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Legal Services & Issues

    Results: 17

  • Accessibility Related Standards/Legislation Compliance (1)
    DF-8000.0200

    Accessibility Related Standards/Legislation Compliance

    DF-8000.0200

    Programs that ensure that physical spaces (including buildings, parking lots, sidewalks, parks and other areas that are used by the public) are safe and free from obstacles which prevent access by people who have disabilities; that technologies (including software applications and operating systems, Web-based information and applications, telecommunications products, video and multimedia products, and commercial products such as information kiosks, calculators and fax machines) have features which support accessibility; and that enhancements which improve accessibility are implemented wherever possible. Legislation mandating accessibility for people with disabilities includes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (which took effect in 1992), the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968, and the Rehabilitation Act (which was amended in 1998 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities).
  • Adult Protective Services (1)
    PH-6500.0500

    Adult Protective Services

    PH-6500.0500

    Social services programs that provide assistance for older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable individuals who are unable to act on their own behalf or manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect, self-neglect or abandonment. Included are APS programs that investigate cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation working closely with a wide variety of professionals including physicians, nurses, firefighters and law enforcement officers following receipt of a report from friends, neighbors or others concerned for their safety; and public and private guardianship/conservatorship programs that make provisions for people who have been judged to be incompetent by the court by assuming responsibility for the care and custody of the individuals and/or for the management of their estates.
  • Advocacy (9)
    FP-0500

    Advocacy

    FP-0500

    Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals and/or groups to ensure that they receive the benefits and services for which they are eligible and that organizations within the established service delivery system meet the collective needs of the community; that attempt to marshal public support for a particular issue or cause; or that seek to influence legislation, local ordinances or administrative rulings in order to benefit specific interest groups or achieve specific social, political or environmental goals.
  • Child Abuse Prevention (1)
    FN-1500.1900-150

    Child Abuse Prevention

    FN-1500.1900-150

    Programs, often offered in the schools or in other community settings, that attempt to protect children from physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse or exploitation through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on children of various ages, parents, people who work with children and/or the community at large. The sessions may offer suggestions for children and/or parents regarding ways of avoiding or handling an abusive or potentially abusive situation and/or information about the indicators and incidence of abuse, requirements for reporting abuse and community resources that are available to children who have been abused and to their families.
  • Crime Prevention (3)
    FN-1500

    Crime Prevention

    FN-1500

    Programs that help individuals and the general public protect themselves against crime or prevent its occurrence.
  • Family Violence Prevention (4)
    FN-1500.1900

    Family Violence Prevention

    FN-1500.1900

    Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of child abuse, elder abuse and spouse abuse in family settings through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on children of various ages, parents, people who work with families and/or the community at large.
  • Forensic Mental Health Evaluation (2)
    RP-5000.2000

    Forensic Mental Health Evaluation

    RP-5000.2000

    Programs that provide an assessment of the mental health status of individuals who are involved in criminal or civil law cases at the request of the court or an attorney who is attempting to evaluate the situation. Forensic evaluations are completed by mental health personnel (generally psychiatrists or psychologists) who have additional training in the law; and may address any of a wide range of issues such as an individual's fitness to stand trial (i.e., their ability to assist in their own defense), the competency of the accused at the time of a crime, waiver of Miranda rights, the validity of an insanity plea, the legitimacy of a stress-related illness claim arising from an individual's employment, the extent of brain damage that may have occurred in a head injury case, a child's ability to testify or a person's competency to manage his or her own affairs. Forensic evaluations may also be done in situations involving juvenile justice issues, child abuse, child custody disputes, termination of parental rights and other cases that are being heard in juvenile court or family law court.
  • General Legal Aid (3)
    FT-3200

    General Legal Aid

    FT-3200

    Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.
  • Group Advocacy (2)
    FP-0500.2500

    Group Advocacy

    FP-0500.2500

    Programs that intervene on behalf of groups of people who have a common grievance against a public or private service provider or who believe that their rights have been violated, and which attempt to reach an equitable settlement without resorting to litigation.
  • Housing Discrimination Assistance (1)
    FT-1800.3000

    Housing Discrimination Assistance

    FT-1800.3000

    Programs that provide assistance for people who believe that they have been denied an opportunity to purchase, lease or rent the home or apartment of their choice due to their age, gender, family composition (including families with children under the age of 18 and pregnant women), race or color, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status, actions that are prohibited by the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the federal Fair Housing Act Amendments Act of 1988 in the U.S. Federal fair housing law also extends limited protection to recovering alcoholics who actively and regularly participate in a medically based treatment or AA program, and people with a drug use disorder including those who have prior convictions for illegal drug use (but not for drug dealing or manufacture). Assistance may also be available to other individuals who are protected from housing discrimination by state or local laws with a broader set of protected categories, or which cover properties that are exempt from federal fair housing laws but are protected under state law.
  • Immigrant Visa Application Filing Assistance (1)
    FT-3600.3300

    Immigrant Visa Application Filing Assistance

    FT-3600.3300

    Programs that assist in filing petitions by aliens who are seeking admission to the United States with the intention of residing in the U.S. on a permanent basis. In most cases, a relative or prospective employer files the immigrant visa application on behalf of the individual. Certain applicants such as investors, workers with extraordinary ability and certain special immigrants may petition on their own behalf. Petitioners apply for a specific immigrant classification for the beneficiary, e.g., priority worker, spouse of a lawful permanent resident and, when the petition has been approved, wait until a visa number becomes available.
  • Individual Advocacy (1)
    FP-0500.3300

    Individual Advocacy

    FP-0500.3300

    Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals to help them establish eligibility for or obtain needed services when they have been denied benefits or services for which they are eligible, when they need assistance to communicate their needs to a service provider or to otherwise effectively represent themselves, or when they have a complaint about a service. Individual advocacy attempts to reach equitable settlements without resorting to litigation and seeks to meet individual needs without attempting to change social institutions.
  • Juvenile Delinquency Prevention (5)
    FN-1500.3600

    Juvenile Delinquency Prevention

    FN-1500.3600

    Programs that offer a variety of activities for youth who are at risk for behavior which is likely to involve them in the juvenile justice system with the objective of assisting them to improve self-esteem, to become aware of alternative ways of dealing with feelings and leisure time, and to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Included may be counseling, rap and discussion groups, tutoring, companionship programs, alternative peer group experiences and supervised recreational activities.
  • Legal Counseling (1)
    FP-4000

    Legal Counseling

    FP-4000

    Programs that are staffed by lawyers who offer information and guidance regarding legal matters, proposed lines of conduct, claims or contentions including opinions on the party's rights, responsibilities and liabilities; and who offer suggestions for an appropriate course of action, but do not represent clients in court.
  • Legislative Advocacy (5)
    FP-0500.4500

    Legislative Advocacy

    FP-0500.4500

    Programs that attempt to influence the introduction or review of pending bills, ordinances or administrative rulings with the objective of having an impact on the passage or defeat of such legislation or its content.
  • Patient Rights Assistance (1)
    FT-6200

    Patient Rights Assistance

    FT-6200

    Programs that provide information, education, advocacy and/or other forms of legal assistance which relate to the rights of people who are patients in a health or mental health care facility, who are residents of convalescent or other long or short-term care facilities including adult residential care homes, or who are incapacitated and are being cared for at home by family members. Services may also be available to significant others of these individuals.
  • Spouse/Intimate Partner Abuse Prevention (2)
    FN-1500.1900-800

    Spouse/Intimate Partner Abuse Prevention

    FN-1500.1900-800

    Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of individuals by their spouses or partners through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on the likely victims of abuse, potential perpetrators, people who work with families and/or the community at large.