New Resource Available to Help Youth Acquire Their ID Documents
I Am Here: Vital Document Legal Hotline for Youth, is a free, dedicated legal assistance hotline for youth experiencing homelessness to help obtain essential identification and vital documents created in partnership by the National Network for Youth and Baker McKenzie.
Here is information on the hotline:
- Phone Number: 1-800-870-DOCS (1-800-870-3627)
- Start Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
- Hours: Every Wednesday from 12 to 8 PM Eastern | 11 AM to 7 PM Central | 10 AM to 6 PM Mountain | 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific
- Voicemails: Outside of working hours, callers can leave voicemails that will be returned.
- Callers: Any young person who has questions about obtaining vital documents.
- Phone Operators: Legal professionals from Baker McKenzie and pro bono lawyers from other corporations.
- Goal: Provide state-specific guidance on obtaining vital documents.
Youth experiencing homelessness are especially encouraged to use this hotline, as they often face steep obstacles to obtaining documents. Without these documents, accessing services such as housing, education, and employment becomes exceedingly difficult, thereby prolonging their homeless situation.
This national hotline with state-specific guidance to obtain:
- State ID cards and licenses
- Birth certificates
- Social Security cards
- Documents needed to get an ID/license
We want as many young people as possible to know this hotline exists and to use it! It’s here to help get vital documents like IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards to access housing, education, jobs, and safety. Please use the communications toolkit for FAQs, flyers + graphics, and sample social media posts.
