logo
Newsletter                                                            July  2016
In This Issue
Moving Shouldn't Mean Losing Your Benefits
When Ms. H moved to Delaware County from Philadelphia, her SNAP and Medicare benefits were supposed to move with her. As required, she reported her relocation to her County Assistance Office and was told there would be no interruption in her assistance. But two months after the move, she still did not have the benefits that she needed to survive. That's when she came to LASP for help.
 
Her attorney quickly filed an appeal challenging the CAO's refusal to reinstate her continued eligibility. Within days the CAO acknowledged its mistake and her benefits were restored. Food was on Ms. H.'s table and her healthcare was assured.

You can help people like Ms. H and other vulnerable and low-income residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties by  donating now to LASP.

* Name has been changed but the story is real.

What It's Like To Be A Part Of The "Vanishing Middle Class"
Writer and Philadelphia-native Mat Johnson grew up poor, but managed to land in the middle class as an adult. But the fragility of economic stability stuck with him.
 
"We are separated by cliffs that are incredibly easy to fall off, but which have few handholds to climb," he writes.
You can read Mat Johnson's commentary and listen to the audio at NPR.org. 
2016 Justice Index Released
The recently released 2016 Justice Index, a project of the  National Center for Access to Justice, shows that Pennsylvania scored 31 out of a possible 100 points in the overall access to justice category. The national average was 39.41 points.  

Click here to read the complete findings.

The Justice Index evaluates how poor people fare in regards to attorney access, self representation access (support for people without lawyers), access for people who have limited proficiency in English, and  access for those with disabilities.


Highlights from the Counties
Bucks County
Residents of the Good Friends Recovery House in Morrisville learned about expungements, pardons, and employment discrimation protections when LASP visited recently.
 
Attorneys who are interested in learning more about the expungement process and Pennsylvania's new record sealing law (which goes into effect on November 14) can join LASP for a CLE in Bucks County on October 26. The CLE will be free for pro bono
attorneys. Location details will be available soon.

Chester County
It's now easier to get civil legal help in southern Chester County. LASP's newest outreach site is located at the resource center at Kennett Area Community Service (KACS) in Kennett Square.  LASP's legal clinic is available on the third Monday of each month from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Read more about the new KACS facility here.
 
Delaware County

PA CareerLink clients learned about sealing, expungement and employment options for those with a record at an Expungement Workshop led by LASP in June.
 
Attorneys can soon learn more about the impact of Pennsylvania's record sealing law which goes into effect on November 14. LASP will offer a CLE on expungement and the new law on October 25 at the Delaware County Bar Association. This CLE will be free for pro bono attorneys.
 
Montgomery County
 
For those with minor criminal records in Montgomery County, LASP, in partnership with State Senator Daylin Leach, is offering an opportunity to learn how to have a record sealed or expunged. The Expungement Clinic takes place October 6 at the Carver Center, 249 Jacoby Street, in Norristown. Only Montgomery County arrests are eligible. To RSVP, contact Chad Hoffmann at choffmann@pasenate.com or 610-768-4200.
 
You can download a flyer with more information here.
 

Legal Aid of Southeastern PA | 610-275-5400| www.lasp.org


Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.