Mobilization for Justice, Inc. – Kinship Caregiver Law Project

Mobilization for Justice, Inc. – Kinship Caregiver Law Project

100 William Street 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Program Contact: Jacqueline Adorno
Intake Line: (212) 417-3850, Wednesday & Friday, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Fax: (212) 417-3891
Email: jadorno@mfjlegal.org
Website: https://mobilizationforjustice.org/projects/kinship-caregiver-law-project/

Services available to all New York City boroughs [Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, New York (Manhattan), and Richmond (Staten Island)].

Eligibility: Must be a kinship caregiver within New York City and household income must be 350% or below the federal poverty level.  In a limited number of cases, can assist kinship caregivers that live outside New York City if there is an active case within New York City.  Federal poverty level

Services Include:

• Represents low-income kinship caregivers seeking legal custody, guardianship or adoption assistance, and links those it cannot help with private pro bono attorneys and trains these attorneys to represent families in court.
• Assists kincare families in securing public benefits to which they are entitled, including immigration through Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
• Offers information, advice, and representation in custody, guardianship, adoption, foster care advocacy, and immigration relief for undocumented youth referred to as special immigrant juvenile status.
• Offers information and advice on how to clear State Central Registry (SCR) history, grandparent visitation, and public benefits.
• Provides direct advocacy and representation to low-income individuals and families seeking assistance in either humanitarian- or family-based immigration matters.
• Assists children with mental illness and their families through medical-legal partnerships with Bellevue, Kings County and Harlem Hospitals to obtain education supports for the children and to stabilize the families if they face government benefits, housing, immigration or other legal problems.
• Provides advice and representation to low-income parents of students with disabilities seeking appropriate special education services and school placements from the New York City Department of Education. MFJ represents parents at Individualized Education Program meetings, administrative due process hearings, and in appeals before the New York State Review Officer and in federal court. Click on this video to learn more about the program.

*For Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) assistance please connect with Warren J. Sinsheimer Children’s Rights Program*