Meeting Basic Needs

NCLEJ works to ensure that government policies and practices assure that needy families and individuals receive the critical cash assistance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid for which they are eligible and which they so desperately need to preserve family unity and promote the well-being of children. When government agencies fall short of their legal obligations - for example, by discouraging eligible people from applying for benefits, failing to provide timely assistance, or by prematurely rolling out a faulty computer system that denies subsistence benefits to thousands of eligible families, the Center has used effective court challenges to redress the harm and hold public officials accountable.

We welcome the opportunity to work with advocates on issues arising in their states. Feel free to contact us.

Highlights of NCLEJ Advocacy:

New Yorkers Living with HIV/AIDs Secure Critical Class Action Settlement (April 2013)

Persistent Nassau County (NY) Delays Lead to Motion for Contempt (March 2013)

NCLEJ and Partners See Significant Improvement in Benefit Application Processing in Steuben County (October 2010)

NCLEJ and Greater Hartford Legal Aid Sue State For Delays in Providing Food Stamps (March 2012)

Contempt Motion Responds to Suffolk County’s Failure to Provide Promised Food and Medical Assistance Promptly (February 2012)

Federal Court Says Hawaii Takes Too Long Processing Food Stamp Applications (November 2011)

NCLEJ and Colleagues Secure Settlement with Nassau County, NY, to Speed Provision of Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Cash Public Assistance (June 2011)

NCLEJ and Colleagues Sue Columbia County, NY for Systemic Failure to Process Food Stamp, Medicaid, and Cash Assistance Applications in a Timely Fashion (June 2011)

NCLEJ and Colleagues Achieve Settlements to Secure Colorado's Timely Processing of Medicaid, SNAP, CHIP, and TANF Applications (June 2011)

Permanent Injunction Barring Food Stamp, Medicaid, and Cash Public Assistance Application Delays Granted in Maryland(December 2009)

Indiana Agrees to Court Order Speeding Provision of Food Stamp Benefits (October 2009)

Rhode Island to Speed Food Stamp Processng Under Court-Approved Settlement (October 2009)

NCLEJ and Empire Justice Center Challenge Unlawful Delays in Processing Emergency Assistance Applications in Long Island, New York (September 2009)

NCLEJ and Texas Colleagues File Federal Lawsuit Challenging Texas Food Stamp Application Processing Delays (July 2009)

NCLEJ and Empire Justice Center Achieve Settlement Agreement Ending Lengthy Delays in Processing of Food Stamp and Medicaid Applications in Long Island, New York (June 2009)

NCLEJ and Colleagues Achieve Settlement in Colorado Requiring Prompt Processing of Benefits Applications (January 2008)

Center Challenges Pervasive Benefit Delays in Upstate New York (2006)

Center and Colleagues Stop New York City from Unlawfully Preventing Access to Benefits (2005)

Center Wins Favorable Settlement in Arizona Food Stamp Application Delay Case (2005)