Poverty Law News

Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys

Chapters 1-6 and 8-9 of the 2006 Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys, edited by Jeffrey S. Gutman, Professor of Clinical Law and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at George Washington University Law School and published by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, are available now in HTML format. This version of the Manual includes hyperlinks to federal statutes, Supreme Court Case citations, and case pleadings available through the Shriver Center’s Poverty Law Library. In addition, the full text of the manual is searchable by keyword. Chapters 7, as well as a documentary supplement that includes annotated model pleadings, are still being edited and will be posted online soon.

Family Law

Child Support Policies That Support Legitimate Work
This policy brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy explains why policymakers and practitioners should manage the child support obligations of incarcerated and reentering men to help them maintain regular employment, limit participation in the underground economy, reduce recidivism, and provide steady support to their children over time.

Food Programs

Families' Food Stamp Benefits Purchase Less Food Each Year
Food stamp benefits average only about one dollar per person per meal. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that, in 2008, food stamp benefits for a typical working parent with two children will be about $37 a month lower than they would have been without the across-the-board benefit cuts included in the 1996 welfare reform law. 

Health

Health Care for All: The Time is Now
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's State of the State and Budget message contained a bold and historic plan to repair the health care system in the state. His highly credible mix of public and private sector strategies would offer comprehensive health care at an affordable cost to every Illinois resident, regardless of income level or prior medical condition. John Bouman of the Shriver Center asserts that Illinois Covered will result in increased stability and cost controls in the whole insurance market, which benefits everyone--the insured, employers who offer insurance and the uninsured alike.

Improved Oral Health Participation Through the Medicaid EPSDT Program
A number of states are increasing children's utilization of dental care through the Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program. Targeting dental care, these states have implemented innovative programs. This paper by Jane Perkins of the National Health Law Program reports on oral health screening data and briefly summarizes the initiations being carried out in six such states.

Paying for Extended Health Care Coverage for Children
There is growing consensus that SCHIP reauthorization should make substantial progress toward covering all uninsured low-income children.  The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports on a number of options to pay for extending health care coverage to more children through the SCHIP program

Housing

Maryland Hate Crimes Bill
The Maryland Senate has passed a bill that would amend the state's hate crimes law to include homeless persons among the protected classes of people covered under the law.

Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Living in Section 8 Housing
In a ground-breaking legal settlement, Legal Momentum and Colorado Legal Services have won several important protections for Colorado domestic violence victims living in federally-subsidized housing, which will help them keep their housing while staying safe.

Fair Market Rent Documentation System
HUD USER has published complete documentation of the development of the final FY 2007 Fair Market Rents for any area of the country selected by the user.

Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, has published the first Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. This study provides important baseline data on homelessness and will allow HUD and local communities to get a more complete understanding about how many persons are homeless, what their needs are, and how to meet those needs.

Immigration

Legislative Priorities for Immigrant Workers
The National Immigration Law Center argues that vulnerability of immigrant workers is a weakness undermining the broader labor market. This paper outlines four immigration reforms that would protect the rights of all workers.

Prisons

Segregated Confinement of Prisoners with Mental Illness
The Disability Law Center has filed a complaint in federal court challenging the Massachusetts Department of Correction's practice of confining prisoners with mental illness in segregation. Plaintiff alleges that the extreme social isolation and sensory deprivation conditions of segregated confinement are difficult for all prisoners, but for prisoners with mental illness they exceed the limits of human endurance.

Veterans/Military

Veterans' Disability Benefits
The Government Accountability Office has published "Veterans' Disability Benefits: Processing of Claims Continues to Present Challenges."