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04/17/2018
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An Overview of Services Statewide Community Health Worker Conference
April 19, 2018
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LEGAL SERVICES’ MISSION &
HISTORY
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LSEM’s Mission
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
advances justice through legal
representation, education and supportive
services. We partner with the community to
improve lives, promote fairness and create
opportunities for those in need.
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• In existence since 1956
• Legal Services Corporation Act passed in
1974 separated Legal Services program from
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO),
providing for national Legal Services
Corporation which has a Board of Directors.
• The Act includes some restrictions on types
of cases handled by LSEM and other
program activities.
LSEM’s History
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Adair * Clark * Franklin * Jefferson * Knox * Lewis * Lincoln * Macon * Marion * Monroe * Montgomery * Pike * Ralls * Schuyler * Scotland * Shelby * St. Charles * St. Louis * St. Louis City * Warren * Washington
LSEM’s Service Area: 21 Counties
in Eastern Missouri
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LSEM’s Programs
• Consumer Law
• Housing Law
• Children’s Legal Alliance
• Advocates for Family Health
• Medical-Legal Partnership
• Public Benefits
• Rural Outreach
• Veterans Advocacy
• Education Justice
• Connecting Kids to Coverage
• Marketplace Assistance (ACA)
• Lasting Solutions/Family Law
• Family Court (St. Louis County)
• Elder Law
• Immigration
• Legal Assistance for Adults with Mental Illness
• Youth & Family Advocacy
• Community Economic Development
• Special Projects
• Volunteer Lawyers Program
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Consumer Law
• Predatory Lending Practices—Payday lending
• Deceptive and fraudulent sales practices
• Car repossessions
• Debt buyer credit card cases
• Title loan
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Housing Law &
Youth & Family Advocacy
• Subsidized housing—federal/state
• Housing issues related to domestic
violence incident or victim status
• Security deposit
• Lockouts/illegal utility shut offs
• Private landlord tenant matters (limited)
• Youth & Family Advocacy targeted to young individuals in St. Louis County and provides supportive case management.
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Children’s Legal Alliance
• Special Education cases (obtaining
services, improving services, enforcing
IEPs, testing delays
• Suspensions and expulsions
• Enrollment (requiring guardianships or
homelessness issues)
• Focus on public school issues
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Education Justice
• Engages in educational advocacy with specific focus on racial disparity in the education setting.
• Examples of assistance provided:
Being denied a quality education;
Not reading on grade level;
The subject of unfair discipline actions;
Not being provided with an education after a
suspension or expulsion;
Having difficulty enrolling in school;
Being treated unfairly by the school
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Advocates for Family Health &
Connecting Kids to Coverage
• Helps children and pregnant women
navigate Medicaid Managed care
programs.
• Assist with application denials or benefits
termination.
• Assist with resolving billing problems.
• Help with medical denials by individual
health plans.
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Medical-Legal Partnership
• Works with medical-care provider partners
to help patients with variety of civil legal
issues affecting health—housing & public
benefits.
• Onsite outreach and intake screenings at
Affinia and Family Care Health Centers.
• Partner with Integrated Health Network.
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Public Benefits
• Helps individuals with disabilities, seniors and needy
families access variety of public benefits and supports.
• Food stamps, Temporary Assistance, MO HealthNet for
Aged, Blind & Disabled (Medicaid), In-home personal
care services, Medicare and Social Security issues
(more limited assistance with federal benefits programs)
• Helps address benefits reduction or termination, denials
and address questions about program eligibility.
• Represents clients in administrative hearings, if
necessary.
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Marketplace Assistance
• Assists with questions about eligibility,
plan options, available premium tax credits
or cost-sharing reductions.
• Assists with applying for exemptions (from
penalty)
• Assists with enrollment during open
enrollment period.
• Assists with appeals in complex cases.
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Lasting Solutions (Family Law)
• Provides services to victims of domestic
violence and their children using a holistic
service model.
• Assists with Orders of Protection, divorce,
custody and other related matters.
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Family Court
• Advocates for reunification of families and
avoidance of unnecessary foster care in
child protection cases.
• Helps prevent wrongful termination of
parental rights.
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Elder Law
• Assists seniors (60+) with varied civil legal
issues.
• Examples of assistance available:
preparation of simple wills, powers of
attorney, health care directives and
representation in guardianship
proceedings.
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Immigration
• Assists eligible immigrant successfully
integrate and stabilize.
• Helps eligible immigrants with family visa
petitions, citizenship and assist victims of
human trafficking and domestic violence.
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Legal Advocacy for Adults with
Mental Illness
• Helps persons with serious mental illness
• Provides assistance with various civil legal
matters—e.g. Medicaid, Social Security
disability, guardianship issues, housing.
• Must be referred by a community
partner—Independence Center, Places for
People.
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Community Economic
Development
• Empowers low-income entrepreneurs by
providing legal assistance to start a
business (assistance with incorporation,
drafting by-laws, contract reviews).
• Provides legal services to non-profits
serving low-income populations.
• Provides educational clinics and
workshops for aspiring business owners.
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Special Projects
• Provides legal assistance to low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS
• Examples of assistance available: preparation of simple estate documents (wills & powers of attorney), assistance with obtaining Medicaid and/ or Social Security disability benefits, housing.
• Requires referral from Ryan White case manager.
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Volunteer Lawyers Program
• Provides LSEM clients with legal assistance through
placement of case with volunteer attorney.
• VLP staff work directly with volunteers to provide case
summaries and other case support.
• Cases placed as volunteer attorneys are available.
• Provides assistance with a variety of civil legal matters,
e.g. housing, orders of protection, unemployment
compensation, simple estate planning, temporary
transfers of custody.
Veterans Advocacy
• Relatively newer project at LSEM which focuses on resolving legal problems for veterans.
• Provides legal assistance to veterans in LSEM’s current areas of legal practice.
• LSEM also participates in a regional partnership with Catholic Legal Assistance Ministries (St. Francis Community Services) and the Kaufman Fund.
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Rural Outreach
• LSEM maintains 2 outreach offices to
provide services to individuals in other
parts of 21-county service area.
• One office is located in Hannibal and the
other in Union.
• Both offices offer varied civil legal
assistance—much the same as the
programs based in the St. Louis office.
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Legal Services Does Not Assist
with Certain Types of Cases
Regulatory Restrictions
• Criminal cases
• Class action law suits
• Public housing evictions
related to charge or
conviction for drug sale,
distribution, manufacture
or possession
• Representation of
incarcerated individuals
Outside of Current Priorities
• Bankruptcy
• Municipal ordinance
violations
• Traffic Tickets
• Real Estate Tax Appeal
• Workers Compensation
• Child Support
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• File an application for services with LSEM
• Contact us by telephone
• In-person appointment
• Walk-in
• Online application: Visit www.lsem.org and
go to the LSEM Services tab, click on “Get
Help Now”
How to Access Services
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri:
4232 Forest Park Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-534-4200 ● 1-800-444-0514
Hannibal Office:
801 Broadway, Hannibal, MO 63401
573-248-1111 ● 1-800-767-2018
Union Office:
20 S. Church St., Union, MO 63084
636-583-7877 ● 1-866-583-7877
How to Contact LSEM
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• Income Eligibility
• Conflict of Interest
• Program Priorities
• Service Area
How is Eligibility Determined?
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• LSEM is a non-profit organization.
• LSEM does not charge for services.
• LSEM clients may have to pay certain
filing fees if such fees are associated with
their case.
How Much Does LSEM Charge for
Services ?
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314-534-4200
800-444-0514
www.lsem.org
Questions?
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314-534-4200
800-444-0514
www.lsem.org
THANK YOU!
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