Business Details
49 Years
experience
Legal Advocacy for Mental Health Rights
Mental Health Advocacy Services has been a dedicated advocate for the legal rights of individuals with mental health disabilities since 1977. Our organization specializes in providing free legal assistance to low-income adults and children in Los Angeles County, focusing on critical areas such as housing discrimination, government benefits, expungement, and impact litigation. With decades of experience, we combine direct client representation, community education, and systemic advocacy to empower our clients to achieve autonomy and equity. Our team of legal professionals collaborates with mental health providers, government agencies, and community partners to address barriers faced by individuals with mental health challenges. Through landmark litigation and policy work, we have secured transformative changes in access to disability benefits, immigration representation, and therapeutic services.Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our role as the only legal aid organization in Los Angeles County exclusively dedicated to this vulnerable population. We maintain rigorous professional standards while fostering a culture of dignity, collaboration, and wellness. Our work extends beyond individual cases to include training programs for attorneys, mental health professionals, and family advocates. By integrating legal services into medical-legal partnerships and community initiatives, we address the complex needs of our clients holistically. Recognized as a leader in mental health law, we continue to expand our impact through innovative programs like Project RAFT for reentry support and the Stay Housed LA coalition.
Services
Legal Advocacy
Government Benefits Assistance
Fair Housing Representation
Impact Litigation
Special Education Advocacy
Reentry Support Services
Community Training Programs
Expungement Assistance
Homelessness Prevention
Details
- Year established: 1977
Highlights and features
- We have 45+ years of experience in mental health law advocacy
- We provide free legal services exclusively for mental health disability cases
- Our impact litigation has set national legal precedents
- We operate California's only mental health-focused legal aid organization
- Our medical-legal partnerships integrate legal services with healthcare delivery
Services
Legal Advocacy
Our legal advocacy services provide comprehensive representation for individuals facing mental health-related discrimination. We specialize in housing rights, government benefits appeals, and civil rights protection. Our attorneys work directly with clients to navigate complex legal systems and secure their rights through courtroom representation and out-of-court negotiations.
Government Benefits Assistance
We help clients access and maintain critical government benefits including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Our services cover application assistance, appeals processes, and protection against wrongful benefit terminations. We provide ongoing support for post-eligibility issues like overpayments and disability reviews.
Fair Housing Representation
Our fair housing services combat discrimination against individuals with mental health disabilities. We provide legal representation in rental disputes, eviction prevention, and accessibility accommodation cases. The program includes community education workshops and monthly fair housing tips distributed in three languages to over 3,000 recipients.
Impact Litigation
Our impact litigation work creates lasting legal changes through class-action lawsuits and policy advocacy. Recent successes include expanding therapeutic services for children and securing legal representation rights for immigration detainees with mental health disabilities. We focus on cases that establish precedents benefiting thousands of individuals.
Reentry Support Services
Project RAFT provides legal assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals with mental health challenges. Services include expungement assistance, employment barrier removal, and criminal justice debt advocacy. We partner with community organizations to offer quarterly legal clinics and comprehensive reentry support programs.
Questions
What legal services do you provide?
We offer free legal representation in housing discrimination, government benefits, special education, criminal justice reentry, and mental health rights violations.
Who qualifies for your services?
Our services are available to low-income adults and children in Los Angeles County with mental health disabilities facing legal challenges.
Do you handle cases outside Los Angeles?
Our services are limited to Los Angeles County residents due to funding restrictions and our community focus.
What is your impact litigation work?
We pursue class-action lawsuits and policy cases to establish legal precedents that benefit people with mental health disabilities nationwide.
How can I support your mission?
While we don't accept donations directly through our website, you can contact us about partnership opportunities or volunteer as a legal professional.
