General Resources

Enter the word(s) you are searching for; use quotes for exact phrase

Everything else!

Displaying 801 - 850 of 1347
View by Library Type
Sort by

Eradicating Stigma in Health Care Systems

Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee

New rules for replacing or changing your TAFDC or EAEDC EBT card

MLRI
Fact sheet about DTA's new rules for replacing or changing an EBT card.

Uniform matrimonial, family, and health laws locator

Legal Information Institute
The Legal Information Institute (LII) is a non-profit, public service of Cornell Law Schoolthat provides no-cost access to current American and international legal resource sources online at law.cornell.edu. LII is know as a pioneer in the delivery of legal information…

Winter Moratorium Protection Against Shutting Off Heat

MLRI
From November 15 through March 15 (sometimes extended into April), Massachusetts state law prevents utility companies from terminating service that is used to heat homes if the household is suffering financial hardship.  See M.G.L. 164, section 124F; 220 CMR 25.03 A household suffering…

Memo Re DHCD’s Proposed Changes to “Final” Emergency Assistance Regulations and Guidance

MLRI and MCH
Memo prepared by Masschasutts Law Reform Institute and Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless discussing DHCD's proposed changes to the Emergency Assistance regulations.  The memo notes that although some of the planned changes are very important and meaningful, there are still several…

Video Testimony From Two Statewide Hearings About Emergency Assistance

various
The following are links to videos of extensive testimony that was presented in October 2012 at two hearings about the impact of revised emergency assistance regulations on homeless families in Massachusetts.Testimony presented in Western Massachusetts…

Department of Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents: Children's Issues Series

GBLS
Department of Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents:  Overview of Eligibility Criteria, Application Procedure, and Services Provided. Summary prepared for the Children's Law Support Project by Deborah Filler, Senior Staff Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services, November…

Supplemental Security Income(SSI) for Children With Disabilities

National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)
Click the "Go to Website" link below for an excellent brief on SSI for Children with Disabilities, written by Shawn Fremstad of the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR),  and Rebecca Vallas of Community Legal Services, Philadelphia, and released by the National Academy on Social Insurance…

Racial Equity Toolkit to Assess Policies, Initiatives, Programs, and Budget Issues

Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative
From the introduction: The vision of the Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative is to eliminate racial inequity in the community. To do this requires ending individual racism, institutional racism and structural racism. The Racial Equity Toolkit lays out a process and a set of questions to…

Calculating Rental Income for SNAP

MLRI
Thre are a number of SNAP households who have tenants, including many elders who are "empty nesters" who have rented out a portion of their homes, as well as working families who have multi-family residences or "in-law" apartments rented out. Many low income home owners have high…

Resource Guide for Advocates & Attorneys on Interpretation Services for Domestic Violence Victims

Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence
The Resource Guide for Advocates & Attorneys on Interpretation Services for Domestic Violence Victims was supported by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence, Interpretation, Technical…

Useful Documents for Attorneys Representing Asylum Seekers

National Immigrant Justice Center
Click the "Go to Website" link below to access the National Immigrant Justice Center's website, with basic documents and forms pro bono attorneys may need over the course of representing asylum seekers. The list also includes government memos and scholarly articles that provide context and an…

National Summit on Language Access in the Courts

National Center on State Courts
The National Center for State Courts is hosting a National Summit on Language Access in the Courts on October 1-3, 2012, which is sponsored by the State Justice Institute. "It will call attention to the problem of access to justice for people with limited English proficiency, and permit…

Unfinished Challenges: A Report on Human Rights and Resources in the DMH Community Based Flexible Support Model for Delivering Mental Health Services

Disability Law Center
The Disability Law Center (DLC) has released its investigative report on the Commonwealth's new model for delivering community mental health services.  The report is titled "Unfinished Challenges: A Report on Human Rights and Resources in the Community Based Flexible Supports Model for…

Massachusetts SNAP and Cash Assistance Caseload by County, City and Town - September 2012

DTA

Questions about Federal Funding

Moriah Nelson, Volunteer Lawyers Project
Title VI applies to agencies that recieve federal funding, if you have questions as to whether a particular agency receives direct federal funding, click the "Go to Website" link below. It is important to remember, that even agencies and organizations that are sub-grantees and receive…

Website for the MassHealth -Medicare dually eligible demonstration

Office of Medicaid
This website contains materials related to the Office of Medicaid proposal to integrate services for individuals under age 65 dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. It includes links to the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by the state and federal governments regarding the…

School Discipline Questions and Answers: Children's Issues Series

Mass Advocates for Children
Where can I find information on school discipline in Massachusetts? For an overview of school discipline laws in Massachusetts, see the Children’s Law Center of MA website and read the quick reference guide on school discipline,…

USCIS DACA Fee Exemption Guidance

USCIS
The fee to request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) is $465 and cannot be waived. However, fee exemptions are available in very limited circumstances. In order to be considered for a fee exemption you must submit a letter and supporting documentation demonstrating that…

Children’s Issues Series: Anti-Bullying Laws

Carolyn Coyne, MVNLS, and Leslie Lockhart, MAC
What laws protect students against bullying? Two Massachusetts laws are designed to help students and schools prevent bullying and deal with it when it happens.The Massachusetts laws are MGL c.71 § 37O which pertains to all school districts and students in the state, and MGL 71B §3…

Fact Sheet -- Proposed Restrictions to the Emergency Assistance Progam

MLRI
On July 17, 2012, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) gave the Legislature 60 days advance notice of proposed changes restricting access to emergency assistance (EA) shelter for homeless families with children. For more information, download this fact sheet.

Your Right to an Interpreter Poster - Editable Version

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
The "Your Right to an Interpreter" poster is attached in editable horizontal and vertical formats, which you can edit to meet the needs of your client population. PDF versions are also attached. The English text reads, "You have the right to an interpreter at no cost to you. Please…

Working with Interpreters & Interpreting - MLS Training Module

Moriah Nelson
The Massachusetts Legal Services Training Module on Working with Intepreters & Interpreting is designed for legal service advocates and service providers to learn skills that facilitate more effective communication with clients who are limited English proficient (LEP) or Deaf/Hard of Hearing…

Breaking Down Barriers Training Materials

Moriah Nelson
On June 25, 2012, the Language Access Coalition and the AmeriCorps Massachusetts Legal Assistance for Self Sufficiency Program co-sponsored a training, Breaking Down Barriers: Communicating with Clients who are LEP or Deaf/HOH. Video from the first part of the training, Working with Court…

Saving and Spending Workbook

Children's Disability Project of GBLS
All the information parents need to know in order to deal with the special rules on retroactive SSI benefits is contained in CDP’s Saving & Spending Workbook.When children are awarded SSI benefits, they are often due a substantial amount of money in retroactive benefits, which are paid into a…

BCLS Confidentiality Training Module

Faculty of Boston College Law School
This training module was prepared by faculty at Boston College Law School for use in its clinical programs. It provides an excellent introduction to some of the key concepts about the lawyers' duty of confidentiality in Massachusetts. This is an interactive training module, which includes video…

Podcast on the New E-Signature Process for Social Security Information Disclosure Authorizations

ABA Health Law Section
The new electronic signature process for the authorization to disclose information to the Social Security Administration (Form SSA-827) is scheduled to begin April 21, 2012. The process was developed to comply with the laws regarding disclosure of medical and education information, including HIPAA…

Public Records Requests in Massachusetts: Sample requests and follow-up letters

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Sample record requests and successful efforts to get an agency to give information in a more timely manner The law states that records shall be produced for inspection "without unreasonable delay," and also that within 10 days' receipt of request, the record keeper must comply with the…

Inpatient Rights

Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee
A series of pamphlets and articles prepared by the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee on a variety of topics related to inpatient rights, including:   Admission and Discharge Rights Admission and Discharge Rights (Spanish) Hospitalization in Connection with a Criminal…

Rosie D. Website

Center for Public Representation
This website is maintained by the Center for Public Representation. It includes up to date information about the implementation of the Rosie D. class action regarding mental health screening and services for children receiving MassHealth. It also includes copies of the litigation documents.

Language Access Introduction Videos

DOJ, Legal Services of New Jersey & Northwest Justice Project
The following links are short informational videos that provide an excellent introducton to the rights that limited English proficient individuals have in the United States and the obligations that many agencies and organizations have under Title VI and Executive Order 13166. Breaking…

Frequently Asked Questions: Calculating Rent for Tenants in Federal Multifamily Housing with Project-Based Section 8 subsidy

Mac McCreight, GBLS
Frequently Asked Questions: Calculating Rent for Tenants in Federal Multifamily Housing with Project-Based Section 8 subsidy Querstions include: What’s included and excluded from income in determining annual income in federal multifamily housing with a project-based Section 8…

NELP Fact Sheet: Highlights of EEOC New Criminal Record Guidance

NELP/PLS
On April 25, 2012, the EEOC issued new guidance on the application of Title VII to criminal records.  Click the "Go to Website" link below, to access a fact sheet prepared by the National Employment Law Project, which summarizes highlights of the new guidance.  According to NELP, "The…

Teaming with an Interpreter Free Online Training Course

Speaking Your Languages
Speak Your Languages is an effort through Highline Public Schools that offers a free, online, self study training program specially designed for English-speaking users of interpretation or translation services to communicate effectively and build trust with individuals who are limited English…

The Language Access Resource Center

Empire Justice Center
"The Language Access Resource Center (LARC) provides information and resources about the rights of Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. It describe the federal and New York State laws prohibiting discrimination against LEP individuals and the obligations of recipients of federal…

Washington State Coalition for Language Access (WASCLA)

WASCLA
"WASCLA, or the Washington State Coalition for Language Access, is an organization consisting of legal professionals, advocates, law enforcement personnel, interpreters/translators, and court personnel who are dedicated to assisting state and local agencies within the State of Washington to…

Access Denied: The Unfulfilled Promise of the D.C. Language Access Act

American University Washington College of Law Immigrant Justice Clinic
D.C. Language Access Act of 2004 established a comprehensive language access law that would impose affirmative obligations on government agencies in D.C. It required that oral interpretation services for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals and that vital documents must be translated in…

National Language Access Advocates Network (N-LAAN)

N-LAAN
The National Language Access Advocates Network (N-LAAN) is a national organization that supports and engages in effective advocacy to eradicate language discrimination and promote language rights. N-LAAN provides a forum for language access advocates to develop expertise, share resources and devise…

Broken Records: How Errors by Criminal Background Checking Companies Harm Workers and Businesses

National Consumer Law Center
Mistakes on criminal background screening reports cost workers' jobs and skirt federal law (Fair Credit Reporting Act). Federal and state government and courts each have a role in improving the accuracy of background checks.Click the "Go to Website" link below to access NCLC's website and download…

Federal Laws Prohibiting Employment Discrimination; Application to Immigrant Workers

EEOC
Powerpoint slides from a presentation about EEOC’s role in supporting victims, including U-visa certification.

Benefits Planning Query Handbook (BPQY, SSA-2459) - Updated Sept 2009

SSA
The BPQY, which is part of SSA's Modernized Return to Work (MRTW) program, was designed to provide a snapshot of the beneficiary's benefits and work history as it is stored in SSA's electronic records.  Since October, 2003, all SSA offices have access to the BPQY software and can issue a BPQY report…

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Bureau of Labor Statistics

American Community Survey Data on Language Use

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey
This website has data tables, products, reports, papers, and presentations on the collection of language data through the American Community Survey. To access website click the "Go to Website" link below.

Early Intervention: Children's Issues Series

Center for Law and Education
Early Intervention (EI) in MA is a statewide, integrated, development service available to families of eligible infants and toddlers.  Family-centered services are provided under federal and state law to help children progress in their development and to enhance a family’s ability to meet…

National Center for State Courts Consortium on Language Access in the Courts

National Center for State Courts
"The Mission of the Consortium is to inspire and enable its members to promote equal access to justice in courts and tribunals by eliminating language barriers for persons with limited English proficiency." The NCSC website contains information regarding the work that individual states…

Federal and State Protections for Tenants Living in Properties That Have Been Foreclosed On

MLRI
2010 federal and state legislation gives tenants living in properties that have been foreclosed upon some additional protections during the eviction process -- including the requirement that an eviction of a bona fide tenant only be for "just cause" unless certain specified conditions are…

Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project Website

National Consumer Law Center
A website developed by the National Consumer Law Center. NCLC's Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project is a resource for borrowers, their families, and advocates representing student loan borrowers. This site is for people who already have student loans and want to know more about their…

Making Legal Information Readable is more than Plain Language

Caroline Robinson, MLRI
The average American reads proficiently at the 5th-6th grade level. The average American constitutes a much larger group of readers than you might think. Many of the people with whom you want to communicate effectively read at lower levels.  To get an overview of Plain Language and…

Tips for Effectively Working with an Interpreter Videos

Legal Services of New Jersey & Northwest Justice Project
The following links are short training videos provide general information on how to effectively communicate with clients who are limited English proficient (LEP), Deaf or Hard of Hearing. These videos give an overview of the role of an interpreter, modes of interpretation, and practical…

General Instructions for Completing the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs

SSA