Individual Education Planss because she was a student with a disability, and ensure her educational modifications were implemented in her summer school programming. In June 2004, she graduated from high school and is currently attending college. Kaitlyn has also transitioned from the group home and continues to have stable housing.

Pupil Evaluation Team Meetings Produce Results for Once Suicidal Child

Jeff was referred to KIDS by his juvenile defense attorney because of school issues. Jeff was identified as a student with a specific learning disability but his emotional and behavioral problems were ignored by the school. Jeff had been hospitalized for depression and suicidal thinking and was in counseling and taking medication to help manage his depression. Jeff was doing poorly in school both behaviorally and academically. A KIDS attorney represented Jeff's parents in PET meetings and as a result, Jeff was appropriately identified as a student with both a learning disability and emotional disability. He was placed in an alternative school that he likes, where he is passing and receiving services for his emotional issues.

Emotionally Troubled Student Finds Appropriate Treatment Program

Jeremy was referred to KIDS after he was discharged from his residential placement because of aggressive behavior. He was classified as a special ed student because of severe emotional problems. He had not received any educational services for over one month when his mom called KIDS. A KIDS attorney represented his mom, and Jeremy was able to enroll in an appropriate day treatment program and receive extended school year services to make up for the time he was not in school.