June/July 2010 Newsletter (PDF) now posted on the web.

Click to download.
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required - free download)

Officer Lola Quesada

Nassau Suffolk Law Services is proud to count Officer Lola Quesada as a supporter. She serves on our Advisory Council and was recently featured in Newsday for her work with the Hispanic Community

Law Day 2010: Excerpt from Statement of John G. Levi, Chairman, LSC Board of Directors

Washington, DC—Every year on May 1, the nation celebrates Law Day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day in 1958 as “a day of national dedication to the principle of government under law.”

The theme for this year’s observance is Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges. The Legal Services Corporation fulfills the national pledge of equal justice, assisting low-income Americans who otherwise would not have access to our civil legal system. As millions more Americans find themselves at risk of slipping into poverty because of the current weak economy, the mission becomes ever more important.

In these challenging times, all of us in the legal profession must act so that justice is more than just an idea. Access to legal aid helps people maintain their livelihoods, helps victims of domestic violence obtain protective orders, helps keep people in their homes and helps protect the elderly and others from being victimized. Civil legal assistance helps build strong and stable communities across this nation.

The Legal Services Corporation has a never-ending responsibility to speak up for those in need. In providing low-income Americans with access to our legal system, we hopefully help win their confidence in the judicial system, in our government and in the promise of America.

As Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. said, “Equal justice under law is not merely a caption on the facade of the Supreme Court building, it is perhaps the most inspiring ideal of our society. It is one of the ends for which our entire legal system exists...it is fundamental that justice should be the same, in substance and availability, without regard to economic status."

On this Law Day, please join us in spending a few moments reflecting on one of the nation’s founding principles—equal justice for all. Those of us who are in the legal profession have a special responsibility to uphold this ideal. Millions of Americans depend upon civil legal assistance. We cannot let them down.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FAMILIES BENEFIT FROM CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTION

Good news! Where DSS collects child support on behalf of active public assistance recipient children,the amount collected for child support payment is factored in the household budget and “passed through” to the household.

In July, 2009, DSS Child Support pass through payments and disregards were increased to $100. Effective January, 2010, families with two or more children can receive up to $200 in child support pass through money.

NEW MEDICAID/FHP ELIGIBILITY RULES MAKE IT EASIER TO GET COVERAGE

Medicaid eligibility rules no longer require a resource test as of January 2010 for certain categories of applicants and recipients. Those who are 65 or older, or certified blind or disabled, are still required to provide information about their assets, but all others including children and non-disabled adults under 65 who are applying for Medicaid or Family Health Plus, will not be asked about their assets according to GIS 09 MA/027. Disabled applicants who also have minor children in the house (and are therefore potentially eligible in the ADC-related category) can have their eligibility assessed without the resource test if this would be more advantageous.

Update on Give Peace a Chance Campaign

From the Executive Director, Jeffrey A. Seigel

I want to thank the Long Island community for its generous support to our holiday campaign aimed at preserving our Suffolk Domestic Violence Project, Give Peace a Chance.

The donations gave us hope and the means to make it possible to continue domestic violence services far beyond the termination of funding in October 2009. Although we were successful in raising over $12,000 in the campaign, it was not sufficient to keep services going beyond late January 2010. As we explained in our appeal, much more was needed to make it possible to continue uninterrupted services through the summer of 2010 while we sought other options.Though we have made several emergency appeals to government and private foundations, in these tough economic times we were not able to secure the balance needed to operate the Project without interruption.

The community’s generous donations were used for the purpose of extending legal services to domestic violence victims as long as our budget would allow, but sadly the services were necessarily terminated due to our funding constraints. We remain committed to this critical service working with our community domestic violence partners and continue to seek every avenue for alternative funding. Your past and future support will always be remembered and appreciated.

Nassau County Residents Can Now Apply for Food Stamps Online

The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance recently announced that Nassau County residents can now apply directly for food stamps online through the State’s website, www.mybenefits.ny.gov. This new service will enable individuals to apply directly for food stamps from any computer with Internet access, at any time convenient for them. Nassau is one of 11 counties that offer this capability, with more counties expected to join in the coming months.

Nassau/Suffolk Law Services’ Foreclosure Unit

In cooperation with the community housing counseling agencies, the Foreclosure Unit provides comprehensive legal representation for homeowners, based on the likelihood of preventing the foreclosure and the availability of staff resources.

Call 631 232-2400 or 516 292-8100.

The Mandatory court settlement conferences are being held in Nassau Supreme Court at 11 am and 2pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 9:30 on Fridays. Volunteer attorneys represent the homeowners for that day only. Housing counselors from Nassau County are in attendance as well to assist with loan modifications. For more information call the Nassau County Bar at 516 747-4070.

Settlement conferences in Suffolk are held on Mondays 9a.m. & 2p.m. in Patchogue, Tuesdays 9:30a.m. & 2:30p.m. in Riverhead, and Tuesdays 9:00a.m. & 2:00p.m. in Ronkonkoma. Call the Suffolk County Bar at 631 234-5577 for assistance at these settlement conferences. The Suffolk Bar also sponsors foreclosure consultations at Touro Law School once a week on Wednesdays.

“Middle Income” (M.I.) HEAP IS BACK

Suffolk County DSS is once again offering HEAP assistance to eligible residents to defray heating costs. In addition, The Middle Income Home Energy Assistance Program (MHIHEAP) assists those households who are in need, but whose incomes are too high to qualify for HEAP. Only households that have an actual heating expense will be considered.

M.I. HEAP began taking applications on November 30, 2009 and will continue to do so until the funds are exhausted.

Call 631 853-8825 for an application or get one online at: http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/upload/dss/pdfs/miheapapp2009.pdf

Nancy Green’s 30th Anniversary

Nancy began her career at NSLS in 1979 as the secretary for the Mental Health Law Project. In 1990 she become the Office Administrator in the Suffolk office and is currently the Director of Office Administration and Information Technology, responsible for computer hardware and software, office equipment and telephone systems. Known as the “jack of all trades” Nancy supervises the Islandia support staff and is all round problem solver. She is also a member of the Intake, Policy and Procedures Committee and the Labor Management Committee.

At the 2009 holiday party she was presented with a plaque for her 30 years of dedicated service . Congratulations, Nancy!