legal services

Many of PPP's participants are burdened by outstanding legal issues, such as parole violations and bench warrants. The Federal Welfare Reform Act stipulates that individuals with certain criminal issues are ineligible for certain benefits, including TANF, SSI and GA/MA. As a result, without assistance in resolving their legal issues, many of our clients could lose their much-needed public benefits.

To address this issue, Prevention Point, through a New Voices fellowship, employs a full-time attorney to work with clients to resolve these warrants, thereby enabling them to access public benefits such as medical assistance and drug treatment. Mr. Davis is also available to help clients with public benefits and SSI appeals, assist clients in changing his/her legal name and gender, work with clients who feel they have been improperly treated by the police or corrections system and assist in the criminal record expungement process.

The attorney or law students under his direction are available at the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning syringe exchange sites to meet with clients, assess their legal circumstances, and provide them with the assistance they need. He is also available at the Harm Reduction Service Center from 9:30 to 5:30 daily and can be reached at corey@preventionpointphilly.org or (215) 634-5272 x114.

You may find links used by the legal clinic to be helpful.

The Legal Project recently produced a police training dvd on the beneficial effects of syringe access to law enforcement. Details and ordering information here.

Followup information for name change clients can be found here.