News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
Tax season is approaching! February 3-7, 2021 is Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. In the United States, individuals must file a tax return by April 15 giving the IRS all reportable earnings. However, this is also the time of year for tax-related identity theft. Scammers are on the hunt for your identity in order to report false income data and […]
The application process for children’s CHIP or Medicaid can be confusing and overwhelming. Our team of attorneys and paralegals are here to guide you through the entire application process as well as monitor the status of your child’s application. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage team prepared answers to the most common health coverage related questions they […]
Texas is one of the 14 states that has not expanded Medicaid, leaving 21.5% of children uninsured. About 50% of uninsured children reside in six states in the United States, with Texas taking the lead. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Program (CTKC) legally assists low-income families when applying their kids for medical coverage. We can help […]
In the previous blog on Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage (CTKC), we informed you on what health insurance benefits are available for children and how having these benefits are vital to a child’s health. Texas Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are two programs our CTKC unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) can help your child obtain. Our […]
Overview Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) aims to protect and advance the civil legal rights of the millions of Texans living in poverty. Our advocacy efforts go beyond the courtroom. Every January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This year, LSLA joins the awareness effort by educating the community on their rights, as well as providing information on […]
Texas Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offer parents peace of mind knowing their children can get the routine preventative care they need, when they need it, that keeps them healthy. These programs have been able to secure medical coverage benefits for more than 45 million children. While this progress is encouraging, there are still a substantial number […]
Overview There are 623,000 children without health insurance in Texas. Those who lack insurance coverage typically experience far-worse health status than those insured. Uninsured children in Texas may be able to get low-cost health care from Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or no-cost health care from Children’s Medicaid. Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has a dedicated team of lawyers and […]
In 2018, there were over 65,000 victims reported in the United States totally $184 million in losses. These days, scammers are very clever with their tricks. Holiday crooks can spoil your celebrations when they steal your personal information. Seasonal deals are what we long for, but if they seem too good to be true, they probably are. The six top […]
As the world continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus, domestic and family violence have intensified. To combat this increase, Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has taken its outreach efforts online with targeted live presentations. LSLA provides virtual presentations for the community where attorneys and community partners provide legal information about the services they offer. The Safe Space, […]
Kamaria Chery is an active-duty soldier currently stationed at Fort Hood and the mother to a newborn son. When her son was only 5 months old, his father filed a family suit seeking to be named the Sole Managing Conservator for him. Chery was concerned because shortly before, she had reported him to the authorities at Fort Hood, and they […]
Overview This month is Military Family Appreciation Month and while we recognize the military men and women who have served and are currently serving in the line of duty, we take the time to honor the heroes besides the hero; the family members. Military families oftentimes can become victims of targeted military family scams while the service member is away. […]
Elizabeth Villareal came to LSLA after being served with an eviction petition and having her water shut off for three weeks. She, her husband, and two daughters were struggling financially as a result of COVID-19; Elizabeth contracted COVID and lost her job as a result. By the time she had recovered, the business had gone under. Elizabeth’s landlord, who was […]
Healthcare.gov is now open for enrollment, re-enrollment, or changes to your health plan! All enrollments, re-enrollments, and changes must be made by December 15, 2020. Please note this deadline is different for Medicare Part D. The Medicare Part D open enrollment period ends December 7, 2020. The Medicare plan in place December 8, 2020, will be the plan set for […]
A pandemic in a pandemic After COVID-19 was declared a health crisis and a global pandemic, as a result, another silent pandemic was on the rise. As the virus has spread across the world affecting lives economically, socially, mentally, financially, physically, and academically, there are more stressors in place for domestic violence. There are studies that show there is an […]
Part II of Lone Star Legal Aid’s Domestic Violence Blog Series discusses listening to the voices of survivors and believing their stories. It’s important to be advocates for victims of domestic violence, but it is also essential to just listen as well. Sharing stories is a part of the October campaign which encourages the nation to mourn victims, celebrate survivors, […]
Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Lone Star Legal Aid will discuss common topics that are relevant to advocating for domestic violence victims. Part I highlights safety planning and prevention for those who are victims living with an abusive partner and may have children and/or pets. It is as equally important to know how to be safe while using […]
National Night Out was rescheduled in Texas to today, October 6, 2020, however, with COVID-19 still persisting and making social activities unsafe, the Houston Police Department (HPD) has officially postponed NNO city-wide and declared it will resume in 2021. Here is a statement from the Houston Police Department. “The Houston Police Department has decided to postpone our celebration of National […]
Every October, the United States takes a stand against intimate partner violence in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Advocates wear purple, survivors tell their stories, neighbors share their resources, and social media arranges an open forum for activists to educate the world. Join Lone Star Legal Aid this October in powering up against domestic violence. Domestic violence was a […]
Join Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) on Facebook for a live discussion tomorrow with the Houston Police Department Victim Services Unit. LSLA’s Crime Victim Unit Staff Attorney Courtney Porter joins HPD Victim Services Lieutenant Pleasant for a live chat discussing the purpose of HPD Victim Services, the process and expectations of getting help, how the Coronavirus has impacted their work, […]
Lone Star Legal Aid’s Individual Safety Unit has created The Safe Space, a virtual outreach series that will premier monthly to provide information and resources about sexual assault to survivors. Sexual violence can have an immediate and devastating effect on the survivor in nearly every aspect of their life, resulting in a need for survivor-centered and trauma-informed legal representation. Since […]