Skip to content
  • Home
  • Contact
Illinois Equal Justice Foundation Logo
  • Home
  • About
    • Board & Staff
    • Annual Reports
    • Donors
  • Grants
    • Guidelines
    • Applications
    • Reports
    • Grant Recipients
    • Funding Categories
      • Legal Information to the Public
      • Self‑Help Legal Assistance Projects
      • Mediation Services
      • Telephone Advice & Referral Services
      • Civil Legal Assistance
    • Consumer Settlement Fund Grants
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Grants
  • New Leaf Illinois
    • Grant Guidelines
    • Funding Categories
      • Telephone Advice & Referral Services
      • Legal Services
      • Community Outreach
      • Technical Assistance
    • Applications & Reports
    • Grant Recipients
    • FAQs
  • IL AFLAN
    • Illinois Access to Civil Justice Council
    • Grant Guidelines
    • Grant Applications
    • Grant Recipients
  • COVID Housing Grants
    • Eviction Help Illinois
      • FY21 Eviction Help Illinois
        • Grant Guidelines
        • Applications
        • Funding Categories
          • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
          • Mediation Services
        • Reports
        • FAQs
      • FY22 Eviction Help Illinois
        • Grant Guidelines
        • Applications
        • Funding Categories
          • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
          • Mediation Services
        • Reports
        • FAQs
      • ERA2 Funding
        • Grant Guidelines
        • Applications
        • Funding Categories
          • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
          • Mediation Services
        • Reports
      • Grant Recipients
    • IHDA Foreclosure Grants
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Applications
      • Funding Categories
        • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
        • Mediation Services
  • News & Resources
    • Press Room
      • News Releases
      • Newsletters
      • News You Can Use
    • Resource Center
      • Legal Help Links
      • Fact Sheet
      • FAQs
      • Recent Studies
  • Advocacy
    • About the Campaign
    • Partners
    • Join Now
    • Campaign Videos
    • Take Action
  • 20 Years
  • Home
  • About
    • Board & Staff
    • Annual Reports
    • Donors
    • Job Postings
  • Grants
    • Guidelines
    • Applications
    • Reports
    • Grant Recipients
    • Funding Categories
      • Legal Information to the Public
      • Self‑Help Legal Assistance Projects
      • Mediation Services
      • Telephone Advice & Referral Services
      • Civil Legal Assistance
    • Consumer Settlement Fund Grants
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Grants
  • New Leaf Illinois
    • New Leaf Illinois Network Grant Guidelines
    • Funding Categories
      • Telephone Advice & Referral Services
      • Legal Services
      • Community Outreach
      • Technical Assistance
    • Applications & Reports
    • Grant Recipients
    • FAQs
  • Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network
    • Illinois Access to Civil Justice Council
    • Grant Guidelines
    • Grant Applications
    • Grant Recipients
  • Eviction Help Illinois Grants
    • FY21 Eviction Help Illinois
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Applications
      • Funding Categories
        • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
        • Mediation Services
      • Reports
      • FAQs
    • FY22 Eviction Help Illinois
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Applications
      • Funding Categories
        • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
        • Mediation Services
      • Reports
      • FAQs
      • Grant Recipients
    • IHDA Foreclosure Grants
      • Grant Guidelines
      • Applications
      • Funding Categories
        • Civil Legal Assistance Grants
        • Mediation Services
  • Resource Center
    • Legal Help Links
    • Fact Sheet
    • FAQs
    • Recent Studies
  • Press Room
    • News Releases
    • Newsletters
    • News You Can Use
  • Advocacy
    • About the Campaign
    • Partners
    • Join Now
    • Campaign Videos
    • Take Action
  • 20 Years
  • Contact
Press Room » Newsletters » Fighting for Children with Disabilities
JUSTICE FOR ALL

The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation funds civil legal aid programs across
the state, ensuring that all residents have equal access to the justice system.

These programs build stronger communities and a stronger Illinois.

Fighting for Children with Disabilities

Fighting for Children with DisabilitiesJim was a seven-year-old boy in second grade receiving special education services due to learning disabilities caused by neurofibromotosis.  Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue.  The tumors can develop anywhere in a person’s nervous system; Jim’s tumors had developed in his brain.

Because of concerns with his development, Jim had received therapy services and an Individualized Education Plan to provide specialized education services when he started school.   Jim’s mother was unable to work to support Jim because of her own medical issues. Because of that, Jim’s mother applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for him.  Social Security denied disability status for Jim twice, asserting that his medical conditions were not severe enough to be disabling.

That’s when Legal Council for Health Justice stepped in.  A Legal Council attorney requested a hearing with a Social Security Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), obtained medical and school evidence, as well as statements from Jim’s neurologist at Comer Children’s Hospital about his medical condition, and his special education teacher about his levels of functioning in school.

Based on this evidence, Jim was finally found disabled and eligible for SSI benefits. Access to legal aid helped Jim’s mother keep a roof over their heads and food on the table and most importantly, let her focus on his health.

iejf_user2020-04-24T21:05:55-05:00
Home | Contact | Follow us on Facebook
© 2022 Illinois Equal Justice Foundation