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HIV/AIDS LEGAL PROJECT OF THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY
HIV/AIDS Agency Overview: HIV/AIDS Project of The Legal Aid Society The Legal Project is currently staffed by one full-time Director/Attorney, a full-time Project Secretary and a part-time Law Clerk/Paralegal. Over these years, we have developed three broad priority areas for our legal assistance: Access to health care, which may include, for example, addressing issues of discrimination or confidentiality; securing continuous health insurance coverage during times of job change; or obtaining benefits under Medicaid or Medicare. Keeping a support model in place, for example, obtaining or maintaining safe housing; obtaining or maintaining income; resolving family structure issues; or debt management. Life planning for self and family, making arrangements for personal and financial affairs in the event of disability or death. The Legal Project uses a wide variety of legal strategies to pursue these priorities for clients. Keeping a support model in place might mean defending someone against an unlawful eviction, or using landlord-tenant law to force a landlord to make necessary repairs. It might also mean confronting issues of housing discrimination, or defending against home foreclosure. Or appealing a denial or reduction of disability benefits or unemployment compensation. Or invoking remedies under family law in regard to child support, custody or marital status, or under consumer law to address debt collection or harassment by creditors. Life planning might mean drafting advance medical directives and legal documents relating to health care surrogates; drafting Wills and/or Powers of Attorney; or establishing guardianships for self or children. Access to health care might require securing rights under, among other laws, COBRA, HIPPA (Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act), the federal Medicaid and Medicare acts and state and federal civil rights laws. The Legal Project tailors its services and strategies to meet individual client need. Depending upon how complex an individual's situation is, we will provide either direct legal representation, or advice and counsel. Our services to individual clients fall into two broad categories: Direct Legal Representation, and Advice and Counsel. In direct legal representation, we serve as an individuals counsel in judicial or administrative proceeding, in negotiations, or in drafting documents. In advice and counsel cases, we assess an individual's problem and provide him or her with information about legal rights and remedies, and guidance on how he or she can assert and protect those rights. As a member of the AIDS Services Center Coalition, we are most grateful to the community for its support of the Louisville AIDS Walk, a vital source of funding for our work. For further information about the HIV/AIDS Legal Project, or to request legal assistance, call 574-8199, or visit us at 810 Barret Avenue, Room 301, Louisville, KY 40204.
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Provides free legal services to individuals infected and affected by HIV/AIDS who otherwise cannot afford an attorney. Since 1992, the Legal Project has provided free services to over 3200 clients on issues involving insurance, discrimination, access to care and public benefits, testing and confidentiality.