Public Benefits Hotline

Legal Aid Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago - 020056

Abstract Number: 020056

August 2002

The Public Benefits Hotline was established by service providers and concerned advocates (who formed a Hotline Steering Committee) who recognized a need for a centralized, accurate source for information and representation for those trying to deal with the complexities of the new welfare policy. Equally important, the Steering Committee wanted to have access to accurate information on the effects welfare reform was having on people. The Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago (LAFMC) was selected to be the fiscal agent and to provide the legal work on behalf of callers.

The Hotline Steering Committee is composed of Illinois's top experts on welfare and poverty issues. Members of the Steering Committee include representatives from the National Center on Poverty Law, Chicago Jobs Council, SSI Coalition for a Responsible Safety Net, Day Care Action Council, Metropolitan Family Services, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, Catholic Charities, Illinois Hunger Coalition, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and the Ounce of Prevention Fund.

In addition to providing direct service to thousands of individuals and families, the Hotline has implemented a data collection project which enables policy advocates and policy makers to understand the effect welfare reform is having and will continue to have on the lives of people. The Hotline collects data on the effects the welfare changes are having on the callers, works with researchers to understand and analyze the data, and makes the data and the analysis available to members of the Hotline Steering Committee, funders, and other interested parties. This allows groups involved in systemic reform to identify serious issues.

Individuals who call the Hotline's toll-free number speak to a bilingual (Spanish/English) intake specialist who determines the nature of the problem. Hotline staff provides advice and representation in all issues involving programs administered by the Illinois Department of Public Aid or the Illinois Department of Human Services (TANF, Transitional Assistance, Aid to Aged, Blind and Disabled, Medicaid, or Food Stamps). If the Hotline call is in one of those areas, a specially trained paralegal does a thorough interview and then works with the caller to solve the problem. The paralegal provides representation for all complex problems. This representation may include advocacy with caseworkers or policymakers, appearing at administrative hearings, or litigation in federal or state court. If the caller's problem is outside the mandate of the Hotline, but is a legal problem that falls within the broad program priorities of LAFMC, the caller is transferred to a paralegal or attorney at one of LAFMC's neighborhood offices. If it is a non-legal issue, the caller is referred to an appropriate service provider.

Contact Information:

Andrew Cohen
Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
111 W. Jackson Blvd. 3rd floor
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 347-8307
Fax: (312) 341-1041
Email

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