Elder Law and Disability Rights Center
PROGRAMS
Elder Law
Our Elder Law program includes low-cost end of life planning and education to families with limited income. Services include trusts, wills, power of attorney, advance healthcare directives, and limited conservatorships. These critical services enable marginalized communities with historically limited access to lawyers to preserve their family home and empower people with autonomy to make educated decisions. Types of help offered include general education presentations, clinics, and limited and full scope representation. The program also includes assisting low-income seniors demand disability accommodations at their place of residence. Furthermore, we aid low-income elders defend against and avoid abuses including mental, physical and financial.
100% of low-income elderly clients are provided with legal assistance that is not available through private attorneys, and availability is extremely limited or nonexistent through nonprofit legal aid.
5% of clients received extensive sliding scale direct services for estate planning, conservatorships, and elder abuse cases
15% of clients received limited sliding scale direct services for estate planning, conservatorships, and elder abuse cases
5% of clients received no-fee extensive direct services for end-of-life and elder abuse cases
10% of clients received no-fee extensive direct services for end-of-life and elder abuse cases
25% of clients received counsel and advice on estate planning, conservatorships, and elder abuse cases
40% of participants received training and brief counsel and advice at elder law clinics.
100% of clients and participants improved their legal understanding and ability to advocate for themselves in Elder Law issues.
Housing Direct Services
Housing direct services include several key areas. We remove barrier to housing including quality of life infractions and misdemeanor warrants, as well as public benefits denials including income and housing vouchers. Our work included demanding reasonable accommodations to short and long term housing providers for disabilities. Also, we aid shelter residents of Orange County with disputes against shelters including failure of shelter to provide due process and disability rights
100% of low-income clients, including those residing in shelters, those unsheltered, and those with disability needs in permanent housing received legal assistance otherwise unavailable from other legal providers.
3% of clients in shelters received extensive services include representation in court proceedings.
3% of clients received limited services for disability rights accommodations demands
1% of clients received extensive services for disability rights accommodations demands including civil court representation
35% of clients received limited services for shelter disputes including due process and disability rights demands
58% of clients received advice and counsel on shelter and housing due process and disability rights issues.
100% of clients received education and empowerment to advocate themselves for their rights
Impact Litigation
Our impact litigation focuses on protecting civil rights and providing access to justice for low-income populations including people experiencing homelessness, public benefits recipients, and nonprofit organizations. Matters included property rights violations, criminalization of poverty and homelessness, restoration of general relief for those with no other income, and prevention of closure of NGOs that provide daily basic services to people without homes.
100% of named plaintiffs civil rights protected from court decisions and settlements. Organizational plaintiffs permitted to continue providing services to clients.
100% of named plaintiffs received small settlement award.
More than 1000 class members and people experiencing homelessness continued to receive life-sustaining and basic needs services from nonprofit service providers
Several hundred class members had public benefits restored and received back funds for loss of benefits.
Special Education
Our Special Education projects provides support to parents of children with special education needs that public schools should grant. The projects includes: Parent Workshops, Pro Bono Clinics, In School Advocacy, and representation or limited services with Due Process Complaints.
100% of low-income families with students with special needs, received legal assistance otherwise unavailable from other legal providers.
20% of clients received extensive services include representation in administrative proceedings.
40% of clients received limited services
40% of clients received advice and counsel on special education rights and administrative proceedings
Hundreds of community members and families received general information and referrals through disability and similar outreach events throughout Orange county
100% of clients received education and empowerment to advocate themselves for their rights
Jails Disability Rights Justice
The Jails Disability Rights Justice project provides advocacy for incarcerated individuals with disabilities when they are deprived of proper health care and disability accommodations. Matters may include all levels of representation.
100% of low-income incarcerated clients with medical needs received legal assistance not available through any other means.
40% of clients received limited services
30% of clients received advice and counsel
20% of clients received extensive services including court hearings and settlement negotiations
CONTACT
Elder Law and Disability Rights Center
1735 E 17th Street
Suite 110
Santa Ana, California 92705
Phone: 714-617-5353