Help with Healthcare

We help clients access healthcare and health insurance and provide advice on issues relating to:

Medi-Cal & Denti-Cal
Medicare
In-Home Supportive Services
Medicare Savings Programs
Significant medical debt due to a lack of health insurance coverage

The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's Health Consumer Center helps low-income San Mateo residents navigate the maze of today’s healthcare system with the ultimate goal of improving access to quality healthcare and health insurance coverage in our community. The Health Consumer Center is an affiliate of the Health Consumer Alliance, a partnership of consumer assistance programs operated by community-based legal services organizations whose common mission is to help Californians obtain essential health care.

Health Consumer Center

Health Care Resources

Help with Public Benefits

We help clients access essential public benefits including:

CalWORKS (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Program)
Social Security retirement, survivor and disability benefits
SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
CalFresh (food stamps)
California Food Assistance Program
General Assistance (GA)

income support programs

public charge information for immigrants

Help with Housing

We help clients avoid homelessness including assistance with:

Public, subsidized (including Section 8 and other HUD subsidized projects) and private housing
Fair housing and housing discrimination
Housing conditions
Rent control
Eviction defense
Lock-outs and utility shut-off
Residential hotels

Tenants can call (650) 517-8911 for assistance with housing issues.

housing resources

Housing protection programs

Help for Children with Disabilities

We help children with disabilities access essential services including:

Special Education/Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Supplemental security income (SSI)
Mental and behavioral health care through Behavioral Health & Recovery Service

Please call (650) 517-8904 for further assistance.

Programs supporting Children

Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities

Help for Adults with Disabilities

We help adults with disabilities with:

County mental health
Government benefits
Medical bills
Accommodation requests
Transit and paratransit

To find out how we can help, please call (650) 558-0915.

Help for Survivors of Domestic Violence

We help:

Teen parents and seniors (60 and over) with getting and enforcing restraining orders and getting initial child custody & visitation orders in the restraining order proceeding
Adult domestic violence survivors who have filed for a restraining order with finding free attorney to help with their hearings
Domestic violence survivors of all ages with accessing healthcare and safety net benefits for themselves and their children, challenging housing discrimination related to the domestic violence, and immigration issues

To find out how we can help, please call (650) 558-0915.

Help for Immigrants

LIBRE provides legal advice and representation related to:

Medi-Cal
CalFresh (food stamps)
CalWORKs
Social Security/SSI/CAPI
U Visa (immigration relief for crime survivors)
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
SIJS (immigration relief for minor survivors of parental abuse, neglect, or abandonment)
Certain other immigration cases

You can arrange to meet with a LIBRE attorney by calling 650-517-8936 to schedule an appointment.

Learn about the libre program

visit thelibreproject.org

Help for Seniors

We help seniors with:

Government benefits including Social Security, SSI, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
Elder abuse
Consumer law and debt collection
Estate planning and simple wills
Guardianships for seniors caring for young children
Advanced healthcare directives, so that individuals can appoint caregivers with power of attorney to make healthcare decisions on their behalf

Resources for Seniors