Blog
Center for Elder Law & Justice Resident Rights Advocacy Initiative
The Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) is pleased to announce a new initiative made possible through the Odd Fellow & Rebekah Benefit Fund. The goal of this initiative will be to improve the ability of nursing home residents in Western New York to advocate for themselves to receive the best possible care. This…
Read MorePublic Comment on Removal of Categorical Eligibility for SNAP Beneficiaries
Prepared by Erin Riker, Esq. The Center for Elder Law and Justice strongly opposes the proposed federal regulation ending categorical eligibility for recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefits (SNAP, colloquially known as food stamps). If categorical eligibility programs are ended, millions of needy Americans, including substantial numbers of senior citizens, will lose the benefits that…
Read MoreNY State Nursing Homes Staffing Study
On September 20th, 2019, NY State Department of Health is having the first of two meetings to examine how staffing enhancements, and other initiatives, can be used to improve patient safety and the quality of healthcare service delivery, in hospitals and nursing homes. Supervising Attorney Lindsay Heckler will be there to give brief testimony on…
Read MoreKaren Nicolson nominated for Cause Award
The Center for Elder Law & Justice is proud to announce that CEO Karen Nicolson has been selected as a Finalist for the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo’s Centennial Awards. Karen is nominated for the Cause Award, which honors a change maker dedicated to addressing a pressing issue in our region. The winner in each…
Read MoreCall for Community Action: Speak up for Nursing Home Residents
Prepared by Lindsay Heckler, Esq. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued proposed rules for the purpose of reducing nursing home provider burden. The proposed rules do nothing to improve the quality of care in nursing homes. The Center for Elder Law & Justice is against the proposed changes and will be…
Read MoreElder Abuse Awareness Month
“What is it that makes one person exploitable and another person not? It’s like a perfect storm, really, when we’re talking about these vulnerable people who have enough capacity that they’re not necessarily going to be on anybody’s radar”. This question was posed in a series called “Brains and Losses” to discuss the various theories…
Read MoreMedicaid Proper Notice by Kelly Barrett
Helen Ferraro-Zaffram’s Insight
When I began as a volunteer in 1984, our offices were located on Delaware Avenue, where a hotel now stands. Since those initial days when typing was done on a typewriter with carbon copies, not only has technology advanced but so has our agency. From 10-12 employees, we have now grown to a staff of…
Read MoreCELJ Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Public Charge Rules
The Center for Elder Law and Justice (“CELJ”) strongly opposes the proposed changes to the public charge rules for immigration, which would add many potentially disqualifying factors to the list used to evaluate applications for permanent residency. These proposed changes are not based on sound evidence, are incompatible with our citizenship and naturalization policies, and…
Read MoreBEWARE OF HOLIDAY SCAMS
By: Helen Ferraro- Zaffram As we enjoy the holidays this season, it is important that we not fall prey to various scams. Unfortunately, once monies are sent or through phishing the perpetrators have our important information, we may never fully recover from the loss. The Better Business Bureau shares information on twelve known scams. They…
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