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Low-Cost Legal Assistance and Self Help Tools in Dane County : Health Care

A list of legal assistance agencies and clinics in Dane County, WI. Organized by area of law.

Advocacy & Benefits Counseling for Health

32 N. Bassett Street
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 261-6939
Outside Dane County: 800.585.4222
Fax: (608) 261-6938
e-mail: info@safetyweb.org
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Legal Assistance
-  Counseling
on application or appeals process for many public benefits programs.
-  Legal consultation and representation
when informal advocacy and health benefits counseling fails to revolve a problem.

Eligibility - Children and families, particularly those with special health care needs or with problems accessing health care.

Costs - May depend on the income of the client.

Staff - In - house counsel, volunteer attorneys

Publications - Web site - http://www.safetyweb.org

AIDS Resource Center Wisconsin - now Vivent Health

Madison Office:

600 Williamson Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53703
Phone: (608) 252-6540 or (800) 486-6276
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Legal Assistance
- Instances of discrimination against or denied employment, housing, health care, health insurance and government assistance such as SSI, due to HIV/AIDS diagnosis.
-  Additionally, information and referral is provided with respect to Power of attorney for health care/advance directives, Landlord and tenant dispute resolution, Estate planning, and Name and Gender Marker Change

Eligibility - People living with HIV/AIDS and their families, residing in one of the following counties:: Dane, Rock, Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, Richland, or Sauk County

Costs - Free and confidential consultations with attorneys

Staff - Volunteer attorney panel.

Contact -  Phone or a general online contact form

Publications - Web site - Madison Office Information and more detail regarding legal services
Two handbooks available at many area public libraries: HIV and Your Rights : A Legal Guide to Wisconsin (1999) & Your Rights in the Workplace : A Legal Guide for People Living with HIV in Wisconsin (1999).

Center for Patient Partnerships

University of Wisconsin Law School
975 Bascom Mall, Suite 4311
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: (608) 265-6267; Advocacy line: (608) 890-0321
Fax: (608) 265-4332
Email: info@patientpartnerships.org or advocacy@patientpartnerships.org

Legal Assistance - Information and links to a wide variety of sources of support for patients. Helping patients with cancer and other serious or chronic diseases make informed decisions and get the care they need. Patient "advocacy" will focus on problem solving and communication to help patients and providers make good decisions together, and for patients to then get access to the desired care or treatment. The Center will not litigate on behalf of patients.

Eligibility - Patients with cancer or other serious chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

Costs - No costs

Contact - Email, phone, or request assistance online from the advocacy page listed below

Staff - Medical and Nursing School Faculty who are experts in health policy and management.

Publications - Web site - https://patientpartnerships.wisc.edu; advocacy page: https://patientpartnerships.wisc.edu/advocacy/

Community Justice, Inc.

222 South Hamilton St., Suite 22
Phone: (608) 204-9642
Hours: Monday-Thursday 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Legal Assistance - Representation in many areas, including landlord/tenant, disability and mental health, employment, discrimination, consumer/credit child welfare, land use, environmental, and criminal law.

Eligibility - Individuals who are underrepresented and/or unable to afford an attorney. Potential clients must first participate in an intake phone interview that lasts 10-30 minutes.

Costs - Affordable representation through income-sensitive fees

Staff - Six lawyers, five of whom are graduates of UW

Publications - Web page - http://www.communityjusticeinc.org/ (includes client brochure and an online contact form)