Links to Resources
Select a category below to see recommended resources.
Anti Violence Project of New York
The AVP site provides extensive information about the services AVP provides to lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and HIV-positive victims of violence, and others affected by violence. AVP offers free and confidential services to survivors of hate-motivated violence (including HIV-motivated violence), domestic violence, and sexual assault, including therapeutic counseling and advocacy within the criminal justice system and victim support agencies, information for self-help, referrals to practicing professionals, and other sources of assistance. The Project actively seeks to serve clients from the full range of New York's diverse lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and HIV-positive communities.
ABA Center on Children and the Law
Focusing on issues such as child abuse and neglect, adoption, adolescent health, foster and kinship care, custody and support, guardianship, missing and exploited children, and children's exposure to domestic violence, the Center on Children and the Law works as a technical assistance, training, and research program.
Advocates For Youth
A site for adolescents, and their guardians, promoting comprehensive sexual education and reproductive health. The site includes STD and contraceptive information, as well as a number of position papers related to peer-driven sex education.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
This site provides resources and information to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. It also contains a national adoption directory and a wealth of information about state statutes and statistics.
ChildhelpUSA
Childhelp USA is dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children. Its efforts and resources are focused upon treatment, prevention, and research. The site provides information about their facilities and programs, about their Child Abuse Hotline and how to report and prevent child abuse.
Day One
Day One is dedicated to helping youth who are victims of violence or harassment in their family or dating relationships. The site includes resource information on New York City. According to their site, Day One partners with New York City youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, legal advocacy, supportive services and leadership development.
Montefiore Child Advocacy Center/ J.E. and Z.B. Butler Child Advocacy Center
The site provides contact information and descriptions of the services available at the only nationally certified, medically-based Child Advocacy Center in the New York metropolitan area. This CAC offers medical and counseling services with a strong focus on the child and family utilizing a medical and social service-based technique and a multi-disciplinary approach in the evaluation and treatment of child abuse and neglect.
New York Alliance Against Sexual Assault
The Alliance's web site provides resource information and advice to survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault as well as presenting and conducting research about the nature and extent of sexual violence in the New York City region.
Safe Horizon
Safe Horizon is the largest organization in the country providing services to victims of abuse and violence. Their web site includes resources and advice for victims of all types of violence. Safe Horizon has a variety of special services for young victims of abuse and violence, as well as programs for homeless, street-involved and at-risk youth.
Adoptive Families Magazine
A site where you can subscribe to the magazine devoted to adoptive families, the process of adopting and related issues. Some free information.
Advocates for Children
AFC's mission is to increase children's access to quality public education and special education services. AFC works with children in foster care, with disabilities, and who are homeless or living in poverty. Their services include impact litigation, individual case advocacy, technical assistance, and training about children's educational rights in New York City. Their web site includes information about their services and projects, policy analyses, links to other child advocacy organizations and downloadable versions of their reports.
American Bar Association Representing Children Guidelines
Information on practices related to representing children in abuse and neglect cases. It also outlines the requirements of the Adoptive Safe Families Act. There are many links to other child advocacy sites.
Black Community Crusade for Children
The BCCC, led by a Working Committee of African American clergy, educators, policy makers, and community leaders, is a partnership with regional child-serving organizations. The BCCC is a targeted crusade that works to mobilize African Americans on behalf of Black children, who face disproportionate problems.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
This site provides resources and information to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. It also contains a national adoption directory and a wealth of information about state statutes and statistics.
Child Welfare League of America
CWLA is an association of more than 1,100 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist over 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a wide range of services.
Childhelp USA® National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD®
Serves the United States, its territories, and Canada 24hours per day, 7 days per week. The site and the hotline offer crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals. The hotline is staffed by professional crisis counselors who, through interpreters, can also provide assistance to non-English speakers and to the hearing impaired at 1-800-2-A-CHILD.
Children Now
The organization uses research and mass communications to make the well-being of children one of America's top priorities. The site is informational about their publications, policy recommendations, action campaigns and updates on related legislation.
Children Youth & Families Education and Resource Network
CYFERNet is a national network of university faculty and educators working to support community-based educational programs for children, youth, parents and families. Partnering institutions merge resources into a "national network of expertise" working collaboratively to provide program, evaluation and technology assistance for children, youth and family community-based programs.
Children's Advocacy Center of Manhattan
The Center provides comprehensive theraputic support and assessment to child abuse victims and their families through a child-friendly free clinic. They work in cooperation with the District Attorney, the Police Department and the Administration for Children's Services.
Citizens' Committee for Children of New York
CCC provides research findings on children's issues, programs and opportunities for children, and information and research to policy makers, advocates and others. CCC works for children's rights by giving advocates and citizens the information they need to influence budget and policy priorities.
LawHelp.org
LawHelp helps low and moderate income people find free legal aid programs in their communities. The site also helps visitors answer questions about their legal rights related to family law, housing, work, bankruptcy, disability, immigration and other topics.
Legal Aid Society Education Advocacy Project
The Legal Aid Society of New York City has a Self-Help section devoted to educational issues that are faced by youth in New York City. Specifically, there are subsections detailing the procedures involved with Early Intervention, Special Education, Transportation for Special Education Students, the No Child Left Behind Act, Homeless Student Rights, Grade Promotion, and Suspensions. Included are helpful forms, explanations of educational rights of birth and foster parents, available ways to resolve problems, and references to applicable federal, state and local laws. This material is reader-friendly for parents and students alike.
Partnership for Children's Rights
New York City organization providing legal representation to poor children with problems accessing Special Education services, other benefits and entitlements.
National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth
NCFY is the Family and Youth Services Bureau's central resource on youth and family policy and practice.
New York State Council on Children and Families
The mission of the Council is to ensure that all individuals, and particularly children in New York State, have the opportunity to reach their potential, as well as to strengthen the integrity of families. The Council will define and implement a coordinated policy on children and family services ultimately leading to streamlined, cost-efficient systems of services in New York State that are family-focused and responsive to citizens' concerns.
Parent Education Resources
Primarily a site for parents with kindergarten-aged children, it contains information about preparation for school. It has a very useful and comprehensive selection of links to other informational and creative sites for parents and children, including links to sites that contain information about early childhood education, creative play, learning disabilities, and alternative schools.
Stand For Children
The site details the mission of this organization, which is committed to improving the lives of children through activism on a variety of issues effecting children and families, such as child care issues, parental leave policies, before and after-school enrichment programs, affordable, accessible medical, mental health, and dental care, and improving schools.
Talking with Children About Tough Issues
Initiated by ChildrenNow, this site contains frank and helpful suggestions for parents to use when talking to their children about, sex, drugs, violence, relationships, AIDS and other sensitive topics. It also has links to printed materials that can help parents initiate or continue conversations about these issues.
LawHelp.org
LawHelp helps low and moderate income people find free legal aid programs in their communities. The site also helps visitors answer questions about their legal rights related to family law, housing, work, bankruptcy, disability, immigration and other topics.
National Youth Gang Center
Part of the Institute for Intergovernmental Research the NYGC site contains information about the Center's research gathering around the country and special initiatives and programs designed to reduce gang violence and membership.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Government site that gives information and links to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs around the country and links to information about current legislation, non-governmental organizations, and special programs for young people and communities.
Speak Up
Speak Up encourages students to anonymously report weapon threats at school, by way of a hotline: 1-866-Speak-Up
After-School All Stars
This program offers at-risk middle school children a wide range of activities to build relationships and provide safe and fun after-school environments.
American Youth Policy Forum
The AYPF works with policy makers on a national, state and local level to enhance educational and vocational opportunities and services for youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brother Big Sisters systematically match children age 6-18 with mentors in their area to allow for strong friendships and meaningful one-to-one relationships.
Childhelp USA® National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD®
Serves the United States, its territories, and Canada 24hours per day, 7 days per week. The site and the hotline offer crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals. The hotline is staffed by professional crisis counselors who, through interpreters, can also provide assistance to non-English speakers and to the hearing impaired at 1-800-2-A-CHILD.
Children's Advocacy Center of Manhattan
The Center provides comprehensive therapeutic support and assessment to child abuse victims and their families through a child-friendly free clinic. They work in cooperation with the District Attorney, the Police Department, and the Administration for Children's Services.
Hetrick Martin Institute
The Institute offers education, recreation, counseling, homeless outreach, and other social services, including Harvey Milk High School, to gay lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning young people.
It's My Life
This site, specifically geared toward children age 9-12 provides useful information, games and videos dealing with emotions, physical development, school, friends, family and money
LawHelp.org
LawHelp helps low and moderate income people find free legal aid programs in their communities. The site also helps visitors answer questions about their legal rights related to family law, housing, work, bankruptcy, disability, immigration and other topics.
National Runaway Switchboard
Online information about the hotline that provides confidential crisis intervention, information and referrals to youth and their families through national and local telephone switchboards, as well as advocacy and educational services on behalf of young people.
Survivors of the System/Foster Children United
Created and administered by young people in foster care, this site gives children and adults information about the primary issues that effect and concern kids in foster care. The site also allows current and former foster children to contribute to the content of the site including a section of personal histories.
The Youthhood
This site aids in the transition teenagers undergo from childhood to adulthood by providing practical information about planning for the future.
Youth Communication: Stories That Make A Difference
Youth Communication (YC) publishes magazines written by and for young people dealing with issues identified by young contributors. YC has information available for teachers, parents and young adults dealing with loss, war, racism, steroetyping and other trauma-related issues.
There are a number of scholarships available for present and former foster care youth, including specific scholarships for cosmetology school, nursing school and other professional schools. As soon as you decide you would like to attend college, you should fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which is a form available online at:
or through your high school or any college’s financial aid office. Remember that no one’s income but yours should be included when filling out financial aid and scholarship applications, or be considered when you are awarded financial aid. There are a variety of online scholarship searches, such as FINAID (www.finaid.org) or FastWeb (www.fastweb.com).
You can also contact Lawyers For Children at 212-966-6420 or 800-244-2540 for a copy of the listing—just ask for a member of the ACT Project Staff. Don’t forget, your caseworker should also help you get as much financial assistance as possible!
For more information about financial aid and saving for college from MoneyGeek, check out the following links:
