Section 149-5-64 - LEGAL ASSISTANCE64.01 AWARD OF FUNDSThe Bureau of Elder and Adult Services and each AAA shall award funds for the provision of legal services for older people. The provider must be either an organization under the Legal Services Corporation Act, 42 U.S.C.A. Section 2996 et seq., or an organization that has a legal services program or the capacity to develop one. Legal services providers must meet the standards set forth in Section 307(a)(15) of the Older Americans Act and in 45 CFR Section 1321.71.
(A)Scope of Services. Legal assistance shall include: (1) Research, advice and counseling regarding legal rights;(2) Representation before courts, administrative agencies, and other government bodies;(3) Assistance in dispute resolution, including negotiation;(4) Drafting of legal documents;(5) Assistance in securing alternative legal assistance or other appropriate services;(6) Technical assistance to advocates on legal questions regarding legal rights of older persons.(B)Requirements for Legal Services Providers. A legal services provider must conduct its legal assistance program in accordance with the standards set forth in 45 CFR Section 1321.71. (1) Services provided will be aimed primarily at assisting older people in greatest social or economic need, directed to the following priority areas: (a) Preservation of clients' autonomy;(b) Preservation of clients' income and means of livelihood;(c) Preservation of clients' rights to health care benefits;(d) Preservation of clients' homes and their right and ability to live independently;(e) Preservation of clients' integrity free from abuse, neglect and exploitation; and(f) Preservation of rights of nursing and assisted living residents and other recipients of long term care.(2) Each legal services provider must ensure that any consumer of its services who has unresolved complaints, about services requested or received from the legal services provider, has the opportunity to use complaint resolution procedures as set forth in Section 40.01 of this Manual. The legal services provider shall inform consumers of the availability of the procedures by providing each consumer with a written explanation of the procedures and how to take advantage of them.(3) When the legal services provider denies or terminates services to a consumer, the provider must give the consumer a written explanation of the reasons for the action along with a written explanation of the complaint resolution procedures.10-149 C.M.R. ch. 5, § 64