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Open the checklist
Works right in your phone's browser — no app, no download, no account.
Why I made it
Nobody hands you the list
Somewhere between the first diagnosis, the first IEP meeting, and the first placement, you become a case whether you agreed to it or not. And once you're a case, you get case files — legal paperwork, medical records, school documents, insurance letters — scattered across a dozen different providers who each keep their own piece and none of whom are responsible for the whole picture.
That job falls to you. And every time your child moves — a new school, a new doctor, a new placement — the risk is the same: history gets lost, and whatever therapy goals or accommodations took months to build get interrupted while everyone catches up from zero.
This checklist is the list I wish someone had handed me: exactly what belongs in the working binder you bring to appointments, intakes, and meetings — and just as important, what doesn't belong in it, because those documents already have a safer home.
Two kinds of "important papers"
Your case binder is not your fire safe
A birth certificate, a Social Security card, a passport, adoption paperwork, a will — those are permanent family records. They belong locked away, rarely touched, and definitely not carried in a bag to a residential intake or a med check.
Your case binder is different. It's a working file — documents that get pulled out, shown to a new provider, updated, and referenced constantly. Keeping the two separate means your permanent records stay safe, and your working documents stay easy to grab and actually use.
Five sections, one checklist
Built around the categories that actually come up
Legal & CustodyCustody orders, consent-to-treat forms, educational rights, and release-of-information authorizations.
Medical & TreatmentDiagnosis summary, current medications, evaluations, treatment plans, and discharge summaries.
School & EducationIEP or 504, evaluation reports, behavior plans, and recent progress reports.
Insurance & FinancialInsurance cards, authorizations, EOBs, and provider billing contacts tied to this case.
Placement / FacilityIntake paperwork, facility handbook, visitation schedule, and aftercare plan — if this applies right now.
Every item is editableCheck off what you have, edit any label, add your own line items specific to your situation.
What stays out
Keep these in the fire safe instead
Permanent family records — not case files
- Birth certificate
- Social Security card
- Passport
- Adoption paperwork
- Family will or estate documents
- Life insurance policies
- Property deeds
If you need one of these for an appointment or intake, bring a photocopy — never the original.
Not a one-time list
Save one checklist per child, per binder
Name the entry, check off what's already in the binder, and add notes on anything that still needs tracking down. If you're managing more than one child's case, keep each one separate and easy to reopen without losing the others.
Quick tip
Build the binder in the order the checklist lists it
Tabs that match the sections
Use the five sections here as your binder's tab dividers — Legal, Medical, School, Insurance, Placement. When a new document comes in, you'll already know exactly where it goes instead of creating a "miscellaneous" pile that never gets sorted.
Pair this with your Intake & Placement Tracker and Medication, Visit & Diagnosis Tracking Toolkit — this checklist tells you what documents to have on hand; those tools track the ongoing history behind them.
How it works
Name it, check it off, build the binder
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Name the binder
Name it after the child or the case so it's easy to tell apart if you're managing more than one.
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Check off what you have
Mark what's already in the binder, edit any label, add items specific to your situation.
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Chase down what's missing
Save, print, or export — then use the unchecked items as your to-gather list.
Questions
Before you begin
Is this legal or medical advice?
No. This is an organizational checklist based on the categories of documents that commonly come up across legal, medical, school, insurance, and placement situations. It is not legal or medical advice — always confirm requirements with the relevant provider, attorney, or agency.
Where is my information stored?
Everything you type stays in your own device's browser storage — nothing is sent to a server. Use "Download Backup" to save a copy as a file you control.
Can I track more than one child or case?
Yes — name each entry and switch between saved entries with the dropdown in the toolbar. Starting a new one never erases the others.
Can I print it or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Use "Print / Save PDF" in the toolbar for a paper or PDF copy to keep at the front of your binder as a table of contents.
Free to use
Being organized is what keeps the history from getting lost
Open the checklist, name this binder, and start checking off what you already have — the gaps left unchecked are your next to-do list.
This checklist may end up holding sensitive personal, legal, or medical information about your family's situation. It stores everything locally in your own browser and does not send data to a server. Save or share exported copies only with people you trust. This checklist is an organizational tool; it is not legal or medical advice.