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OUR MISSION
Justice Speaks Legal Aid’s mission is to prevent unnecessary foster care placements by empowering low-income families with legal advocacy, crisis stabilization, and social-service support. We intervene early—often at the very first sign of CPS involvement—to protect parental rights, keep children safely with trusted caregivers, and resolve the underlying crisis quickly and compassionately.
Our Services
Justice Speaks Legal Aid provides free legal services and social-work support to families experiencing crisis. Our model combines legal advocacy with hands-on social-service intervention to keep children safely with their families and prevent unnecessary foster care placements.
CRISIS LEGAL INTERVENTION
• Immediate representation when CPS opens an investigation.
• Communicating directly with CPS on behalf of the parent to prevent escalation.
• Safety planning and legal strategy to avoid removal.
• Legal advice and representation for parents and kinship caregivers.
CAREGIVING DOCUMENTS & LEGAL TOOLS
• Temporary powers of attorney for caregivers.
• Short-term guardianship documents.
• Caregiver agreements and safety plans.
• Emergency planning for parents facing hospitalization, incarceration, or mental‑health crisis.
SOCIAL WORK & STABILIZATION SERVICES
• Rapid-response case management and crisis stabilization.
• Connecting families to mental-health, substance-use, housing, financial, or medical services.
• Coordinating community support so that root problems are addressed before court involvement grows.
• Caregiver education workshops and legal-options training.
board of directors
Justice Speaks Legal Aid’s team integrates legal expertise and social-work compassion to deliver holistic, family-centered support.
Elizabeth A Hohauser, J.D - Founder and Chair
A Michigan attorney with a 25‑year career devoted to child welfare, family law, and community advocacy.
H. Elliot Parnes, J.D. - Board Member
With over 47 years of experience representing parents and children in child protection, juvenile, and civil rights cases.
Hannah McPeak, M.A. – Board Member
A community leader and nonprofit consultant with over 15 years supporting anti‑trafficking, child welfare, and educational programs.
Nicole Huddleston, J.D. – Board Member
Nicole Huddleston is a respected Oakland County attorney whose practice focuses on family law, child‑welfare matters, and advocacy for vulnerable parents.