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 | March 2011 |
Cleveland Homeless Legal Assistance Program
| Issue No. 7
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Greetings!
 In the interest of ensuring CHLAP intake participants are armed with the best resources for their legal needs, we wanted to draw your attention to a new pro se clinic for child support modification. The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, with the support of the Cuyahoga Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) and the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, offers an assisted pro se clinic for individuals with Juvenile Court child support matters. These individuals can be either the obligor or the obligee.
Legal Aid pre-screens all clients for merit and prepares files for the volunteer attorneys and clients to use at the clinic. McDonald Hopkins LLC staffs the pro se child support clinic one weekday evening every month. Since its launch in August 2010, volunteers have helped over 75 individuals complete documents, including motions to modify, motions to terminate, motions to determine arrears, and objections to magistrate's decisions.
This is not a drop-in clinic and all clients must be prescreened - if you believe an individual would benefit from this clinic, please have the client call Legal Aid intake at (216) 687-1900 and notify Legal aid by emailing Ann Porath at amporath@lasclev.org or Lauren Gilbride at lgilbride@lasclev.org with the client's name and number for follow-up.
Coming soon: Legal Aid has invited CHLAP volunteers to attend its next CLE training for the pro se child support clinics. Details to follow in a forthcoming newsletter.
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Internship Opportunity for Law Students
CHLAP and NEOCH are seeking a Legal Assistance Intern for summer 2011. Please click here for a flyer with details, or contact NEOCH Executive Director Brian Davis at (216) 432-0540 or email by clicking here. Applications must be received by April 15, 2011. |
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Resources
New Website Helping Veterans With Legal ProblemsThe Legal Services Corporation (LSC) recently announced the launch of StatesideLegal.org, the first website in the nation to focus exclusively on federal legal rights and resources important to veterans. The website was created by Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Portland, Maine (a nonprofit legal aid program funded by the LSC), as part of an LSC initiative to expand access to legal services for veterans. Recently awarded technology grants will be used by Pine Tree to expand StatesideLegal's content and develop a new library of legal resources for professionals working with low-income veterans. An additional technology grant to the Legal Aid Society of Louisville will automate the initial application for disability compensation, helping veterans across the nation to improve the quality of their benefits application. Click here for more details.
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Client Intake Totals for 2010
Please click here for a spreadsheet of client numbers at CHLAP intake sites from January through December 2010. According to intake reports, CHLAP volunteers served 377 clients at 11 sites in 2010. |
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Upcoming clinics & events
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Clinics
For a calendar of Legal Aid brief advice/intake clinics, please visit the Legal Aid website at www.lasclev.org.
Cleveland Lawyers' Initiative on Reentry (CLIR)
Brief Advice/Intake Clinics
North Star Neighborhood Reentry Resource Center, 1:00-4:00 p.m.2011: April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8 Periodic training sessions for new volunteers TBA - call Brian Lamb at (216) 566-5590 for more information.
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In the News
Recovery Resources, Spectrum of Supportive Services Combine
On March 15, Crain's Cleveland Business reported that directors of Recovery Resources and Spectrum of Supportive Services have approved a combination of the two nonprofit agencies. Spectrum, which has helped people wth mental illness live and work in the community for 30 years, will maintain its own corporation and 501(c) 3 status for the sole purpose of owning and managing its existing real estate holdings. All other Spectrum programs, services and contracts will become a part of Recovery Resources, an agency known for helping for 55 years people with mental illness, alcoholism, drug and other addictions.
Click here for full article.
Homeless Shelter for Young in Cincinnati Moves Ahead On March 5, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Lighthouse Youth Services is moving forward with its plan to open Lighthouse on Highland, a 30-bed facility for youths, by September. Cincinnati will join a short list that includes San Diego, Boston, and Los Angeles as cities with stand-alone shelters for homeless people ages 18-24. Most of the money for the $1.9 million capital campaign is in place, and some of the operating money for the first two years has been acquired, according to Lighthouse president and chief executive Bob Mecum. A plan produced by the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless, Inc., which applies for and distributes federal and state money for homeless services, called for a new 40-bed adult women's shelter now under development by the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati in addition to the Lighthouse facility.
Click here for full article.
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Annual Plan
The CHLAP oversight committee met in January to review the past year and discuss plans and goals for 2011. For meeting minutes, click here.
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2011 Intake Schedule
For the current 2011 Intake Schedule, please click here. If you have not done so already, please review the posted schedule and contact Melissa Zujkowski if you need to make an adjustment.
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Volunteer Spotlight
Frank Osborne
 Tucker Ellis & West LLP
Frank is a committed CHLAP volunteer, who has served at the Salvation Army PASS intake site since January 2005. He serves as Counsel to the Civil Rules Committee for the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure and is a Life Member of the Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District of Ohio, as well as a Board Member of the First Friday Club of Cleveland. Frank can be reached at (216) 696-3536 or by email at fosoborne@tuckerellis.com.
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Nominations for the Volunteer
Spotlight:
Please contact CHLAP Chair Melissa Zujkowski by email or by phone at (216) 583-7364.
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Find out more
For the most current list of community events and resources, check out the CHLAP page of the CMBA website by clicking here.
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Archived CHLAP Newsletters
Issue 6 - February 2011
Issue 5 - January 2011
Issue 4 - December 2010
Issue 3 - November 2010
Issue 2 - October 2010
Issue 1 - September 2010
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Cleveland Homeless Legal Assistance Program
This partnership between the CMBA and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless aims to serve those in the community in need of help but least able to access legal assistance. Volunteer lawyers staff regularly scheduled sessions at many locations throughout Cleveland, including homeless shelters, to provide legal advice and assistance to homeless or at-risk individuals. Attorneys volunteer at varying levels of commitment, from helping with intake interviews and providing brief advice to accepting referrals for direct extended representation.
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CHLAP Newsletter author:
Jessica Paine, Assistant Director of Community Programs & Information
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