We expanded the law to include people who work or volunteer in a health care facility – or who have reason to believe they might otherwise be exposed to COVID-19 – to appoint a standby guardian for their children. We have lawyers and advocates who are experts in navigating the complex Medicaid and Medicare systems, attracting health and long-term care services and services that can improve health outcomes and save lives. Here are some ways our advocates can help: Social determinants of health are non-medical circumstances that directly affect health and can limit access to quality health care. Here are a few of them: Right now, our partners are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. As lawyers and paralegals who typically work on the ground in some of the hardest-hit hospitals, we are deeply grateful to them for making New York City safer during this crisis. Lower incomes are associated with poorer health. We address legal issues that can improve a client`s income and improve access to affordable health care. Due to unfair laws and policies, past and present, people of color do not have disproportionate access to safe housing, employment, food, education, and health care. In addition, trauma experienced by people of color due to institutional racism and individual discrimination has a strong impact on physical and mental health, including higher mortality rates.
Racial disparities in health remain an urgent concern, as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had the most severe health and social consequences in communities of color. In addition, the MLHC promotes the existence of free civil justice services in underserved communities and helps prevent fraud by providing legal services to individuals who might otherwise fall victim to fake providers. The health system can be incredibly complex, especially for people affected by poverty. LegalHealth, a division of NYLAG (New York Legal Assistance Group), provides free legal assistance to New Yorkers who have severe or chronic health conditions and financial difficulties. We bring together legal and health professionals to improve the lives of clients and their families where and when they need it most – in healthcare. LegalHealth also develops policies that benefit those we serve. Access to health care can significantly improve a person`s life and has been shown to lead to better chronic disease management and longer life expectancy. That`s why our work to help customers with health insurance is so important. During this difficult time, many organizations in New York State are working tirelessly to keep people safe, especially the most vulnerable. In response, NYHealth is supporting national and local efforts to address emerging healthcare and public health needs in the wake of the pandemic. In 2020, NYHealth awarded a grant to the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to provide legal aid to low-income New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Are you a doctor or medical provider? We provide information, training and more to help health care providers understand their role in meeting patients` non-medical needs. Visit legalhealth.org to learn more. We are working with immigrants to find a pathway to legal immigration status so they have access to affordable health care and life-saving treatment. As part of the grant, NYLAG`s LegalHealth department will serve the legal needs of New Yorkers facing housing security and family law issues and is sought after by hospitals. Despite a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, many families faced an increased threat to housing security and faced harassment and threats of eviction because they could not pay their rent. LegalHealth`s lawyers offer free telelegal services to their clients, ranging from advice and advice to full representation when needed. LegalHealth will also hire an additional family law attorney to expand its program and establish a guardianship practice to represent children who have lost their parents and whose proposed caregivers cannot make health, educational, and other decisions without such legal status. LegalHealth will strengthen coordination with hospitals and better streamline the process of sharing client information between healthcare workers and lawyers. Our lawyers at LegalHealth support patients` legal needs so they can focus on improving their health.
Here are some ways we can help: The NYLAG Legal Clinic for Pro Se Litigators in the Southern District of New York is a free legal clinic staffed by attorneys and paralegals to assist those who represent themselves or plan to represent themselves in civil litigation in the Southern District of New York. The clinic, which is not part of or operated by the court, assists non-incarcerated litigants in federal civil cases, including civil liberties, workplace discrimination, labor law, social security benefits, foreclosure, and taxes. Our innovative LegalHealth program improves health outcomes by addressing legal needs and removing legal barriers to better health for patients with limited financial resources. We work with healthcare professionals in 36 hospitals and medical facilities in New York City, including NYC Health + Hospitals, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, CancerCare and many more. The social determinants of health – non-medical circumstances (i.e. housing, income, food security, immigration status, etc.) that have a direct impact on health – limit access to and quality of medical care. This reality makes LegalHealth not only revolutionary, but necessary. As a public health precaution, the New York Legal Assistance Group`s Legal Clinic for Pro Se Litigants has temporarily suspended all face-to-face conversations with clients effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Limited legal assistance will continue to be provided, but only by appointment and only by telephone. During this time, we cannot be available for visitors to the clinic. When immigration status prevents people from receiving the care they need, they are forced to make impossible decisions that put their health and that of their loved ones at risk. Without skilled legal aid, low-income families do not receive the care they desperately need. The Mobile Legal Help Center (MLHC) was created through a partnership between NYLAG and the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program. It is the first legal aid office and the first rolling courtroom in the country. Lawyers provide advice, advice and representation in complete cases to clients directly in the vehicle. A video link to the courts allows judges to access emergency hearings, including domestic violence and deportation cases. The centre has four private meeting rooms for lawyers and clients and is equipped with high-speed internet and state-of-the-art technology. NYLAG`s LegalHealth division operates temporarily outside of our 36 partner hospitals and medical sites.
We currently accept direct referrals from patients with urgent legal needs. Six days a week, the vehicle visits remote neighborhoods in New York, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland counties and reaches clients who would otherwise not have access to free legal services due to disabilities, travel barriers, child care issues, fears of revealing their immigration status, or because community organizations in their neighborhood cannot legally accommodate local admission. Normally it operates from Sunday to Friday from about 10 am to 4 pm – times and dates may change depending on the needs of guests and host organisations. (Due to COVID-19, we are temporarily working outside of hospitals. Learn more.) Currently, NYLAG offers remote services. The Mobile Legal Aid Centre provides daily telephone receipts at (212) 613-5000. Here you can also make an appointment for a phone recording. Qualified individuals may be falsely denied Medicaid. Those who have Medicaid may need advocacy to receive the care to which they are entitled. Medicare beneficiaries are overwhelmed by high expenses and are often shocked to learn that Medicare does not cover long-term care — and that they must apply for Medicaid to access home care services. Seniors and people with disabilities are forced to move into nursing homes if they don`t have access to Medicaid home care. To make an appointment, please fill out the clinic admission form on your computer or smartphone.
You can also call 212-659-6190 and leave a message, including your phone number. The clinic will contact you, but this method of taking it will take longer.