Dear Friends:
I wanted to take a moment to share with you the steps that the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy has taken and is taking to ensure the safety of our clients and staff during the present outbreak.
The Moran Center has instituted flexible workplace policies effective until further notice to slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as accommodate vulnerable staff and team members who must now care for out-of-school children. We will, however, remain in touch with staff throughout this period to monitor their health and the health of their family members to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of the Moran Center and the wider community.
We’ve thankfully built an infrastructure that allows staff to maintain their critical responsibilities outside of the office. This both supports the health of our team and ensures that the Moran Center’s services will not be interrupted. We still encourage clients and community members to call the Moran Center at 847-492-1410 with any inquiries, given that attorneys and social workers are able to respond remotely. Unless an individual has a confirmed appointment, they will not be able to access the Moran Center’s Office.
The Moran Center’s attorneys have continued to appear for court hearings as per judicial order with the courts now partially re-opened as of Monday, July 6th.
Starting the third week of March, the Moran Center’s Expungement & Sealing Help Desk at the Skokie Courthouse halted operations at the Skokie Courthouse, but please call 224-616-5372 for assistance in the meantime or complete our new online intake form via Illinois Legal Aid Online for assistance.
Likewise, the Moran Center’s School-Based Civil Legal Clinic at Evanston/Skokie School District 65 will not operate in-person until further notice, so please direct all inquiries to 224-714-0518 or, again, complete our new online intake form via Illinois Legal Aid Online for assistance.
In light of school closures, we encourage parents and students to refer to ETHS and District 65’s websites for information regarding both districts’ e-learning plans. For caregivers of children with special needs and students with special needs, please refer to Guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education and Illinois State Board of Education regarding your rights and the obligations of our local educational systems to accommodate children’s educational needs during the school closure period. If clients are having trouble accessing remote learning due to a disability or financial resources they can contact the Moran Center for assistance by phone, 224-420-7709, or email, sfrudden@moran-center.org.
Despite the turbulence of these times, the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy continues building justice – ensuring justice in the courtroom, access to the classroom, and support in the community for all youth and their families.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.
Yours,
Patrick Keenan-Devlin
Executive Director/Staff Attorney
