The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network will be presenting it 2011 Public Benefits Law Conference on November 28-30, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Harrisburg-Hershey in Harrisburg. The conference is being presented by the Public Benefits, Disability, Health and Utility & Energy Law Groups of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.

The conference will feature two days of legal advocate training on November 29-30, 2011, preceded by a day of Client/Consumer training on November 28, 2011. The Client/Consumer training is specifically designed for Client/Consumer representatives from Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Programs.

Funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) would be cut by 26 percent in Fiscal Year 2012 under a proposal announced by the House Appropriations Committee on July 6. The Committee bill proposes a $300 million budget for LSC—rolling back LSC funding to a level not seen since 1999.

Basic field grants, which are currently provided to 136 nonprofit civil legal aid programs across the nation, would be cut to $274.4 million, a 27.5 percent reduction from current funding of $378.6 million.

LSC’s preliminary estimates show that about 235,000 low-income Americans eligible for civil legal assistance at LSC-funded programs would be turned away if the Committee proposal were enacted.

Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille today praised the PA Legal Aid Network for the positive performance audit received from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee yesterday on its oversight of Access to Justice funds. He also strongly agreed with the audit’s finding that the funding sources for legal aid for the state’s most vulnerable citizens – those who don’t have the financial means to access the courts – should be made permanent.

In 2002, the legislature passed the Access to Justice Act imposing a $10 fee on filings in state courts with $2 of that fee dedicated to direct funding of civil legal service organizations. That law is scheduled to expire in November 2012 unless reauthorized by the General Assembly.

Another temporary surcharge of $1 on filing fees that goes to fund legal services is slated to expire in January 2012. The LBFC report recommends the General Assembly consider making both fees a permanent source of funds for the legal aid program.

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network is proud to announce the recipients of its 2011 Excellence Awards.

The list includes a variety of civil legal aid professionals and friends of civil legal aid across Pennsylvania who are being recognized for their efforts in support of the clients served by the civil legal programs of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.

Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille, in a letter dated January 7, 2011, has issued a call to the Commonwealth’s 70,000 attorneys to volunteer more of their time and money to help ensure Pennsylvanians with limited financial means receive needed civil legal representation.

Saying the Commonwealth is “dealing with a civil legal aid crisis,” the chief justice reminded Pennsylvania attorneys in the letter distributed through the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) of their professional obligation to support services to citizens of limited financial means — otherwise known as pro bono service.

The December 2010 edition of Senior Health News is available on the website of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project.

Articles appearing in this edition include:

• Important Medicare Changes Start January 1
• Changes to Medicare Costs in 2011
• Slight Increase to Asset Limits for LIS and MSP in 2011
• Will Doctors Stop Taking Medicare?
• Integrated Care Alert!

View Senior Health News - December 2010

More than 359,000 low-income elderly, disabled, and blind Pennsylvanians who are unable to work have filed suit sued against the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in Commonwealth Court to restore their full disability and retirement benefits that were reduced earlier this year without legally required notice and reviews.

This class action lawsuit, Constance Naylor v. Department of Public Welfare, was filed by Community Legal Services, a legal aid law firm in Philadelphia, and Dechert LLP, providing pro bono counsel, and will be heard in Commonwealth Court.

The lawsuit, filed on November 30, alleges that Pennsylvania reduced the plaintiff's State Supplemental Payment without regard to required rulemaking procedures and with only 13 days notice to those affected by the cut.

Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. is soliciting nominations for its 2011 Excellence Awards. This year, the awards dinner will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, at the Harrisburg Hilton & Towers. A social hour will take place from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, immediately followed by a buffet dinner (please mark your calendar).

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Excellence Awards honor members and friends of the legal aid community who exemplify excellence in their commitment and accomplishments as advocates for low-income people. A media presentation highlighting the accomplishments of each award recipient will be incorporated into the program. You are encouraged to submit nominations of worthy candidates.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and PALawHELP.org provides a breadth of resources domestic violence victims and advocates. PALawHELP.org is part of the national LawHelp.org network of nonprofit legal information portals.

Resources accessible from PALawHELP.org include where victims of domestic violence can obtain help in their communities from programs affiliated with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as well as easy-to-understand information about what constitutes domestic violence and how to get orders of protection. Information is also provided on issues around housing rights, public benefits and children; and the needs of special populations such as immigrants.

Yesterday, September 16, 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau released its official 2009 statistics on poverty in this report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009.

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) notes the report is cause for concern for Pennsylvanians.

Nationally, nearly 57 million Americans are now poor enough to qualify for civil legal assistance. This is an increase of 3 million from 2008. Of the 57 million, 19.6 million were children. In just one year, the national poverty rate increased by a full percentage; from 13.2% in 2008 to 14.3% in 2009. The number of people in poverty in 2009 is the largest number in the 51 years for which poverty estimates have been published. The poverty rate for children rose even more dramatically.

The report reveals that children make up about 35% of the poverty population and people over 65 make up nearly 10% of the poverty population (those at or below 125% of the poverty level).

Also yesterday, RealtyTrac released its report on mortgage foreclosures in Pennsylvania which have increased by 15% over the same period two years ago and compared to one year ago. Pennsylvania’s foreclosure rate is growing at a higher rate than the national increase. “Pennsylvania’s legal aid programs are now reporting a 61% increase in new home ownership and mortgage foreclosure cases for clients facing loss of their homes this year, compared to last year,” said Sam Milkes, Executive Director of PLAN.