Helping Hands: A Social Security Disability Attorney Blog

MAINTAIN is an assistance program through Pfizer for individuals who are currently unemployed, uninsured and in need of medications. Eligible applicants will be able to receive free Pfizer medicines delivered directly to their door for a year or until they become insured again, whichever occurs first.

To eligible for the MAINTAIN program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Became unemployed on or after January 1, 2009


• Has been prescribed and taken a Pfizer medicine for at least 3 months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the program


• Have no prescription coverage


• Can confirm that you are experiencing a financial hardship


• Live within the United States

If you believe that you are eligible for the program please act quickly!!! Applications for enrollment in MAINTAIN will only be accepted through December 31, 2010. To apply for Maintain, call 1-866-706-2400 to request an application or click here to download an application from their website. Once the application is completed, mail it to MAINTAIN along with proof of your unemployment.

Travelers Aid International has launched a new website that will assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining information and access resources to help them prepare and enjoy a better travel experience. The website is www.USTRavAbility.org and according to Travelers Aid, consists of five sections: Transportation Resources; Airports; Tourism Resources; Disability Organizations and State Resources. There is also a section for visitors to share their various travel experiences.

The objective of the website is to provide a substantive resource to travelers with disabilities that will help take the worry out of their journeys and provide a better travel experience. The website's goal is to also help promote travel by persons who are elderly as well as those with disabilities and to improve the understanding of the travel industry related to persons with disabilities and thus ensure greater ease of travel in the future.

Travelers Aid International is the national association for Travelers Aid agencies across the country. The mission of Travelers Aid is to advance and support a network of human service provider organizations committed to assisting individuals and families who are in transition or crisis and are disconnected from their support systems.

For more information about Travelers Aid call 202-546-1127 or click here to visit their website.

The County of San Bernardino offers free comprehensive health assessments through the Department of Public Health's Child Health and Disability Prevention program (CHDP). The comprehensive health assessments are for children, between the ages of birth and 18, who do not have health insurance and meet the income guidelines. CHDP contracts with medical providers located throughout San Bernardino County. The assessments include the following services:

• Growth and Development Check
• Immunizations
• Dental Screening
• Vision Screening
• Hearing Screening
• Nutrition Assessment
• Health Education
• Tobacco Education
• Testing for Anemia, Blood Lead, TB and others as needed
• WIC Referral for Children up to age 5
• Case Management, when necessary

For more information about CHDP or to find out if your child is eligible for the program call (909) 387-6280 or (909) 387-6359 TDD.

I found a great organization for homeless individuals within the downtown Los Angeles area near Skid Row.

Wednesday's between the hours of 12 PM and 2 PM, My Friend's House Foundation serves food to homeless individuals. Along with providing food, they also have clothing as well. My Friend's House Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission is to provide individuals with basic needs that include food, clothing, toiletries and spiritual motivation regardless of race, color, creed, or religious belief. The food and clothing will be distributed on San Pedro Street between 5th and 6th Street.

For more information and to learn more about My Friend's House call them at (323) 769-5433.

In the art community of California, the talents of artists with disabilities are often overlooked or not taken seriously. This can be a hurdle for both the artist and their audiences. The National Arts & Disability Center (NADC) recognizes this problem and has taken measures to create an opportunity for adults and kids with disabilities to portray their work and further their career. They believe in promoting the full inclusion of artists and audiences with disabilities into all of the areas within the arts community.

Along with assisting artist in jumpstarting their career, NADC also provides technical, financial, and resource assistance. To begin taking charge of your career or interests in art regardless of individual characteristics please visit National Arts & Disability Center to discover further information.
If you would like more information or assistance in regards to receiving disability benefits, contact The Cochran Firm.

I found a great program for those who cannot afford the cost of adequate healthcare!

Located in Los Angeles, The Saban Free Clinic provides free high-quality and compassionate medical and dental care, social services and education and outreach to men, women and children in need. The Clinic has four locations throughout the Los Angeles area. Although each site has its own name, they are still operated by the Saban Free Clinic and provide adequate healthcare to those in need. Services offered by the Clinic include, but is not limited to:

Comprehensive Medical Care
• Primary, preventive and specialty care for adults and children
• Prenatal care/ Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Optometry
• Physical Therapy
• Pharmacy/Medications

Mental Health and Case Management
• Crisis intervention counseling
• Short-term therapy
• Shower facilities for homeless clients

Education and Outreach
• Health education, including chronic disease management and weight loss
• Sexual reproductive health education and counseling
• HIV counseling and testing

Dental Care
• Primary dental care for children and adults
• X-rays
• Cleanings and fillings
• Dentures
• Extractions

For more information on The Saban Free Clinic, please call 323.653.8622 or 323.653.1990.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) offers a residential Low Income Discount Program (LIDP) rate for customers within qualifying income levels. This rate reduces the cost of electricity, water and sewer services for the participant's permanent primary residence.

To determine your eligibility you must complete an application and return it to the LADWP. The individual applying must be an LADWP customer and cannot be claimed on another person's Income Tax Return as a dependent. Proof of income for EACH member of the household must be included with the completed application. "Income" is defined as the combined gross income, whether taxable or non-taxable, of ALL persons who live in the household. The discount can and will only be received after LADWP verifies the application.

Proof of income can be provided by having a copy of one of the following:
• Last year's State or Federal Income Tax Return;
• Last year's Social Security Benefit Statement;
• Copy of last year's Social Security Check or SSI check;
• Last year's SSI Disability Award Letter;
• Paycheck stubs;
• Unemployment Benefits;
• A NOTARIZED LETTER from your employer stating income

For more information on the Low Income Discount Rate, call the LADWP customer contact center at:
Metropolitan Los Angeles: (213) 481-5411
Other Areas: (800) 342-5397
Hearing/Speech Impaired Customers: (800) 735-2922

California Children's Services (CCS) is a state program for children, up to 21 years of age, diagnosed with certain diseases or health problems. Through this program participants are connected with doctors and trained health care professionals skilled in caring for children with special health care needs. The program provides diagnostic and treatment services, medical case management and physical and occupational therapy services. If authorized, CCS also arranges, directs and pays for medical care, equipment and rehabilitation services.

To be eligible for CCS participants must be under 21 years of age, a California resident and have a CCS-eligible medical condition. Participants must also have one of the following:

A family income of $40,000 or less
Out-of-pocket medical expenses expected to be more than 20% of families AGI
A need for an evaluation to find out if there is a health problem covered by CCS
Adopted a child with a known health problem covered by CCS
Show a need for the Medical Therapy Program
Have Medi-Cal with full benefits
Have Healthy Families Insurance

For a list of CCS-eligible medical conditions and to learn more about the program call 916-445-4171.

The Salvation Army's Oxnard Community Center provides medical and dental care for the area's underprivileged residents weekly on Thursdays. The Center provides many services at no charge, including medical assessments, blood tests, X-rays, education and medication when available from an on-site pharmacy.

Location:

622 W. Wooley Road

Oxnard, CA 93030-6931

Hours:

7:00 am to 12:00 pm, Every Thursday

For more information visit The Salvation Army or contact Major Eric Lo at 805-487-7655.

The County of Los Angeles is offering financial assistance for eligible renters through the federal Recovery Act's Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). If you've lost your job, your income has been cut back, your family has hit a financial hardship or you're waiting on your Social Security disability benefits to process you may be considered eligible for this program.

Through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program you could receive monetary support for:
back rent
rental subsidy
past due gas and electric bills
security deposits
utility turn-on fees

The areas serviced by LA County HPRP are the unincorporated areas within the county, the city of Alhambra and the City of Huntington Park along with 47 cities with a population of less than 50,000. To find out what cities are included in the list, click here.

For more information on LA County's HPRP program call 2-1-1 or contact the LA County Housing Resource Center.

Here's another program to assist you while you while you wait on your Social Security benefits to process:

I heard of a really great program that helps save money on prescriptions.

FamilyWize, a program aimed at reducing the cost of medicine for children, families and individuals, have created a free prescription discount card. The program does not discriminate against anyone and can be used by everyone in your family. The card can be used as often as needed for any prescription. You can save up to 30% or more on up to 8 prescriptions. Simply present your card and prescription to a participating pharmacy to obtain the discounted price.

For more information you can contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or simply visit the FamilyWize website at www.familywize.com.

If you need assistance in applying for Social Security disability benefits, call the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers at 1-800-THE-FIRM.

I found an organization that offers free dental services. So if you've had persistent pain, experienced tooth loss or have gum disease causing "non-stop suffering" the Union Rescue Mission (URM) Dental Clinic may be able to help you. Coordinated by faculty, students and interns from the USC School of Dentistry, the URM Dental Clinic is open to neighboring homeless shelters and programs in the downtown Los Angeles area. The URM Dental Clinic is also the only dental clinic on Skid Row that offers its comprehensive services to children.

URM's Dental Clinic comprehensive patient care includes:

• Cleanings
• Fillings
• Tooth extractions
• Root canals
• Dentures

Other services and programs offered by URM include emergency services, a health clinic, a mental health clinic, learning center and a men, women and children ministry program.

If you've been denied your Social Security benefits and are in need of assistance, contact URM for more information about the programs and services they offer to determine your eligibility.

Union Rescue Mission
545 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 347-6300

For more information on Social Security benefits and the process of appealing your claim, contact the Cochran Firm Disability Lawyers.

I found a program that assist families in maintaing permanent housing in the Los Angeles area. The Emergency Assistance to Prevent Eviction (EAPE) program works with Los Angeles families who are at risk of losing their housing due to a financial hardship. Eligible participants may receive funding to pay rent and/or utilities for up to two (2) months to assist the family in maintain permanent housing.

To be eligible for EAPE families must:
•Be CalWORKs eligible, receiving CalWORKs or Timed-out from CalWORKs;

•Demonstrate that they are experiencing a financial hardship that could result in homelessness if assistance is not given.

•Provide proof of the financial hardship.

In order to determine eligibility families must apply in person at a CalWORKS office.

CalWORKS locations:

Metro Family District Office
2615 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 744-3627

South Central District Office
10728 S. Central
Los Angeles, CA 90059
(323) 563-4403

Metro North District Office
2601 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 639-5455

Metro East District Office
2855 E. Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323) 260-3718

Need help with tax preparation and don't want to pay those HIGH fees? You can now locate a certified volunteer tax preparer in the Los Angeles area, by visiting the United Way website. If you, or someone you know earn $50,000 or less per year, an income tax preparer will help you file your taxes, and you could receive your refund within 7 to 10 days. All you have to do is visit, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles web site and enter your zip code. The site will direct you to the nearest tax preparation service in your area. You can also dial 2-1-1 to see if you qualify and to find a free tax site near you!

Don't forget to bring to your free tax service site:

• A photo ID
• A Social Security Card or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) documentation
• W-2s, 1099s, and all other tax-related documents
• A voided check or savings account statement with bank routing numbers
• If you're Married Filing Jointly, you'll need to bring your spouse to sign your tax documents

The Food Stamp Restaurant Meal Program just released this month an updated list for participating restaurants. This California food stamp program is a great benefit for those who are homeless and unable to store or prepare their own food. Also it give support to those who are elderly and disabled, who may have a hard time preparing a meal for themselves.