Poverty Law News

Civil Procedure/Administrative Law

Human Rights in State Courts
This report from the Opportunity Agenda details the ways in which state courts have considered and interpreted international human rights law. It is intended for public interest lawyers and state court litigators, and also for state and municipal policy makers interested in integrating compliance with international human rights law into their domestic policies.

Disaster Assistance

Hurricane Evacuees Challenge Cuts in Rental Assistance
Low-income survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have filed a complaint in federal court challenging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s termination of their section 408 rental assistance without adequate notice and a meaningful pretermination hearing. Copies of the pleadings are available from the Shriver Center. The case is also covered on the FEMA Answers website.

Education

Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind
Well-designed and implemented early child care and education programs can improve outcomes for all children, particularly those in low-income families. the Center for Law and Social Policy has published recommendations to support high-quality early education programs through reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Food Programs

Celebrating the Food Stamp Program
This video produced by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities commemorates the 30th anniversary of the reforms achieved by the Food Stamp Act of 1977 by telling the story of how food stamps dramatically reduced the extent of severe hunger in our country, how they continue to help Americans in need, and how this essential program can achieve still more.

Congressional Food Stamp Challenge
U.S. Representatives James McGovern (D-Mass.), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) have pledged to live on an average food stamp budget--just $3 a day--from May 15-21, 2007. The congressmembers and their families are blogging about the experience at the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge website.  

Juveniles

State Early Childhood Policies
This report highlights some of the key findings of from the National Center for Children in Poverty's database of state policy choices. Topics include health and nutrition, early care and education, and parenting and economic supports.

Mental Health

Model Policy for Addressing Student Mental Health
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has released a model policy to help colleges and universities develop a non-discriminatory, non-punitive approach to students in crisis because of mental health problems. The document offers a response to serious mental health problems among college and university students and schools' lack of consensus on what to do when such students are in crisis.

Welfare

Workforce Investment Act
The Workforce Investment Act authorizes the federally funded workforce development system, which provides employment and training services for youth, dislocated workers, and adults, and helps employers find qualified employees. While authorization for the WIA expired in 2003, Congress continues to appropriate funds, extending the program based on the current statute. The Center for Law and Social Policy has published two documents addressing workforce development: issues: Recommendations for Reauthorization of Title I of the Workforce Investment Act Adult and Youth Programs and Recommendations to Strengthen Title I of the Senate WIA Reauthorization Bill Passed by the 109th Congress.

Poverty Law News
May 18, 2007