The National Center for Youth Law works to ensure that low-income children have the resources, support, and opportunities they need for a healthy and productive future.

Latest News

March 28, 2008 - The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) and co-counsel have renewed their motion for class certification in Clark K. v. Willden, a lawsuit seeking broad reform of the child welfare system in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada.

Jan. 2008 - In January 2008, the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) and Arkansas’ Division of Youth Services (DYS) became partners in an effort to reduce the state’s reliance on incarceration, and increase its capacity to serve youth in their communities. 

January 2008 - The first year of the new Alameda County Juvenile Collaborative Court was a great success. The purpose of the Court is to divert youth with mental health issues from the juvenile justice system.

Jan. 16, 2008 - Plaintiffs in Braam v. Washington are returning to court today claiming that the state has failed to comply with a settlement agreement reached more than three years ago to make desperately needed changes to its foster care system.

December 13, 2007 - The state’s largest and most influential groups advocating for homeless individuals with mental illness have sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to restore a highly effective program they say is vital to their clients’ safety and well-being. The lawsuit charges that the Governor violated Proposition 63, now known as the Mental Health Services Act – the law passed by voters to expand mental health services in California.  Read more


NCYL Deputy Director Patrick Gardner has been appointed to the newly established California Child Welfare Council. The goal of the Council is to increase collaboration among agencies and courts that serve foster youth, and improve the coordination and delivery of foster youth services.

CA Gov. Signs Law Mandating Access to Child Fatality Records

Oct. 11, 2007 - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed Senate Bill 39, a groundbreaking bill that mandates public disclosure of findings and information about children who have died of abuse or neglect. The goal of the bill is to promote public scrutiny of cases in order to improve the child welfare system and ensure children's safety. Download: Press Release

Advocacy Groups in CA Demand State Mental Health Funds Be Restored

Oct. 9, 2007 - Several disability rights and legal service advocacy groups are demanding that funding for proven programs to assist homeless people with mental illness be restored. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the (AB 2034) appropriation and the advocates have alerted the Governor they will bring a lawsuit if there is no agreement to restore funding by October 23. Download: Press Release  and  Demand Letter.
 

July 10, 2007 - Leecia Welch, senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, has been awarded the 2007 Child Advocacy Award by the ABA Young Lawyers Division.


NCYL Director John O'Toole Appointed to CA Blue Ribbon Commission on Foster Care

June 11, 2007 - NCYL Director John O’Toole has been appointed to California’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care.



Youth Law News

Check out the latest issue: October-December 2007

STAY INFORMED!

Click here to receive news and updates from NCYL



This website is designed to help CA adolescent health care providers understand the many laws that affect their work, with a focus on reproductive health. 


Children are the nation's most impoverished group

  • One in five children in this country lives in poverty.
  • Children are two times more likely to be poor than the elderly.
  • More than 5 million children live in families with less than half the income that officially qualifies a family as "poor."

The National Center for Youth Law works to help these children, whose needs are too often ignored by our society. We provide them with a voice in the decisions that so dramatically affect their lives.  learn more



Photos: www.HarryCutting.com (top); Marilyn Nolt (bottom)

Photographs that appear in Youth Law News were produced independently of articles and bear no relationship to cases or incidents discussed therein.