UC Irvine Law Students Offer Assistance as Deadline Approaches for Claims Under Orange County General Relief Program
IRVINE, Calif., April 11, 2013–Past applicants and recipients of Orange County’s General Relief program have only four weeks left – to May 8 – to make a claim under a consent decree in Mankinen v. County of Orange.
General Relief is cash aid of last resort for people who have exhausted all other support, and eligible individuals are frequently homeless persons and persons with disabilities. About 20,000 people are eligible to make claims under the Mankinen consent decree – which revises county standards and procedures for General Relief – because they applied for or received aid from the county between Aug. 24, 2010, and Dec. 4, 2012.
Anyone who received aid may claim up to $38 per month more; anyone may also make a claim if they were wrongly cut off or denied, or deterred from completing their application, among other reasons.
Students from UC Irvine School of Law’s Community and Economic Development Clinic and the Pro Bono programs are available to help people with questions about making claims and how much to expect. Students have partnered with the Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Orange County Catholic Worker.
“Students will be on hand to help anyone who has questions about whether to file a claim and how,” says Carly Edelstein, UCI Law clinical student.
Adds Jessica Hodgkins, UCI Law pro bono volunteer: “In our experience it is a simple process to make a claim, and volunteer students want to help.”
Clinics will be held:
- Friday, April 12, 10 a.m. to noon, Legal Aid Society of Orange County, 2101 N. Tustin Ave, Santa Ana
- Sunday April 14, 9 a.m. to noon, Isaiah House, 316 Cypress Ave, Santa Ana
- Friday, April 19, 10 a.m. to noon, Legal Aid Society of Orange County, 2101 N. Tustin Ave., Santa Ana
Those who cannot make it to a clinic may call Legal Aid Society of Orange County for help at (866) 921-3890 or (714) 571-5259.
May 8 is the last day to postmark or bring in a claim to the General Relief office at 2020 West Walnut Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703. To make a claim, individuals may simply write their name, contact information, date and signature, and state that they are making a claim for General Relief under the Mankinen settlement. Claimants may also fill out an optional form, available upon request.