Legal Services

Vermont Legal Aid: Vermont Legal Aid (VLA) helps low income Vermonters who have legal problems, including those with disabilities and health care issues including Medicaid for adults and children, Medicare, nursing home care, home health services, and mental health. Does not handle criminal cases. There is no charge for services. All clients must contact Vermont Legal Aid to be screened initially for any of the legal services described below. For more information from anywhere in Vermont call: 1-800-889-2047, or go to the VLA web site: www.vtlegalaid.org/

Local Contact Information for Windham and Windsor Counties:

Vermont Legal Aid
56 Main Street, Suite 301
Springfield, VT 05156
Tel: 802-885-5181
Toll Fee: 1-800-769-9164
FAX: 802-885-5754

Programs of Vermont Legal Aid include the following. All clients must contact Vermont Legal Aid to be screened initially for any of the programs and legal services described below.

Legal Services Law Line of Vermont: Provides assistance for: consumer and finance issues; non-health public benefits; public utility problems; foreclosures; boundary disputes; drivers licenses, small claims, and employment. Find out more from the web site: www.lawlinevt.org/

Senior Citizens Law Project: Provides legal assistance to people age 60 and over for such concerns as: public benefits for health; elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation; guardianship; evictions and other housing issues; powers of attorney; wills; and nursing home/residential care home issues.

Disability Law Project: provides legal assistance, without charge, to people with disabilities whose legal problems arise from their disability. Provide assistance in matters such as abuse and neglect, special education, guardianship, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, accessibility, discrimination (employment, housing, government services, private business) and access to assistive technology. 1-800-769-9164.

Other Legal Services

Advanced Directives (also known as Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Terminal Care Documents) are available in printed and downloadable form from the Vermont Ethics Network. Go to www.vtethicsnetwork.org or phone 802-828-2909. These are the standardized forms the state encourages everyone to use.

Client Assistance Program: An independent advocacy program, offering free and confidential services. You are eligible if you are applying for or receiving services from the following agencies: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Vermont Center for Independent Living; Vermont Association of Business, Industry, & Rehabilitation; Supported Employment; or, Transition Programs. Call CAP if you need help, have questions or need information, have been turned down by any of these agencies, think things are taking too long, have trouble communicating with your counselor, or are not getting the services you need. 1-800-769-6728 (TTY/Voice) or (802) 748-8721 (TTY/Voice).

Consumer Assistance Program is sponsored by the Vermont Attorney General and the University of Vermont. They help people with problems with goods or services they purchased and provide information about consumer rights and responsibilities. Call; 1-800-649-2424, or go to: http://www.state.vt.us/atg/cap.htm

Vermont Dept. of Disabilities and Aging - Adult Protection Services: www.dad.state.vt.us/lp/aps.htm

Vermont Dept. of Disabilities and Aging - Office of Public Guardian: A public guardianship program provides guardianship services to people 60 years of age and over for whom a suitable and willing private guardian cannot be found. Every effort to locate a suitable private guardian must be made before a public guardian may be appointed. The Office of Public Guardian is also available to provide information to the public about guardianship and its alternatives, and to assist private guardians in understanding and carrying out their duties. For more information, call 802-241-2663 .

Vermont Dept. of Disabilities and Aging - The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program assists residents of nursing homes and residential care homes and advocates on their behalf. The goal of the Ombudsman is to protect the safety, welfare, and rights of long term care residents while supporting the independence of each resident. Ombudsman staff visit nursing homes and speak with residents throughout the year, working to make sure that the residents' rights are being upheld. Many community volunteers also donate their time to the ombudsman program.
For Windham and Windsor Counties, contact Alice Lohutko, 885-5181; or visit their web site: http://www.dad.state.vt.us/ltcinfo/ombudsman.html

Vermont Judiciary Home Page: http://www.vermontjudiciary.org