Laws & Policy

The National Center for Youth Law has worked closely with current and former foster youth in Hawai’i, as well as local advocates and service providers, to develop and advance HB900, a bill that advances the right to legal counsel for youth in the Hawai'i foster system. The bill was introduced Jan

SB 531 will help empower young Californians and destigmatize mental health challenges by requiring all California students in grades 1-12 be provided with an age-appropriate mental health education.

The Children's Safe Welcome Act prioritizes family unity, minimizes the time children spend in immigration custody, and increases the protections for children throughout the process. NCYL provided expert guidance in developing this landmark legislation.

Ending the unjust practice of referring students to be ticketed for an incident that can be pursued through the school district’s discipline policy

AB 2354 is a crucial bill in California aimed at ensuring that all survivors of intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and other forms of violence can petition the court for vacatur relief,

Assembly Bill (AB) 2137 that would increase direct support for students, streamline services through better collaboration, and reduce gaps in financial aid application completion.

All children in California deserve access to mental health services to live full and thriving lives, and care for their emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Under current statute, youth ages 12 and older who receive health care through Medi-Cal are blocked from accessing mental health

Creating meaningful pathways to justice for survivors of trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking who are funneled into our criminal legal system is important for their healing and care, and to stop the further criminalization of victims. Often survivors of survivors of

Youth deserve care and support, not surveillance and confinement. Our responses to young people should emphasize positive youth development approaches over punitive measures and incarceration. In 2018 and 2019, California made important investments in community-based services and programs that