Commission on Homelessness & Poverty
Products and Publications
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The American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness & Poverty is pleased to announce the release of the second edition of "Educating Children Without Housing: A Primer on Legal Requirements and Implementation Strategies for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers." "Educating Children Without Housing, 2nd Edition," addresses the federal educational mandates related to homeless students under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The manual provides innovative strategies for educators and school administrators, state coordinators and policymakers, and advocates and attorneys to play a role in ensuring the education rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness. The revised edition includes additional strategies designed to assist communities to exceed compliance and move toward greater commitment—to embody not only the letter but also the spirit of the law. Additions include new sections on: homeless students with disabilities; students involved in the child welfare system; application of the Act in response to disasters; as well as expanded sections on definitions, preschool children, and unaccompanied youth. The book also includes an updated directory of resources. Drafted by Barbara Duffield of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, Patricia Julianelle of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, and Laurene Heybach of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the book is the most comprehensive resource on the education of homeless children and youth available. Several State Departments of Education have praised the book for its brief, yet comprehensive, easy-to-understand format, commenting on its similarity to a “how-to handbook.” Many states have purchased the publication in bulk and distributed them to liaisons, as well as to each school district and school administrator. "Educating Children Without Housing: A Primer on Legal Requirements and Implementation Strategies for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers, 2nd Edition," is available for $14.95 through the ABA Web Store at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm or by calling the ABA Service Center at 1-800-285-2221. The following discounts for bulk orders are available: Purchase 5-49 and save 10% To order this publication, click on the photo of the book's cover. Please contact the Commission at homeless@abanet.org for information about this book.
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The Commission released its latest publication, "Lawyers Working to End Homelessness," at the 2006 ABA Annual Meeting in Honolulu in association with its 15th Anniversary. This book is a compilation of essays and articles intended to inspire and guide readers to use their legal expertise to address homelessness in their communities. Written by attorneys from all areas of practice -- from law students to nationally recognized advocates for the homeless and from solo practitioners to those working at big law firms -- the guide is a valuable source of thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for virtually any attorney who is interested in using his or her talents to benefit the most vulnerable population. Articles cover a broad spectrum of advocacy, from the most basic act of taking on a pro bono case to the more complex act of creating a bar committee or service program from scratch. To order the book, please visit the ABA Web Store at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm?section=main&fm=Product.AddToCart&pid=4180012. |
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"Homeless Court Training Manual," the Homeless Court Training Manual contains materials circulated at the Taking the Court to Stand Down seminar held July 15-17, 2005 in San Diego, CA. It was a collaborative effort to assist homeless veterans, strenghten communities and maximize court resources. This free training was held at San Diego's Stand Down and provided an opportunity to observe the nation's first Homeless Court in action and learn how to replicate the program in your community. Click on the photo of the book's cover to download a .pdf version of the book. |
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"Homeless Courts Conference Coursebook," the Homeless Court Conference Course Book contains the materials circulated at the ABA National Conference on Homeless Courts on October 8, 2004 at the Institute for Peace & Justice in San Diego, including: articles from 11 Homeless Court Programs; articles written by judges, prosecutors, public defenders, court administrators, service providers and participants; and articles submitted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. Click on the photo of the book's cover to download a .pdf version of the book. |
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"Taking the Court to Stand Down" was prepared by the ABA Commission on Homelessness & Poverty and The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in a joint effort to promote the replication of homeless courts at Stand Down events for homeless veterans across the country. The guide provides valuable insight to the necessary steps in creating a program at Stand Down.
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"Taking the Court to Streets: A Roundtable on Homeless Courts" is a guide that contains information about 16 homeless courts in California plus 8 homeless courts across the nation. The guide also contains the ABA's policies related to homeless courts. The guide was prepared for a statewide roundtable on homeless courts that was held in Alameda, CA on October 26, 2006. |
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"The Homeless Court Program: Taking the Court to the Streets," documents San Diego's successful Homeless Court Program --- an innovative response to addressing the legal problems of people experiencing homelessness. The Homeless Court Program operates on a monthly basis at two of San Diego's largest shelters. A special voluntary court session is convened at the shelter --- a judge, clerk, public defender and prosecutor come to the shelter to provide greater access to justice to homeless people with outstanding criminal misdemeanor warrants. The philosophy behind this unique program is rehabilitative rather than punitive, and no one is taken into custody. The key players involved in the program realize that outstanding criminal warrants often preclude homeless people from accessing vital services such as employment, housing, public benefits, and treatment for mental health and/or substance abuse problems. As such, the court seeks to address the legal problems of the homeless participants as well as linking them with appropriate services and treatment programs. Click on the photo of the book's cover to download a .pdf version of the book.
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"Representing the Poor and Homeless: Innovations in Advocacy," is a compilation of articles written by law professors and advocates that address a range of issues including: the causes of homelessness as well as solutions, affordable housing, human rights, health services, NIMBYism, welfare, and microenterprise development. This informative book includes the following articles, as well as directories of publications and Web sites addressing homelessness and poverty. Click on the photo of the book's cover to download a .pdf version of the book. |
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"NIMBY: A Primer for Lawyers and Advocates," discusses the potential roadblocks that come into play when establishing a facility such as a shelter, group home, or soup kitchen in a community. The book addresses the issues and possible reaction within the community, tips on how to work with the community, the zoning process, and the legal tools to combat NIMBY attitudes and exclusionary zoning ordinances. The book is available for $10. To order this publication, click on the photo of the book's cover to obtain an order form. Please contact the Commission at homeless@abanet.org for information about this book. |
