Teen Legal Rights Resources - Center for Children's Advocacy

Resources below will answer some questions about teen legal rights.
For specific information, please contact Attorney Stacey Violante Cote.

Benefits (Money, Food, Medical)

Child Support Information for Teen Mothers

Child Support Information for Teen Fathers

TFA – Cash Assistance for Teen Parents

How to Keep your Lights and Heat Turned On

Connecticut Department of Social Services (website)

Social Security Administration (website)

Bullying

Bullying
If I am bullied at school, what are my legal rights?

Stop Bullying

Teens Against Bullying

Connecticut Department of Education, Bullying and Harassment

Criminal Record

Applying for Jobs and Housing: What I Need to Know About My Criminal Record

How to Get Free Legal Help – Asistencia Legal Gratuita
Certificate of Employability, Record Erased, Return to School, Driver’s License

Stopped or Arrested?
Know your Rights in a Police Encounter

Can I Get My Record Erased?
Police Records, Court Records, School Discipline Records

Online tool to find out if you can get your record erased
Connecticut Legal Services

Life After Manson – Getting Back to School
Ages 14 – 17
Over Age 18

DCF Care

Speak Up! Legal Rights in DCF Care

DCF to DMHAS – What Happens When I Turn 18?

DCF-DMHAS Memorandum of Understanding

DCF Adolescent Policies

If DCF is Your Legal Guardian
Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut (LARCC)

Youth Who “Age Out” of Foster Care Eligible for HUSKY Health Coverage Until Age 21
Connecticut Voices for Children, 2006

Social Security Income (SSI) for Youth Leaving DCF Care

DCF Adolescent and Transitional Services (website)

Foster Care Alumni (website)

National Network for Young People in Foster Care (website)

Dating Violence

Is Love Supposed to Hurt Me? (brochure) (poster)
Is your boyfriend/girlfriend hurting you, stalking you or sending threatening messages?

Break the Cycle (English or Spanish) (website)

Center for Adolescent Health and the Law (website)

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Fast Facts: Preventing Teen Dating Violence

Delinquency and Detention

Can I Get My Record Erased?
Police Records, Court Records, School Discipline Records

Online tool to find out if you can get your record erased
Connecticut Legal Services

Connecticut Juvenile Justice System

A Guide for Youth and Families

Legal Rights in Juvenile Detention
What are your rights in Juvenile Detention?

Education

Alternative Schools – Avoiding “Push Out”
Legal rights of students experiencing Push Out – pressure from the school to withdraw and attend an Alternative School or Program.

Bullying

Push Out
If my school wants me out, what can I do?

English Language Learners (ELLs)
Rights at School

English Language Learners – State Dept of Education Information for ELLs

Financial Aid for College If You’re Not Living with Your Parents

Guide to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Housing, food, basic needs, health care

Dependency Override – Sample letter

Push Out – What does the law say?

Scholarships for College (Scholarships A-Z)

Scholarships for Students in Greater Hartford

School is Here No Matter What – Connecticut State Department of Education Resources for Homeless Students

Searches in School

Special Education

Special Education – Protecting Your Rights (ctlawhelp.com)

Life After Lockup: What’s Up With School?
Your legal rights when you return to school and the community.

Life After Manson – How to Get Back into School
For youth ages 14-17
For youth ages 18+

Truancy Report : Las Niñas Silenciadas – English or Spanish
Broken Links between Language, Culture and Learning

Educational Rights of Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Rules, Rights and Regulations in School (ctlawhelp.com)

School Expulsions
Legal Resource Assistance Center of Connecticut (LARCC)

Starting College: Tips for Special Education and Disabled Students

College for Students who are Homeless
Federal Aid for Homeless Students
NAEHCY website (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth)
CSCU and DSS offer free classes to anyone eligible for SNAP at 12 community colleges. Click here for information.

Emancipation

How Can I Get Emancipated?

A Teenager’s Guide to Emancipation
Legal Resource Center of Connecticut (LARCC)

How to Get your Birth Certificate
The law can help you

Employment

Applying for Jobs and Housing: What I Need to Know About My Criminal Record

Health Care and Mental Health Care

Is it Confidential? (English) (Spanish)
Can you see a doctor without your parent/guardian’s consent?
Reproductive health care, including HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, birth control, abortion, safe havens for newborns.

Statutory Rape – Definitions and the Law
If your boyfriend or girlfriend is 3 years older than you, can you get in trouble with the law?

Center for Adolescent Health and the Law (website)

Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition (website)

HUSKY Health Care
Information about State health insurance

Youth Who “Age Out” of Foster Care are Eligible for HUSKY Health Coverage until Age 21
Connecticut Voices for Children, 2006

Social Security Income (SSI) for Youth Leaving DCF Care

Homelessness

US Department of Education McKinney-Vento Homeless Guidance
Non-Regulatory Guidance to help school districts and States implement Every Student Succeeds amendments to McKinney-Vento.
Fact Sheet for school staff, teachers, administrators on impacts of homelessness, rights of homeless students, tips to support students and families.

Guide to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Housing, food, basic needs, health care

Connecticut Counts, May 2015
2015 Report on Homelessness in Connecticut
Including Statewide Youth Homelessness Count

Invisible No More: Creating Opportunities for Youth Who are Homeless
Center for Children’s Advocacy and Partnership for Strong Communities, 2013
Derrick M. Gordon, PhD and Bronwyn A. Hunter, PhD, Consultation Center, Yale School of Medicine

Opening Doors for Youth: Action Plan to Provide CT Youth and Young Adults with Safe, Stable Homes and Opportunities
Homeless Youth Workgroup of Opening Doors – CT report written by the Center for Children’s Advocacy, the Partnership for Strong Communities, Youth Catalytics, and the UCONN Center for Applied Research in Human Development, March, 2015

Moving Around A Lot: Legal Rights of Youth who are Homeless
Center for Children’s Advocacy

Addressing the Intersections of Juvenile Justice Involvement and Youth Homelessness: Principles for Change
Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Lisa Pilnik, J.D., M.S., Director of Child & Family Policy Associates, Sr. Advisor to CJJ, 2016

School is Here No Matter What – Connecticut State Department of Education Resources for Homeless Students

Identification (ID)

How to Get ID if You Do Not Have It»

Immigration

Immigration – What are my rights? What are my options?
Can I go to school? Can I become a legal permanent resident of the US?

Inmigracion – Cuales son mi derechos? Que opciones tengo?
Si estoy aqui ilegalmente, puedo ir a la escuela? Como me convierto a un residente permanente legal?

What to do if you are Approached by ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Center for Children’s Advocacy 2017)

Living in Connecticut: Immigrants and Refugee Teens (English, Spanish, Karen)
Information about school, work, ID cards for immigrant and refugee teens.

English Language Learners (ELLs)
Rights at School

FREE Immigrant Legal Advice Hotline: 800-798-0671
Connecticut Legal Services staffed M-F 9-5; message can be left anytime.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Perez-Olano Settlement Agreement (USCIS Memo 2011)

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (USCIS Memo 2009)

Supporting Undocumented & Unaccompanied Youth In School (NAEHCY Report)

How to Renew/Replace Permanent Resident Card (English) (Spanish)

International Institute of Connecticut (website)

Scholarships for College (Scholarships A-Z)
Scholarships available regardless of immigration status

American Civil Liberties Union – Immigrants’ Rights (website)

Immigrant Legal Resource Center (website)

National Immigration Law Center (website)

National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (website)

“Deferred Action” for Youth brought to the U.S. as Children (USCIS.gov)

US Immigration: Citizenship, Green Card, Visas (website)

LGBT Teens

LGBT Teens – What are my rights?
Are you being bullied or feel like you’re discriminated against? Your legal rights in school, foster care, detention and home.

Connecticut Legal Protections for Transgender People
CWEALF publication

A Place of Respect: A Guide for Group Care Facilities Serving Transgender
& Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Connecticut Chapter of GLSEN
(Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network)

Connecticut GLAD Resources
(Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders website)

Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective (website)

New Haven Pride Center (website)

True Colors (website)

Trans and Gender Non-Comforming Youth