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 can help applicants who qualify for LSLA services apply for Children’s Medicaid or CHIP benefits.
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.
LSLA’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Unit (CTKC) legally assists low-income families when applying their kids for medical coverage. We can help your child apply for Texas Medicaid and CHIP.
Our staff will guide you throughout the entire legal process. Your child can receive or renew their benefits with the help of our paralegals and attorneys who will act as a representative on your behalf.
MEET THE TEAM
ARLETTE TAMEZ
Arlette Tamez contributes to the CTKC Unit by providing services in Spanish and English. She assists clients by gathering their information, assessing what steps should be taken next, and then assisting them with Medicaid applications, renewals, and other public benefits. Arlette also keeps clients up to date on the application process and guides them through the notices and requests they may receive from Health and Human Services. She is focused on the unit’s goal of getting clients the benefits they qualify for.
CHRISTIAN PINEDA
Christian Pineda is the Project Coordinator for the Connecting Kids to Coverage Grant at Lone Star Legal Aid. His responsibilities within the team include setting up partnerships with organizations in our communities to facilitate access to our services, maintaining ongoing knowledge of policy updates and eligibility requirements, and providing the team with any assistance they may require to deliver the highest possible assistance to our clients.
TOBE OKEZIE
Tobe Okezie is the third Paralegal on the team! In addition to attending outreaches, calling potential clients and filling out applications, Tobe helps create videos to market and curate any media covered at outreaches or internal affairs.
NATALIE COCHRAN
Natalie Cochran is a 2018 University of Houston graduate who earned a B.A. in Integrated Communications. She works as the Communications Assistant for Lone Star Legal Aid’s CTKC Unit and the Crime Victim Unit. Natalie strengthens public awareness by writing educational blogs, news releases, and stories of justice, as well as helping produce radio segments, virtual outreaches, and social media content.
KAREN RI’CHARD
Karen Ri’chard is an Outreach Specialist for CKTC in the Public Benefits Unit and Project Coordinator for Eviction Right for Counsel. She started her LSLA journey in the Disaster Recovery Unit in 2019. Before working at LSLA, she worked locally in nonprofit program management, case management, and health education. As a native Houstonian, UH graduate and contract writer, she has more than 25 years of experience working with grant-funded programs in Harris County and surrounding counties. When she’s not working, the proud mom of two enjoys reading, traveling, laughing, attending church and spending quality time with family and friends. Also, she is a health enthusiast and art lover, but what Karen loves most is helping people!
CRISTINA PALACIOS
Cristina Palacios is a Paralegal for CTKC and has been with the team since 2019. Prior to this position, she worked at Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA. She was born and raised in Anahuac, Texas, and is a proud mother of two gorgeous kids, Noah and Melody. Cristina enjoys working out and participating in a healthy lifestyle. Her favorite part of working with LSLA is that she meets and works with brilliant people every day.
ELIZABETH GREEN
Elizabeth Green is the Staff Attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Team, which is within the Public Benefits Unit. Elizabeth spends most of her time advocating for clients to attain and retain the nutritional and medical assistance to which they are eligible under state and federal law. She represents clients who were wrongly denied medical and nutritional benefits. Elizabeth is also committed to educating the community on their legal rights regarding public benefits by outreach efforts and presentations on various legal topics. She holds a B.A. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and received her J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas.
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If you or someone you know need assistance, you can apply for free legal services by calling 1-800-733-8394 or visiting our website at http://www.lonestarlegal.org.
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well‐being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at https://www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
