A few legal issues

[Guest]

Im planning on running away and i need some legal answers please. Im going from oregon to california.

1:Is hitchhiking illegal for teenagers in oregon?
2: If a runaway is caught in a different state where are they sent?
3: If the teen doesnt want to return home for legit reason (stress, damage to health etc) would the option for foster care be open?
4: Would they let the teen stay in the current area where they were?
5:How would the teen get enrolled in school without a parent and does THE McKinney-Vento law work in this situation?
6: How old does one havta be before he can live on his own after foster care?
7: Are there any procedure for state border crossing?

Sorry for all the questions i really need help.
Thanks in advance

[ccsmod8]

Re: A few legal issues

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Switchboard. We are glad you wrote to us for support but mainly to figure out your options. It sounds like you already made up your mind for leaving and it is only a matter of time. What is your ultimate plan? We ask because our priority is your safety.

We are not legal experts and cannot answer specifically for local city and state laws. However, we do know that it is not illegal to run away from home. The consequences of running are status offense if your parents decided to call the police and list you as a runaway. Do you know the safety risk of hitchhiking? We cannot tell you what to do either but one option is to call the local police, remaining anonymous if you choose, to learn more about local runaway laws and the risk of hitchhiking.

If you are caught in a different state, it is up to police discretion for how they handle the situation. One thing they might do is take you to a shelter or they might take you to the station or place you in juvenile detention until they figure out a way to get you home. We are an option for the police to call when they have children who wish to use our Homefree program for family reunification. The program helps to get you back home by issuing you a bus ticket. The only catch is the expectation of calling your parents and doing a conference call to prepare you to return home.

It is never a certainly that foster care will be an option if you felt like home was not the better option. The police can take into account the fact that life at home might not be the safe for you. If they place you in a shelter, shelters have to call home to speak with parents to get a sense of what is happening. They are mandated reports at shelters.

Once they have your name and info for parents they are expected to report. However, there needs to be ways to prove your account of what happen at home through evidence or witnesses. It can be a lot to prove but you have every right to be heard. We are mandated reporters also. You are welcome to call us directly at 1800RUNAwAY to speak about on these options. We are confidential and anonymous if you wish to not give personal information. But, we can do whatever you feel is best once we have explored those options and others.

There are times the police might leave you alone depending on your age. The closer you are to 18, depending on the city, county, state you ran from and to, it is the choice of the police to act according to those laws local to you. However, runaways are dealt in accordance with the laws of their home state. Every officer is going to react differently but in the end they have a job to do.

It is nice to see that you have done a bit of research on laws governing runaways and their education. The McKinney-Vento Act is there to protect you and gives you a right to an education. However, most school districts require the consent of your guardians to re-enroll in a different school. You do have a right to an education but as a minor, you are still within the bounds of your parents. We are not trying to condone the actions of your parents and take sides but we want to lay it out for you. The McKinney-Vento Act is mostly design to aid homeless youths by breaking down the many obstacles they face while trying to enroll in school.

After foster care, you are allowed to sign out at 18 but can stay longer depending on the laws of that state. There is the possibility of signing out earlier but that might be up to your treatment and the decision of your caseworker. Are you in foster care?

When it comes to crossing the border, it is crucial to understand that crossing with an adult when you are a minor is considered illegal because it is similar to harboring a minor. Although it is not illegal to runaway, in most states, it is illegal to harbor a minor because that person lacks the consent of your parents to take you away.

We do not mind the questions at all. It sounds like this is very important to you and we wish to help. We are here for you and hope that you continue to reach out. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: A few legal issues

I thank you for responding so quickly, i really want answers. My plans are to go to California from Oregon by hitchhiking, since i have no easy way to get money for any other type of transportation. Im truly unhappy in my current home. Ive dealt with many health problems and have had suicidal thoughts. The stress is truly getting to me and i know im not safe in my current home. I KNOW ill be happier by myself, no matter where i am. I just need to make sure i can stay alive. I have somewhere i can...kinda go to in California but no guaranteed home. I do not know where id be able to stay until im of legal age so i had the idea for foster care, but im afraid of getting caught and sent, knowing id only try and do it again. I want my father not to send a report out for me, but thats impossible since hes a parent. Its not like he is mistreating me i mean he feeds me and gives me clothing but he makes me truly unhappy to a point where ive cut myself ((among other things(not going into detail here)). I DO NOT know where i can stay, eat, sleep and i know what school i want to go to but no idea how the school will react to a (most likely homeless) runaway and i probably am going to have to repeat this year of high school. I NEED to go to California, no other place, for certain reasons. Im not in foster care but id rather been in a foster home in California than here. Ive talked to my father about emancipation but he shot down the idea in a second. PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I DO SOMETHING ILL REGRET! I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE SOON!!

[ccsmod8]

Re: A few legal issues

Hello,

We certainly appreciate your speedy response. It shows that you are very serious about your goals looking ahead and wish to make the best of your current situation. We do not have all the answers because we are not sure where you are finally going to but we have options. We are 24 hours a day and wish to speak with you about you a safe plan. We cannot tell you what to do because we are more hands off. We are a confidential crisis line that seeks to explore options in the event you run away or plan to call us for resources when you are on the road.

We can tell how frustrating this must be for you. It sounds like your father is not willing to listen to the options you threw out at him. It must be hard to sit there and not be heard. If you need support directly we hope you do not hesitate to call because we first wish to provide a listening ear and from there other options. How long have you been feeling suicidal? We imagine that you cut to relieve some of the pain you are feeling.

Are there other ways you cope with the stress at home? What are some informal approaches to coping at this time? We wondered if there are ways to distance yourself a bit more from home as you try to figure things out. There is a good chance that if you were to put effort in doing things outside the house that your father might be able to influence you less negatively. It is good to hear that he is not mistreating you. We empathize with your situation because it still sounds hard. We have resources for shelters for a place to sleep but we can talk about options as you consider a plan for who you can stay with.

Food can be an issue but we can find your local places that serve as food pantries. The school issue is more or less a matter of being a minor and getting consent but you do have a right to an education. We see you have your reasons for going to CA. Are you able to wait until you turn 18? Emancipation is your being able to prove you can care for yourself social and financially. Your dad shooting it down is not a surprise but it is a court matter and only a judge can decide that. Your parents can show in court to answer the petition to argue for or against it. We have legal info if you need to learn more.

We hear you on wanting answers but we can only provide you the tools for how you can best solve your own situation. We are not the sort of agency that helps you to runaway but we do not keep resources from our callers. We see that transportation is an issue. We have resources for Travelers Aid in most states. It sounds like CA is sort of plan but not fully realized. If you are a minor, places are more limited for where you can stay without parental consent.

What are other ways you can think of to remain safe? As we mentioned in our earlier post, we are mandated reporters. We can report any unsafe situation to the proper agencies. We cannot guarantee that you will not get caught and there is great point to doing it again. Have you thought of alternatives to running away? Have you thought about individual counseling or family therapy?

We hope you give us a call at 1800RUNAWAY or support and numbers. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: A few legal issues

Im just going to try and answer all of your questions here.

-I have been feeling suicidal for about a year now. It really will get bad unless its stopped and this is the only way to stop it.
-Ive tried several ways to cope with my stress but it has ended badly and has caused more health problems, one that i am still facing
-18=WAY TOO LONG FROM NOW!
Off topic: Please more information on travelers aid? I really need that, as i have no other way of transportation.
-Im not sure of other ways to remain safe thats why im here i dont want to die out there or end up just coming home. I cant come back until im of legal age once i leave so i NEED to be prepared.
-I see no alternatives, im extreamly unhappy here. Its becoming a danger to me and ive realized that. Its for my own protection. No other family to go to.
-Ive been in therapy for a while now and it has not helped(none of my therapy goals have been reached. NONE)

I will definitely be calling when i am on the road but i really would like information on travelers aid.

[ccsmod6]

Re: A few legal issues

Thanks for getting back in touch with us. You mentioned that you have been feeling suicidal for about a year; you can always call us or contact the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-TALK) if you need to talk. Sorry to hear about the additional health problems created by trying to deal with your stress.

Travelers’ aid is transportation assistance provided to individuals that qualify and is offered by various agencies across the United States. Since we have a large database that contains resources, it will be beneficial and easier for you to call us to acquire about transportation assistance. We are a confidential and anonymous hotline and are available 24/7. Please feel free to contact us at 1800RUNAWAY.

There are also alternative housing options available if you need somewhere safe to stay. You can call us and we will be glad to try and locate some local resources.

It must be pretty frustrating not to be able to see any alternatives and to be so unhappy. It seems like you are very wise individual because you have been able to locate some issues or problems that need to be addressed. It’s unfortunate that you don’t have any other family to go to and that therapy has not helped.

We would really like to hear from you and it may be easier to provide additional assistance over the phone. We hope the information provided helps out. Again we are 24/7. We wish you the Best of Luck!

~NRS

[Guest]

Re: A few legal issues

Thanks for all your help you will be hearing from me in the future

[ccsmod0]

Re: A few legal issues

You're welcome! You can call us at any time if you would like to discuss your situation in more detail or whatever might be on your mind. We are here 24/7 and look forward in talk with you if you need any assistance. We want to remind you that we're confidential, non-judging, anonymous crisis line. We can also provide local resources, shelter information, conference calling and message relay.

Take care,
NRS