tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-221001432014-10-03T03:25:43.392-04:00<br><b>Northwestern Legal Services<br> Robert A. Oakley, Esq., Executive Director</b><BR> This blog serves as the electronic format of our<BR> quarterly client-based newsletter.Access to Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251627787573978644noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22100143.post-89262255842359838542012-03-19T10:38:00.003-04:002012-03-19T10:48:47.485-04:00

Pennsylvania Health Law Project WebsiteOn February 7, PA Governor Corbett proposed a state-wide budget that would eliminate General Assistance cash benefits entirely, and significantly reduce GA-related Medical Assistance for residents of the Commonwealth.While a lot can change as the proposed budget moves through the General Assembly on its way to final passage by June 30, it is important to

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If you received notice from a DPW Medicaid managed care plan that you will have a prescription drug limit each month, talk to your doctor(s) about a way to ensure your medical needs will be met.Many drugs for serious medical conditions are covered by an “automatic exception,” meaning that you can get the prescription filled even after you reach the six prescription monthly limit. By getting

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For over 35 years I have had the privilege of serving the civil legal needs of the low-income community in Ohio, Wyoming and Pennsylvania as a legal aid professional.In that time I have witnessed the “highs and lows” of government support for legal aid, and the ways in which funding has increased or decreased as a result of changes in the economic prosperity of our nation, and public policy

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NWLS executive director Robert A. Oakley, Esq., was named a 2012 Excellence Award honoree by the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN), the agency that administers state funding for civil legal services.Oakley was honored for his 35 years of service to legal aid as a community educator, board member, staff attorney and managing attorney for a legal services organization in Ohio, and as executive

Access to Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251627787573978644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22100143.post-81597045934064568902012-03-19T10:30:00.001-04:002012-03-19T10:33:24.411-04:00

Application for civil legal aid from NWLS is now available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The NWLS website, www.nwls.org , has an online application that enables people to request legal services via the Internet. This feature is especially helpful to low-income individuals who cannot call the NWLS central intake unit during normal business hours.Please be aware that an online

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Asset Testing for Food Stamps to Begin May 1The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (SNAP) in Pennsylvania, better known as food stamps, will implement some significant changes to eligibility guidelines.Beginning May 1, the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) plans to reinstate asset testing for people who want to receive food stamps. Asset testing in the state had been removed from the

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While eligibility guidelines for food stamps (SNAP) may change, the process of applying for the program remains the same. You can apply for SNAP three ways:· OnlineYou can apply for SNAP online using the COMPASS website. The link can found at www.dpw.state.pa.us· In PersonYou can visit your local county assistance office and apply in person· By Mail You can

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On February 9, Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly announced that Pennsylvania joined a federal-state agreement with the nation's five largest mortgage servicers over abuses involving foreclosure and mortgage servicing."This settlement provides an estimated $266 million in assistance to Pennsylvania, including principal reductions for consumers struggling to avoid foreclosure, refinancing

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www.homelessshelterdirectory.orgA comprehensive list of homeless shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries and food banks for many communities in Pennsylvania and across the nation. The directory also lists other services such as free medical/dental clinics, domestic violence shelters, day shelters and outreach centers. A quick and easy way to find resources in your community for people in

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By John Gandrud, Managing Attorney, NWLS Central Intake UnitEvictions are an unfortunate reality for low-income people who struggle to make ends meet. If you face an eviction, or the threat of eviction, here is some practical advice to keep in mind as you work through your housing problems.Non-payment of RentPerhaps the most common cause of eviction is non-payment of rent. While there can be

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If you qualify, these agencies may offer help if you are faced with an eviction:* Erie County — St. Martin's Center 452-6113* Erie County — GECAC 459-4581* Mercer County — Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing 342-4012* Crawford County — Center for Family Services 337-8450* Venango County — Office of Economic Opportunity 432-9767* McKean County — Northern Tier Community

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Editor's Note: We asked a NWLS law worker to reflect on his own experiences with the threat of homelessness for this edition of our newsletter.We all know it exists, most of us have seen it, and, like many others, I thought it could never happen to me.Also, like many others, it almost did -- more than once.My first experience with homelessness came several years ago. My family was evicted from

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The above phrase is heard throughout the holiday season. Sometimes we do not think beyond this simplistic yet heartwarming phrase. I hope we pause to think about this now.Unemployment is extremely high in our region, as is poverty. During this holiday season, let us ponder the effects poverty has on our community and on our children, and further, what we can do to personally help.Job loss and

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On June 16, 2010, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its annual report to Congress on homelessness in America.The annual report is generally considered the best estimate of homelessness across the nation.Among the findings in this document are the following:* On a single night in January 2009, there were an estimated 643,067 sheltered and unsheltered homeless

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The first piece of federal legislation that directly addressed the problem of homelessness in the US was the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987.Signed by President Ronald Reagan on July 22, 1987, the act has been amended and re-authorized several times since it went into law, and its purpose is to provide funds and coordinate resources to meet the critically urgent needs of the

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By Judy Wilson, NWLS Managing Attorney, Erie OfficePublic and subsidized housing are programs funded by the government to provide decent and affordable homes to low-income people.Public housing is housing which is owned and operated by a local Housing Authority. Usually your rent and utilities are much lower than if you rent from a private landlord, and generally it is no more than 30 percent of

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Bradford City HA — 362-3535HA of County of Erie — 665-5161Erie City HA — 452-2425Franklin City HA — 432-3416HA of Elk County — 965-2532HA of City of Meadville — 336-3177HA of Venango County — 677-5926HA of Oil City — 676-5764Mercer County HA — 342-4000HA of McKean County — 887-5563 Potter County HA — 274-7031Titusville HA — 827-3732Warren County HA — 723-2312

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Here are some websites that address the issue of homelessness:http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/This website provides contact information for homeless shelters across the nation.http://www.palawhelp.org/Your online guide to legal aid information in Pennsylvania contains a wide variety of legal topics including housing law on evictions and tenant rights.http://www.hemap.org/Are you in danger

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Residents of Northwestern PA Can Expect Dramatic Increase in Electric BillsBy Attorney Harry Geller, Executive Director, PA Utility Law ProjectBeginning next year (2011), residents of northwestern Pennsylvania can expect a dramatic increase in their electric bills.For more than a decade, electric rates have been frozen and electric prices have remained stable. On December 31, 2010, these rate

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Customer Assistance Program (CAP) 1-800-545-7741. CAP helps residential customers maintain electric service and eliminate their past-due balance. CAP offers a reduced bill that is based on a percentage of income and debt forgiveness.WARM Program 1-800-207-9276 WARM is a free weatherization and energy education program for Penelec's residential customers in Pennsylvania. The objective of the

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Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will extend the closing date for program benefits from March 15 to April 2. Other important changes to the program were announced as this newsletter was going to print:· Regulated utility customers with a shut-off notice dated February 1, 2010 or later will be able to apply for crisis grants· A household in PA may apply for a

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The impact of the downturn in the economy has affected everyone in one way or another. Especially hard hit are the segments of our population that rely on fixed incomes. For instance, a retired person has seen his or her retirement "nest egg" dwindle or the disabled person now has to stretch an already stretched budget to accommodate increased costs in food, utilities and gasoline. More and

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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for food stamps, a program that helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need. SNAP is financed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, and administered in Pennsylvania by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) through county assistance offices.In order to qualify for SNAP, low-income

Access to Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251627787573978644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22100143.post-3488536463897620162010-02-12T14:56:00.002-05:002010-02-12T15:14:35.890-05:00

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) are important federal tax benefits for low-to-moderate income workers. The programs can either lower the amount of taxes you owe the government, or in some cases provide a cash refund, even if you did not make enough money to file a tax return.According to national estimates, however, as many as 25 percent of eligible workers do not

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If people in northwestern Pennsylvania want their fair share of federal funds, then everyone must count.This year (2010) the U.S. Census will again take place across the country, and a lot is at stake when the counting is done. Each year more than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to states and localities on the basis of population statistics gathered in the census.That is money used

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