Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice

Publications

The materials in our Publications section are for informational purposes only, without any representation that they are accurate or complete. These publications do not constitute legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and any other person, nor are they an offer to create such a relationship. These publications are current as of the date written, but laws change over time and vary from state to state. As a result, the information presented here may not be timely and/or appropriate for any state not specifically addressed in a publication. Consult an attorney if you have questions regarding the content of any publication.

Take a look at our most recent publications and then use the navigation menu below to browse the full library.

Recent Publications

Establishing a School-Based Behavioral Health Program

Learn how Georgia schools offer successful school-based behavioral health (SBBH) services that complement existing frameworks of academic support. This handbook reviews basic program models, and primary legal, funding, and operational concerns for schools and school districts when establishing SBBH programs.

Certified Peer Specialists and Schools

Review key legal and liability considerations for schools and school districts incorporating Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Practitioners into school-based behavioral health initiatives.

2022 How to Vote Guide

Make sure you are ready for the important election in November. This guide includes information about voter rights, instructions about checking voter eligibility and status, registering to vote, and voting by absentee and in person. It also includes links to resources to help community members successfully vote this November.

Getting Kids the Care They Need: PeachCare and Medicaid Appeals Manual for Attorneys

Many of Georgia’s families rely on Medicaid and PeachCare to access behavioral health supports and services that help their children thrive. When Medicaid or PeachCare deny a claim for services, the overly complicated appeals process prevents many families and caregivers from appealing. As a result, their children don’t get the physical and mental health services they need. Georgia Appleseed’s Getting Kids the Care They Need manual for Attorneys guides advocates in clear, straightforward language through the steps to file a successful appeal.

Healthy Housing Advocacy Toolkit

Use our Healthy Housing Advocacy Toolkit to fight for healthier, more stable rental housing for families and children in you neighborhoods, towns, and counties across Georgia.

Representing Students in School Tribunals in Georgia Attorney Training Manual, Third Edition

The 3rd edition of Representing Students in School Tribunals in Georgia provides pro bono attorneys with up-to-date tools they need to be powerful advocates for Georgia’s children.

Student Tribunals: An Assessment of the Disciplinary Process in Georgia Public Schools (2019 Update)

This report examines the 'due process' rights of students facing an out-of-school suspension tribunal and recommends systemic changes to better ensure school discipline is just and fair.

Help Guides for Children with Behavior and Learning Challenges

These Help Guides are for parents and caregivers, but teachers, advocates, and others concerned about school children with behavior or learning challenges may find them helpful as well. These guides work together as a single document or as separate information sheets. Now available in Spanish and Korean and in large print.

2020 How to Vote Guide

With an important election coming up, Georgia Appleseed pro bono volunteers put together this 2020 voter guide. The guide includes information about voter rights, instructions about registering and voting, and dozens of links to help people find the information they need to successfully vote this November.

Elder Care

Caring for Georgia's Unbefriended Elders: An Update: Survey Results

April 2017- an update on our 2010 report.

Caring for Georgia's Unbefriended Elders

This report explores implementation issues arising out of a 2010 state law that provides legal protections for older Georgians who have not executed a valid end-of life directive and who become incompetent to give informed consent to health care providers.

Making Medical Decisions for Patients without Surrogates

An article published by the New England Journal of Medicine on November, 21 2013, and written by Thaddeus Mason Pope, J.D., Ph.D.

The article examines the problems and challenges of decision making for people who are decisionally incapacitated and without a health care surrogate. Georgia Appleseed's report Caring for Georgia's Unbefriended Elders-- Views from the Probate Bench was utilized as a reference for the article

Election Protection

Resolving Recurring Election Administration Problems in Georgia

This report identifies major recurring election problems that could interfere with the ability of eligible Georgia voters to cast a ballot during the November 2012 elections and offers suggested solutions to these problems. It sets forth practical steps that can be implemented within the existing legal framework in Georgia.

School Discipline

Representing Students in School Tribunals in Georgia Attorney Training Manual, Third Edition

The 3rd edition of Representing Students in School Tribunals in Georgia provides pro bono attorneys with up-to-date tools they need to be powerful advocates for Georgia’s children.

Effective Student Discipline: Keeping Kids in Class: An Assessment of Georgia's Public School Disciplinary Policies, Practices and Outcomes

This project provides a comprehensive, objective assessment of public school student discipline in Georgia, and seeks to identify any changes that would benefit all of Georgia's students.

(Texas) Breaking Schools' Rules: A Statewide Study of How School Discipline Relates to Students' Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement

This report describes the results of an analysis of millions of school and juvenile justice records in Texas.

When My Child is Disciplined at School: A Guide for Families

Georgia Appleseed offers this guidebook as a tool to help parents and guardians throughout our state to become informed advocates both for their children and for fair, equitably applied school discipline policies.

Cuando Mi Hijo Es Disciplinado en la Escuela

Georgia Appleseed ofrece este guía como un recurso para ayudar a los padres y tutores en todo el estado para convertirse en defensores informados para sus hijos y para la aplicación justa de políticas de disciplina en la escuela.
A Spanish-language version of our popular Guide

When My Child Is Disciplined at School Supplement:
Georgia's Anti-Bullying Law: What Parents Need to Know

Bullying is illegal and can result in suspension from school. This guide helps parents understand what the law says and what your child's rights are if accused of bullying.

Other Advocacy Tools to Support Children

Getting Kids the Care They Need: PeachCare and Medicaid Appeals Manual for Attorneys

Many of Georgia’s families rely on Medicaid and PeachCare to access behavioral health supports and services that help their children thrive. When Medicaid or PeachCare deny a claim for services, the overly complicated appeals process prevents many families and caregivers from appealing. As a result, their children don’t get the physical and mental health services they need. Georgia Appleseed’s Getting Kids the Care They Need: PeachCare and Medicaid Appeals Manual for Attorneys guides advocates in clear, straightforward language through the steps to file a successful appeal.

The Same Starting Line: How School Boards Can Erase the Opportunity Gap Between Poor and Middle-Class Children

This publications focuses on ensuring children have the learning-related resources to succeed academically. Includes a study on educational resource disparity in districts in five states, including Georgia. Includes a measurement tool, the Basic Resource Equity Assessment Document (READ), to ascertain the distribution of resources within districts.
Basic READ · Detailed READ · Side-by-Side READ

It Takes a Parent: Transforming Education in the Wake of the No Child Left Behind Act

This report documents an effort to combine practical, on-the-ground perspectives, based upon interviews, and on federal, state, and district policy research, with current social science research on key parental involvement issues and effective practices. Mostly, it reflects an effort to assemble and analyze what we know as a matter of practice and as a matter of research in framing an action agenda promoting more effective parental involvement practices by schools, districts, and states. Powerpoint Presentation

It Takes a Parent: Additional Resources

Plain Language Information on NCLB from The Education Trust
'Everything You Need to Know about NCLB' The Public Education Network (PEN), working in conjunction with the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE), has developed materials that community leaders and parents all over the country have requested about understanding NCLB.
'12 Truths that We Know' In addition to the findings and recommendations in our report, we have captured 12 over-arching ideas that surfaced through our study.
'Other Notable Parental Engagement Strategies' In addition to the numerous models and resources contained in our report, our research led us to these promising practices.
'Sample Report Cards from Around the Nation' Required by NCLB, these district-level report cards are intended to make school performance data public for parents and the community at large. We have collected a sample of report cards by region.
'A Dozen Parental Involvement Ideas that Really Work' Drawn from a list compiled by Dr. John H. Wherry, President of The Parent Institute, these ideas were confirmed in our study.
Read national and local reaction to 'It Takes a Parent'

No Child Left Behind: Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice Outlines Real Solutions for Parental Involvement in Illinois

Georgia Appleseed Education Forum Notes: Parent Involvement under No Child Left Behind, September 2007

“Attainable Goals? The Spirit and the Letter of the No Child Left Behind Act on Parental Involvement” by Dr. Joyce Epstein

Heirs Property

Unlocking Heir Property Ownership: Assessing the Impact on Low and Mid-Income Georgians and Their Communities
2013

This report examines the impact of heir property on Georgia communities, presents findings from thousands of hours of pro bono tax database research, and makes the case for establishing an independent heir property legal clinic.

Note: Since this report was published, Georgia Heirs Property Law Center has become an independent nonprofit law center. You can find up-to-date research and reports and information about direct representation at gaheirsproperty.org.

Justice System

Embracing Common Wisdom: The New Juvenile Code in Georgia

Assessing the impact and success of Georgia's new juvenile code.

Common Wisdom: Making the Case for a New Georgia Juvenile Code

As part of JUSTGeorgia's goal to realize a new Juvenile Code and improve related social service systems, Georgia Appleseed gathered and published the "common wisdom" of more than 300 Georgians throughout the state who shared their opinions about what works and what does not within our current juvenile code.

Finding the Path to Equal Justice: A Handbook for Adult Defendants with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families

Justice for People with Mental Illness in Georgia: A Report on Conversations with Leaders in the Field

This report was prepared with the pro bono assistance of King & Spalding, prompted this response that was delivered to lead pro bono attorney Diane M. Janulis:

"I am a parent of an adult child that has bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. For years my wife and I have voiced our concern with the lack of mental health care in Georgia and the rest of our country. We haven't given up, and we won't because of efforts like yours and your fellow attorneys at King and Spalding. I read through the report and applaud the findings. They are succinct and simply make a lot of sense. I will pass it along to members of NAMI . . . for them to refer to as they speak to influential leaders in our community."