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Natalie Cochran

COVID-19 Pandemic and Domestic Violence: One Year Recap

Challenging circumstances like the COVID-19 health pandemic have increased tension between intimate partners and reduced access to resources. Domestic violence has increased since the beginning of the pandemic, and now one year later, cases are still rising.  The same can be said for child and animal abuse. Even though the public has been encouraged to prevent the rise of COVID-19 […]

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Identity Theft – Financial Eligibility & Identity Restored

Doctors diagnosed Joseph with Progressive Glaucoma, which is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve resulting in permanent vision loss. He was told his eyesight would gradually fade over several years until he was blind, but little did he know he would be involved in an accident that would dramatically change his life sooner than he thought. […]

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National Consumer Protection Week: The Pandemic Scammer is not on Your Side

This week is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s National Consumer Protection Week. The week is  “designed to focus on the importance of keeping consumers informed while providing them with free resources explaining their rights in the marketplace.” This week offers information to keep consumers aware of potential scams and keep them protected with helpful prevention resources.  It is no secret […]

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CHIP and Texas Children’s Medicaid Renewal Application Extension and Updates

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The act gives all American businesses, with fewer than 500 employees, funds to provide employees with paid leave, either for the employee’s own health needs or to care […]

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FACES OF EVICTION AND HEALTH CARE: Family Illegally Locked out of Home and in Need for Health Benefits

Gregory, a Houston father, contracted COVID-19 and then his family’s life took a turn for the worst. Gregory lost his job due to contracting the virus, his landlord illegally locked the entire family of their home for not being able to come up with enough money to pay the rent, and they had no medical coverage.  Gregory could not work […]

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Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month: Four Ways to Advocate for Young Victims

In February, crime victim support organizations get involved for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month to end the stigma and get people talking about violence seen in our youth. There are many ways to advocate for teen dating violence (TDV) such as being a voice on social media, wearing orange or being there for a friend that has experienced violence. […]

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Teen Dating Violence – Walking on Eggshells

Walking on egg shells around your abusive partner can be terrifying, especially when you are constantly being threatened and assaulted. Kaitlyn was just a teenager when her boyfriend began violent tendencies. When Peter was 23 he met 19-year-old Kaitlyn. Soon thereafter, she became his girlfriend and then she got pregnant with his child. Early on in their relationship, she learned […]

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Facebook Live Chat Discussion on Domestic Violence and Teen Dating Violence – Friday, February 5, 2021 at 10:30am CST

Join Lone Star Legal Aid and FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center this Friday, February 5th at 10:30am for a live discussion on Facebook. Three of our own staff members will be discussing domestic violence as well as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month with our special guest and CEO of FamilyTime, Christina Allen. Social worker, Ashleigh Cormier, Social Work Intern, Kayler […]

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Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week: Don’t Become a Victim of Tax-related Identity Theft

Tax season is approaching! February 3-7, 2021 is Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. In the United States, individuals must file a tax return by April 15 giving the IRS all reportable earnings. However, this is also the time of year for tax-related identity theft. Scammers are on the hunt for your identity in order to report false income data and […]

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Connecting Texas Kids to Medical Coverage Frequently Asked Questions

The application process for children’s CHIP or Medicaid can be confusing and overwhelming. Our team of attorneys and paralegals are here to guide you through the entire application process as well as monitor the status of your child’s application. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage team prepared answers to the most common health coverage related questions they […]

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Connecting Texas Kids to Medical Coverage Blog Series Part III: Medicaid Expansion Affecting Uninsured Children in Texas

Texas is one of the 14 states that has not expanded Medicaid, leaving 21.5% of children uninsured. About 50% of uninsured children reside in six states in the United States, with Texas taking the lead. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Program (CTKC) legally assists low-income families when applying their kids for medical coverage. We can help […]

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Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Blog Series PART II: Services LSLA Offers During Benefits Application or Renewal

In the previous blog on Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage (CTKC), we informed you on what health insurance benefits are available for children and how having these benefits are vital to a child’s health. Texas Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are two programs our CTKC unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) can help your child obtain. Our […]

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Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month: Advocacy at Lone Star Legal Aid

Overview Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) aims to protect and advance the civil legal rights of the millions of Texans living in poverty. Our advocacy efforts go beyond the courtroom. Every January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This year, LSLA joins the awareness effort by educating the community on their rights, as well as providing information on […]

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Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Blog Series PART I: Texas Medicaid and CHIP Programs

Texas Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offer parents peace of mind knowing their children can get the routine preventative care they need, when they need it, that keeps them healthy.  These programs have been able to secure medical coverage benefits for more than 45 million children. While this progress is encouraging, there are still a substantial number […]

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Connecting Kids to Medical Coverage January Blog Series Announcement

Overview There are 623,000 children without health insurance in Texas. Those who lack insurance coverage typically experience far-worse health status than those insured. Uninsured children in Texas may be able to get low-cost health care from Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or no-cost health care from Children’s Medicaid. Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has a dedicated team of lawyers and […]

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The Season of Gifting: Holiday Scams to Avoid While Online Shopping and Gift Giving

In 2018, there were over 65,000 victims reported in the United States totally $184 million in losses. These days, scammers are very clever with their tricks. Holiday crooks can spoil your celebrations when they steal your personal information. Seasonal deals are what we long for, but if they seem too good to be true, they probably are. The six top […]

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: What Lone Star Legal Aid is doing to End Violence against Women

As the world continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus, domestic and family violence have intensified.  To combat this increase, Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has taken its outreach efforts online with targeted live presentations.              LSLA provides virtual presentations for the community where attorneys and community partners provide legal information about the services they offer. The Safe Space, […]

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Military Family Appreciation Month: An Opportunity to Educate Military Families on Common Scams and how Legal Aid can Protect Your Family

Overview This month is Military Family Appreciation Month and while we recognize the military men and women who have served and are currently serving in the line of duty, we take the time to honor the heroes besides the hero; the family members. Military families oftentimes can become victims of targeted military family scams while the service member is away. […]

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