New Mexico Legal Aidprovides civil legal services to low-income people in every county except San Juan, which is served by DNA. Legal representation is provided in several core areas which address basic human needs - housing, disability and welfare benefits, employment benefits, health care and domestic violence. NMLA also runs special projects which focus on particularly vulnerable populations, especially farmworkers and Native Americans. DNA - Peoples Legal Servicesprovides civil legal services to low-income people living on or near the Navajo Nation, the Hopi and Jicarilla Apache Reservations, and in parts of Cibola, McKinley, San Juan and Valencia Counties. Priorities include family law (particularly domestic violence and elder abuse), health care, housing, consumer issues, government benefits, employment issues, and education and environmental law as they relate to tribal sovereignty. Law Access New Mexicois a telephone help-line that provides advice or brief service throughout the state. When advice or brief service is insufficient to help a client, Law Access refers the client to the most appropriate legal services provider, eliminating the runaround that low income people with legal problems often encounter. Law Access opened its doors in early 2003, and has reduced pressures on the other providers, who are now able to focus more energy on helping those clients whose problems require more full representation. New Mexico Center on Law and Povertydoes research and analysis of poverty law issues, advocates on behalf of poor people in public policy forums, and provides training and information to legal aid programs, pro bono lawyers, and community advocacy groups. The issues on which the Center focuses include access to health care, access to food stamps, New Mexico Works implementation and reform, homelessness and the state's general assistance program. State Bar of New Mexico | American Bar Association | Legal Services Corporation
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