Funding Florida Legal Aid has awarded CABA Pro Bono Legal Services a $150,000 Improvements in the Administration of Justice grant to support its Neurodivergent Legal Assistance Program (NLAP). The grant program funds initiatives that help Florida courts operate effectively and efficiently.
CABA Pro Bono’s Neurodivergent Legal Assistance Program provides free legal services to neurodivergent individuals and families seeking legal tools to support decisions involving health care, education, housing and finances. The program assists individuals with developmental disabilities that have manifested before the age of 18 and are expected to continue indefinitely.
“We are grateful for FFLA’s continued support,” said Lesley Mendoza, executive director of CABA Pro Bono. “Guardian advocacy helps preserve access to essential health care, therapies, educational support, rehabilitation programs and other resources that contribute to the health, safety and well-being of individuals with developmental disabilities.”
The program focuses on guardian advocacy, a less restrictive alternative to traditional guardianship under Florida law. It does not require a judicial determination of incapacity, allowing individuals to retain fundamental legal rights while receiving support with important life decisions.
“Every individual and family has different needs, and a traditional guardianship requiring a judicial determination of incapacity is not always the only solution for a family seeking the ability to make medical and educational decisions on behalf of a loved one with a developmental disability,” said Aida Diaz-Silveira, supervising staff attorney at CABA Pro Bono. “Our team helps clients understand their options and identify legal tools that provide appropriate support while preserving as much independence and self-determination as possible.”
NLAP also assists clients in exploring and implementing less restrictive alternatives, including Supported Decision-Making Agreements, Durable Powers of Attorney, Designations of Health Care Surrogate and other supportive planning tools. To learn more about this program and others, please visit https://cabaprobono.com/.
About CABA Pro Bono
CABA Pro Bono Legal Services is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, individuals and families in need by providing free civil legal services to low-income Floridians, regardless of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation or national origin. With a team of more than 40 employees, including more than 20 staff attorneys, the organization serves more than 5,000 clients annually across Florida. Its work is strengthened by a network of pro bono attorneys and legal professionals who help expand access to justice for vulnerable populations, including survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence, older adults, abused, abandoned and neglected youth, children in foster care, tenants facing eviction, and neurodivergent individuals and their families. For additional information visit the website www.cabaprobono.com.