Each year at least 260,000 older adults are victims of elder abuse in New York State, and most of those cases go unreported. Elder abuse is the willful actions or inactions of a trusted person against an older adult. In New York State, we consider elder abuse to refer to individuals age 60 and older. Elder abuse may be emotional abuse, financial exploitation, active or passive neglect by other, physical abuse and sexual abuse. Most often, more than one form of abuse is occurring.
Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) provide a coordinated response to elder abuse cases in each county in New York State. LASNNY operates the Mohawk E-MDT, which includes Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington Counties. E-MDTs are comprised of professionals from various disciplines within each county whose primary focus is to intervene and prevent abuse of older adults including financial exploitation, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect by other and/or emotional abuse. E-MDTs have unique access to a forensic accountant, civil legal attorney, and geriatric psychiatrist/mental health provider in addition to drawing on the expertise of disciplines including aging services, the financial industry, and local legal and law enforcement. The team provides a holistic response which includes recommendations and support to those working on cases of elder abuse.
E-MDT Membership
Membership is based on the unique needs and resources of the individual county. It is important to identify and recruit E-MDT members representing key programs and services within each county.
Key member agencies for each county include:
Coordinator
Adult Protective Services
District Attorney’s Office
Law enforcement
Office for the Aging
Specialty Service Providers:
Civil legal service providers
Forensic Accountant
Geriatric Psychiatrist/Mental Health Provider
Additional member agencies to consider may include:
Elder abuse prevention providers
Bank/credit unions
Financial advisors
Domestic violence service providers
Ombudsman
Welfare fraud investigator
Veterans Administration
Department of Social Services
Elder law attorney
County Attorney’s Office
Attorney General’s Office
Department of Taxation and Finance
LASNNY operates the Mohawk E-MDT. Lifespan oversees development of E-MDTs in Upstate NY. The New York City Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) oversees E-MDT development in New York City.
For more information regarding the Mohawk E-MDT, contact Darlene D’Onofrio, Mohawk E-MDT Coordinator at 518-842-9466 x. 295 or by email to [email protected]. For more information regarding the Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team program in general and/or to find the contact of a coordinator in another county, contact Allison Granata, Assistant Director for E-MDT Initiatives, 585-287-6440.
This program is funded in part by New York State Office for the Aging, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime, New York State Office of Victim Services and Lifespan of Greater Rochester. Any opinions, results, findings, and/or interpretations of data contained herein are the responsibility of LASNNY and do not necessarily represent the opinions, interpretations, or policy of the State of New York or the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime.
LASNNY’s Disability Advocacy Project (DAP) works to ensure that eligible disabled individuals receive benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. DAP provides free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals when SSDI or SSI disability benefits are wrongfully denied or terminated.
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York Re-Entry Project provides civil legal services in Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer Counties to overcome housing and economic barriers resulting from criminal justice system involvement.
The STEHP Rapid Rehousing Program offers supportive services to homeless families with children under the age of 18 years of age in the household that are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. This assistance is targeted to those households who would otherwise be unable to rapidly secure affordable permanent housing and demonstrate the potential to maintain stable housing once the period of advocacy ends.
The STEHP Rapid Rehousing Program is intended to provide housing stabilization, linking participants to community resources and mainstream benefits, and helping families develop and implement a plan for preventing future housing instability.
The Crime Victims Attorney Project (CVAP) is funded through subcontracts with victim service provider partners who receive funding through New York State’s Office of Victim Services (OVS) to provide easily accessible, high quality, coordinated, victim-sensitive, trauma-informed civil legal services to victims of crime in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Fulton, Montgomery and St. Lawrence Counties regardless of their income. While priority may be given to lower income victims, as long as resources permit, no means prioritization is used. This project responds specifically to the need for attorney services coordinated with crime victim services available to victims in the local communities served by this project. The CVAP specifically supports and assists victims as they access available victim compensation and fully utilize their rights under New York’s Crime Victims Law and provides skilled and empathetic representation in orders of protection, custody, child support,matrimonial, and other legal matters. The CVAP serves victims of crime through in-person and phone direct legal assistance, including in-court representation and advocacy related to civil and criminal proceedings.
CVAP Victim Service Provider Partners:
Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego & Schoharie County
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York has partnered with St. Peter’s Health Partners and Albany Law School to assist low-income patients at St. Peter’s Hospital with their civil legal needs. The Medical-Legal Partnership bridges the gap between medical and legal services, ultimately providing a more holistic approach to assisting patients.
Areas of Practice:
Temporary Assistance
Disability Benefits
Food Stamps
Homelessness
Evictions
Foreclosures
FMLA Rights
Immigration
Wills
Powers of Attorney
Child Custody Matters
Standby Guardianships
Consumer Issues
Utility Disconnects
And More!
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for assistance through the MLP, patients must meet the below 4 requirements:
Inpatient or in outpatient observation at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY
Receive Medicaid, be eligible for Medicaid, or receive St. Peter’s Financial Assistance
Have a legal issue that impacts health
Be referred to the program through a St. Peter’s physician, P.A., nurse, social worker, or other health care worker
Once a St. Peter’s health care worker makes a referral, our staff attorney contacts the patient to being assessing their legal needs. The patient can receive assistance through Legal Aid or our staff attorney can refer them to the Albany Law School Health Law Clinic.
When Does a Legal Problem Relate to Health?
The legal issue is harming to the patient’s health
The legal issue is aggravated by the patient’s illness
The legal issue is an obstacle to the patient’s treatment, recovery, or discharge plan
Legal Aid now has an office at St. Peter’s Hospital to be more accessible to patients. If you are inpatient or under observation through St. Peter’s Hospital and think you may have a legal issue, ask your health care worker if this program is right for you!
The goal of the Senior Legal Services Program is to provide quality legal services for residents of Albany County who are 60 years of age and over. You are particularly encouraged to take advantage of this program if you:
are low-income
reside in a nursing home, adult home, or have assisted living needs or live in an assisted living arrangement
have chronic health problems or problems of access to health care
are homeless or threatened with homelessness
live on a subsistence income or are threatened with the loss of a subsistence income
have limited English proficiency
are proposed for or under guardianship
are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation
are physically isolated.
Contributions in any amount are appreciated and help to support the program. The suggested contribution for a legal consultation is $10. Contributions are entirely voluntary and have no effect on your receiving services now or in the future.
How can I get these services?
In order to provide the greatest access to the program, a schedule of monthly on-site community visits is maintained at locations throughout Albany County. Seniors are requested to contact their local senior center to make an appointment to meet with the Staff Attorney during these visits.
In addition, for those without access to a senior center or in case of an emergency, the staff attorney can be reached by telephone at the local number (462-6765) or at the toll-free number (1-800-462-2922) on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
What services are provided?
The program is staffed by an attorney who provides legal advice, other legal services, representation and/or referrals, as appropriate, on a variety of civil legal issues facing elders in this community, including:
Social Security
SSI
Food Stamps
Pensions
HEAP
Tenant Issues
Home Repair Fraud
Medicare
Medicaid
Nursing Home/Adult Home Issues
Abuse
Financial Exploitation
Americans with Disabilities Act
Grandparents’ Rights
Consumer Issues
The program also provides community legal education talks to groups of seniors on topics of particular interest or concern to the group. Past talks have included advance directives (powers of attorney, health care proxies, living wills), wills and estates, avoiding scams, and consumer debt issues.
Where are the services available?
Please call for an appointment at any of these Centers with On-Site Senior Legal Services Intake
Town of Bethlehem Senior Services Department
Town Hall
445 Delaware Ave., Delmar NY 12054
518-439-4955
Cohoes Senior Citizens Multi-Service Center
10 Cayuga Plaza, Cohoes, NY 12047
518-235-2420
Town of Colonie Senior Resources Department
6 Winners Circle, Colonie, NY 12205
518-459-5051
Town of Guilderland Senior Citizens Services
Guilderland Town Hall, Route 20
Guilderland, NY 12084
518-356-1980
Knox Town Hall
2192 Berne Altamont Road
Altamont, NY 12009
518-872-9400
Senior Projects of Ravena
9 Bruno Blvd., Ravena, NY 12143
518-756-8593
Westview Homes Center
680 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206
518-482-2120
Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center
920 Lark Drive, Albany, NY 12207
518-465-4771 (press 0 for an operator and mention Senior Legal Services)
For more information, call Senior Legal Services at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. at 462-6765 or 1-800-462-2922 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Funding
This program is supported in part by the Albany County Department for Aging, New York State Office for the Aging, and the U.S. Administration on Aging.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for the Food Stamp Program in New York State. SNAP is a government program that can boost your monthly budget for purchasing groceries.
What is NOEP?
The Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) offers free and confidential services to connect hungry New Yorkers to nutrition assistance programs such as the SNAP program, the School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Service Program.
What NOEP Can Do For You
Evaluate your potential eligibility: We can calculate your income, living expenses, and other deductions, and assess if you may be eligible for SNAP benefits.
Application Assistance: We can help you complete and submit the application. There is no longer a finger imaging requirement to apply and it can also be filled out online. We can meet you at a convenient location.
Necessary Documents: We can help you gather and submit the necessary paperwork that you need to apply for SNAP.
Professional Guidance: We can inform you of your rights as a SNAP applicant. We can advocate on your behalf to ensure your rights are being met according to SNAP regulations.
Other Helpful Information
The SNAP program is an entitlement program. Anyone who applies and is eligible will receive the benefits they need.
SNAP benefits are now automatically deposited on an electronic benefits transfer card (EBT). It works just like a debit card and is private and discreet.
You can receive SNAP benefits and still receive WIC, Meals-On-Wheels, and other government benefit programs.
You can own a home, car, and other personal property and still receive SNAP benefits.
There will never be a lien placed on your home or car.
Some immigrants who are not citizens may still receive SNAP benefits for themselves, their children, or other dependents.
SNAP benefits are there for you in emergency situations.
Most applications take 30 days to process, however, certain emergency situations may call for expedited SNAP benefits.
Nutrition Outreach and Education Program Service Locations:
Albany County
95 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
(518) 462-6765 ext. 327, (800) 462-2922 ext. 327
(518) 427-8352 (Fax)
Clinton County
100 Court Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 563-4022 ext. 112, (800) 722-7380 ext. 112
(518) 563-4058 (Fax)
Fulton County
40 North Main Street, Floor 2, Suite 17, Gloversville, NY 12078
(518) 810-9081, (800) 821-8347 ext. 227
(877) 324-1848 (Fax)
Montgomery County
6 Market Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010
(518) 842-9466 ext. 225, (800) 821-8347 ext. 225
(518) 843-1792 (Fax)
Saratoga County
40 New Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 587-5188 ext. 412, (800) 870-8343 ext. 412
(518) 587-0959 (Fax)
Washington County
40 New Street, Saratoga Springsm NY 12866
(518) 587-5188 ext. 408, (800) 870-8343 ext. 408,
(518) 587-0959 (Fax)
For a free and confidential prescreening to find out if you might be eligible, or for SNAP application assistance, contact your local Nutrition Outreach and Education Program today!
Prepared by a project of Hunger Solutions New York, Inc., USDA/FNS, and NYSOTDA. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) offers tax advice and representation to low income New Yorkers who are having problems with their federal income taxes. The clinic does not generally provide tax return preparation services. We can provide interpretation for all languages.
Were you denied Social Security benefits? Do you have bills you cannot pay?
Are you being evicted from your home?
Are you interested in planning for your future health care needs and decision-making?
Do you wish to prepare a will or leave plans for your family upon your passing?
Have you experienced discrimination because of your HIV status?
Do you have another non-criminal legal problem for which you need assistance?
You may be eligible for Free Legal Services
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium (HALC) is a collaboration between the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY) and Albany Law School’s Clinic and Justice Center. HALC was started in 2005 to provide free legal services to people in our communities who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. HALC clients include individuals living with HIV/AIDS, parents living with HIV/AIDS with dependent children, and children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and their guardians and caregivers. The LASNNY HALC attorney and Albany Law School Clinic may be able to provide advice, brief service, extended representation, and referrals. The service provided will depend on the individual circumstances of each case.
Free, Confidential Legal Services
If you are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, then you may be eligible for FREE and CONFIDENTIAL legal services through HALC. FREE: You will never be charged a fee for our services. However, you may have to pay court costs and filing fees, depending on your income and the individual circumstances of your case. CONFIDENTIAL: The information that you tell HALC is confidential. The information is not disclosed to others without your permission.
Types of Cases We Handle
We may be able to assist with many civil (not criminal) legal problems, including:
Social Security: denials, terminations, and overpayments of Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
Health Care: Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance.
End of Life Planning: last wills, living wills, health care proxies, powers of attorney, and funeral directives.
Housing: evictions, poor housing conditions, and termination of rental assistance.
Public Utilities: utility shut-offs Public Benefits: denials, cut offs, and reductions in Public Assistance (Welfare), SNAP (Food Stamps), and other benefits.
Consumer Protection: bankruptcy, debtor relief, and debt collection.
Future Child Care Planning: standby guardianships, guardianships, and adoption subsidies.
Individual Rights: discrimination, confidentiality, and medical privacy.
Legal Name Changes
How to Reach Us
Please contact the HALC staff attorney directly at 518-462-6765, ext. 340, or toll free at 1-800-462-2922, ext. 340.
Counties We Serve
Albany
Clinton
Columbia
Essex
Franklin
Fulton
Greene
Hamilton
Montgomery
Rensselaer
Saratoga
Schenectady
Schoharie
Warren
Washington
Referrals
HALC is happy to accept client referrals from other service providers. If you are a service provider and you have a client who is interested in a referral, please contact the HALC staff attorney at (518) 462-6765, ext. 340.
HIV/AIDS LAW CONSORTIUM Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
55 Colvin Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Office Hours Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Contact the HALC Staff Attorney: 518-462-6765, ext. 340 Toll Free: 1-800-462-2922, ext. 340 Fax: 518-427-8352
Funding
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium (HALC) is a collaboration of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York and Albany Law School’s Clinic and Justice Center. HALC is funded by the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health.
