News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
Doctors diagnosed Joseph with Progressive Glaucoma, which is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve resulting in permanent vision loss. He was told his eyesight would gradually fade over several years until he was blind, but little did he know he would be involved in an accident that would dramatically change his life sooner than he thought. […]
Mary’s insurance denied her the coverage she needed to keep seeking treatment and surgeries for the genetic illness that she was diagnosed with when she was born. Von Hipple Landau (VHL) is a type of cancer that causes malignant tumors to form in multiple organs of the body which initiated her permanent blindness in 2007. She also experiences numbness, weaknesses […]
The six top holiday scams Charity Scams: If a website wants donations in cash or gift cards, don’t do it! Charity scams pop up around the holidays. Scammers can trick you into paying them by thanking you for a donation you never made. They may also appear legitimate by their name, but always research them first to find out where their […]
What is Giving Season? Giving Season is the time between November 1st and December 31st, in which nonprofit organizations campaign for donations, champion volunteer work, and inspire acts of kindness. Falling on November 30th this year, Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Unlike its gift-buying counterparts, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is to encourage charitable donations. Sometimes […]
A mother applied her two children for Children’s Medicaid six months before reaching out to Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA), but Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) denied her because in their system, the two children had foster care insurance. The mother informed Paralegal Cristina Palacios, that the children have not been in foster care for over a year. She […]
The children were crying, screaming and covering their watery eyes while their mother starved them, neglected them and continually drowned herself in drugs. The children deserved to be loved, looked after and cared for. They didn’t deserve to be abandoned, neglected and left to fend for themselves, especially at the ages of seven and nine. Valerie, the daughter in law […]
The Constitutional rights of several residents were being violated in a low-income housing complex in Center, Texas. They were facing invasion of privacy and unequal protection to the laws rooted by racial discrimination. The Center Housing Authority (CHA) continually violated these residents’ Constitutional rights by breaking multiple federal laws. The landlord’s rules and regulations were so restrictive that the residents’ […]
Kassandra met Lilah in San Diego, California in 2012 when she was just twelve years old, and instantly knew she was in love with her. She expressed to her mother that she was bisexual and did not approve. Her mother thought life would be hard for her, because she would be judged harshly. Kassandra’s father was never in the picture, […]
Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), WIC is a federally funded program to provide nutrition benefits, education, supplemental food, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and social services to at-risk pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding individuals, infants, and children up to the age of five. A new temporary dollar amount increase for fruits and vegetables is now available through […]
Eulise, uncle to Jose, became Jose’s caretaker in February while still receiving Medicaid and SNAP benefits under the parent’s household. The uncle, Eulise, reapplied for Jose’s Medicaid Benefits, disclosing he was the caretaker of the child, and was then denied benefits. At thirteen, Jose lived with his father for a while until he contracted Covid-19 in 2020, and then they […]
Imagine not knowing if you would be alive to see the next day. Imagine having to protect your children from someone who would hit them, push them and drag them out of the house. Sharon Smith was terrified when she was married to James, as he would threaten her and abuse her to where she thought she would never escape […]
Natalie Cochran sat down with Elizabeth Green and Christian Pineda from Lone Star Legal Aid to discuss why healthy children are better prepared to succeed in school and how you can get your children enrolled in CHIP or Medicaid with our free legal services. Listen here on KPFT radio starting at 13:25.
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 get low-cost health care from the 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 paralegals who […]
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing almost $294 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits starting in October, as the state continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The allotments are expected to help more than 1.4 million Texas households. HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to […]
The Covid-19 Pandemic has contributed to financial hardship, like job loss, lost wages, unforeseen medical expenses, evictions, and foreclosures, leaving many Americans in need of assistance. With the CDC Eviction Moratorium no longer in effect, protections for those evicted have been lifted, and millions are now facing homelessness. Homelessness is not synonymous with being unsheltered. Many people will move in […]
Lone Star Legal Aid is a strong supporter of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In this blog, you will find common topics relevant to advocating for domestic violence survivors, such as safety planning and prevention for those who are or know anyone living with an abusive partner, knowing how to be safe while using the internet if you are in a […]
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 is National Night Out! NNO is an annual community-building campaign that enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement. There are many events nationwide to support the cause, and you can find Lone Star Legal Aid participating in the event that will be hosted at the Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas from 6 PM to 8 […]
Suicide in the United States is at an alarming rate, so high that it is one of the leading causes of death in our country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “many factors can increase the risk for suicide or protect against it. Suicide is connected to other forms of injury and violence. For example, people who […]
A month before its intended expiry date, the CDC eviction moratorium was suspended by the Supreme Court, leaving tenants vulnerable to homelessness. Over 11 million renters have had trouble paying rent on time during the pandemic as unemployment blanketed the nation. The temporary halt on evictions did not absolve renters from the responsibility of paying the entirety of their owed […]
Healthy students are better learners. With medical coverage such as CHIP and Medicaid, students are more likely to attend school and earn higher grades. Many children, including the millions uninsured in Texas have difficulty accessing quality health care. The pandemic has established a new reality that education and health care are linked. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
