KidsVoice is the non-profit legal services organization that is court appointed in Allegheny County to represent youth who are involved in juvenile dependency proceedings.  KidsVoice has a multi-disciplinary approach that pairs an Attorney and a Child Advocacy Specialist, who is a social service professional with expertise in social work, mental health, education or child development.  Each year, KidsVoice represents nearly 3,000 children from birth to 21 in this multi-disciplinary approach, ensuring that we are looking at and advocating for the many domains that are involved with each individual client from the initial involvement and through reunification, adoption, or another permanency option.

Some of our current clients have matters that go well beyond the traditional child welfare and juvenile court arenas and some of our former clients continue to ask for assistance after they leave care.  KidsVoice has expanded our advocacy efforts to assist current and KidsVoice clients with legal advocacy and support in the following areas:

• General education advocacy, including credit recovery and enrollment
• Special education advocacy
• Government and other public benefits, including social security
• Expungement of juvenile records
• Credit card fraud and identity theft
• Housing advocacy
• Representation in Magistrate hearings (for current clients)
• General information and referral

KidsVoice

 

For a complete list of legal services visit http://www.acbf.org/
For answers to commonly asked questions about rent, utilities, support and driver’s license issues visit http://www.18andthelaw.org/

DISABILITIES RIGHTS NETWORK

429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 701 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-391-5225 (phone) 412-467-8940 (fax) www.drnpa.org

Services: works to ensure that people with disabilities have equal and unhindered access to employment, transportation, public accommodations, and government services; to enforce their rights to vocational, post-secondary educational, health, and other services; and to protect them from abuse and neglect.

EDUCATION LAW CENTER

702 Law & Finance Building 429 Fourth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15219 412-258-2120 http://www.elc-pa.org

Services: ELC is a legal advocacy organization. Offers free assistance to thousands of families each year. Staff provides information on the legal rights of public school students, help with problem-solving, written materials, and contacts. In some cases involving large numbers of children, they provide legal representation although this only happens in a small number of cases.

NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES

928 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-255-6700
www.NLSA.org
Services: Provides assistance to individuals for civil legal matters including housing, bankruptcy, public benefits, protection from abuse, divorce, support and custody. Call for intake hours.

PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH LAW PROJECT

1-800-274-3258 (helpline)

www.phlp.org

Services: Assist low-income consumers, persons with disabilities and consumer groups in addressing issues of access to, coverage for, and quality of health care.
Eligibility: Income Guidelines: Same as Pennsylvania Publicly Financed Health Care Programs: Pennsylvania Medical Assistance, CHIP and Adult Basic.

PENNSYLVANIA INSTITUTIONAL LAW PROJECT

429 Forbes Ave, Suite 800 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-434-6175 www.pailp.org

Services: Provide free legal assistance in civil matters to low-income people who are incarcerated or institutionalized.
Eligibility: Income guidelines: 187.5% of poverty, PA residents, people who are in prisons (state and federal), jails, state hospitals (due to mental illness) or state centers (due to intellectual disability)

PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE

County Office Building
542 Forbes Avenue, Room 400
Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219
412-350-2401 9 (phone)
412-350-2390 (fax)
www.county.allegheny.pa.us
Services: Responsible for furnishing competent and effective legal counsel to any person who lacks sufficient funds to obtain legal counsel in any proceeding where representation is constitutionally required. Office hours Monday-Friday 8:30a.m.- 4:30p.m. (last client interview 3:45pm)

WELFARE JUSTICE PROJECT

16 Terminal Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-431-8960
www.justharvest.org
Description: This program seeks to empower individuals and help them advocate for themselves with regard to the welfare system.