State Partnership Planned to Assist Deaf, Hard-of-hearing Residents with Legal Services

TRENTON – Human Services Acting Commissioner Sarah Adelman July 26 announced that the department has partnered with the Community Health Law Project to increase access to legal services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals with lower incomes.
According to a Human Services release, the partnership is a collaboration between Human Services’ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) and Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).
Through the partnership, eligible deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can receive legal assistance and supports with matters related to their public assistance, health insurance, social security benefits, landlord-tenant disputes, foreclosure defense, family law issues, consumer protection and debt collection, and more. In addition, CHLP is able to meet communication access needs, including ASL interpreting and captioning. 
Since 1976, the Community Health Law Project (CHLP) has provided legal and advocacy services to New Jersey residents with disabilities. They serve individuals who have a mental illness, individuals with various types of disabilities, and individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Each year, CHLP helps nearly 5,000 New Jersey residents with disabilities through legal brief service and representation.
The partnership stems from funding investments in the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing included in the state budget recently signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
“The Murphy administration is committed to creating a stronger and fairer New Jersey, and this partnership helps turn this commitment into reality for deaf and hard of hearing individuals,” Adelman stated. “This is about increasing access to legal services for deaf and hard-of-hearing New Jerseyans and ensuring their communication needs are supported when seeking legal representation and support. I am very excited for the lasting impact this partnership will have for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.”
“The Community Health Law Project has been providing legal services to low-income individuals with various disabilities for the past 45 years,” stated Community Health Law Project Associate Executive Director Erika Kerber-Spitz. “We are thrilled to now be partnering with the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Department of Human Services to provide our services to low-income consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing. We know that these individuals have historically been underserved, and we are so pleased to be able to offer them the legal assistance they may need to help them live and thrive in their communities. As with our other clientele, we will provide these consumers with assistance in various civil law matters, ranging from housing, public entitlements, family matters, consumer issues, discrimination and public accommodation issues, as well as other civil law matters. We are grateful to the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Department of Human Services for the opportunity to provide our assistance to this population.”
“This new partnership will improve outcomes for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing in need of legal services,” Deputy Commissioner Elisa Neira stated, “and we know that not only includes being able to access an attorney, but also being supported with their specific communication needs, which plays a key role in creating better outcomes for the individual.”
“We are very excited to be taking this step toward ensuring the important legal needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with lower incomes are being addressed,” Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Executive Director Elizabeth Hill stated. “It is critical that those in need have access to the same services as their peers that permit them to live full and fair lives.”
“We look forward to this new partnership positively benefiting deaf and hard-of-hearing New Jerseyans with lower incomes,” Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services Assistant Commissioner Valerie Mielke stated. “This is an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to being a part of providing essential legal services to those who qualify.”