The Alliance for Children's Rights is hosting a Foster Care Benefits Advocacy on July 16, 2010, at The Alliance's offices. The training will begin at 10:00 AM and will last approximately 1.5 hours.

The Alliance for Children's Rights' Foster Care Benefits Program works with minor's attorneys, social workers, judicial officers, and foster care providers to ensure that all children in the foster care system receive the monthly financial benefits to which they are entitled. We represent foster care providers at administrative fair hearings on inappropriate benefits denials. We also work with the Department of Children and Family Services to obtain the appropriate specialized care rates and services for the many children in foster care with special medical and emotional needs. Volunteers working with this program advocate for benefits and services on behalf of the children, help acquire the evidence necessary to bring matters to trial, prepare hearing requests and briefs, and represent clients at administrative fair hearings. Volunteers are provided access to model briefs and argue the matters at administrative fair hearings, where rules of evidence do not apply. It is therefore an excellent method of practicing brief writing and oral advocacy skills. Those in attendance will be provided with an overview of foster care benefits issues, and will have an opportunity to volunteer to work on a case. Benefits cases require a time commitment of approximately 45 to 55 hours over a period of approximately three months. Support staff, including secretaries and paralegals, are also invited to attend as individuals interested in this field do not need to be licensed in California to undertake this advocacy.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP with Diego Cartagena at d.cartagena@kids-alliance.org. Please also feel free to pass this along to any of your friends or colleagues that might be interested in attending.