Our
legal services program advocates on behalf of people living with HIV to
overcome legal barriers to improved health and self-sufficiency.
With
a multilingual staff attorneys and legal advocates, this program
assists eligible HIV-positive individuals and their families to adjust
immigration status and obtain public benefits by filing for political
asylum, green cards, work authorization, temporary protective status,
extension of non-immigrant status, and deferred action.
The legal team complements African Services’ Ryan White-funded
family case management program to address the needs of the whole
family, including children and their guardians. They work closely with
parents to ensure access to necessary public entitlements, prepare
health care proxies and establish culturally-appropriate guardianship
or custody arrangements.
They also provide counseling, advice and representation in the following areas of practice:
Health care, including informed consent, confidentiality and patients’ rights
Housing, including tenant-landlord issues, discrimination and HASA benefits
Public benefits, including public assistance, rent subsidies, SSI and SSD, Food Stamps, Medicaid, and HIV-related benefits and services
Debt management, including eviction, foreclosure and bankruptcy cases
Permanency planning including wills, health care proxies and advanced directives, pre-need guardianship and custody documents.
African Services is also accredited by the Board of Immigration
Appeals to represent clients at USCIS adjustment interviews and
immigration courts.
Seeking Assistance
Clients and providers can call African Services to make an
appointment with the legal services staff. In cases of a legal
emergency, walk-in's are accepted. If a client is physically unable to
come to the office, a home visit by staff can be arranged.
Clients can be served in English, French, Spanish and many African languages.
For more information, contact Andrea Panjwani, Supervising Attorney, at 212-222-3882 x137.
