Emily Branan's Colleagues at Senior Citizens Legal Services
Emily Branan's Contact Details
Senior Citizens Legal Services
Emily Branan's Company Details
Senior Citizens Legal Services (SCLS) is a non-profit law office dedicated to assisting seniors who are poor, disadvantaged or disabled who would not otherwise have access to the justice system. SCLS focuses its resources on advocacy efforts to ensure that seniors have access to healthcare services, decent housing, a liveable income and a life free of physical, emotional and financial abuse. Senior Citizens Legal Services (SCLS) provides a broad range of civil legal representation to persons age 60 and older who reside in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties. There are many laws which protect seniors. These laws, however, are not self-executing. In order to actually obtain the protection and the benefits provided by these laws, seniors sometimes need legal counsel to assist them. The typical seniors served by SCLS, however, cannot afford to hire private counsel or their legal problem is such that private representation is unrealistic. SCLS fills this gap by providing legal counsel on cases involving critical human needs where clients cannot obtain private representation: Medi-Cal, Medicare, in-home support services, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), housing (landlord/tenant, mobilehome), consumer, nursing home patient rights, elder abuse, age discrimination, pension and protective services (conservatorships). SCLS represents seniors in regard to their individual problems and also advocates before judicial, administrative and legislative bodies on issues affecting the senior community generally. The highest priorities of the program include: i. representing low-income, frail and minority seniors who have legal problems affecting their basic human needs; ii. defending the right of the elderly to quality health care; iii. ensuring that seniors are secure in their persons and property; and iv. preventing discrimination and abuse on the basis of age or disability.