Mergers don't only happen in the hospital world.  Effective April 1, 2013, the Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program (EFLRP) which was founded by and has been a division of Selfhelp Community Services, Inc. since the 1990's, has merged with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG).   All seven of EFLRP's staff, led by Director Valerie Bogart and Assistant Director David Silva, are joining NYLAG.  While the organizational transfer occurred on April 1, 2013, all EFLRP staff will remain located at their current Selfhelp offices for a number of months while space is prepared at NYLAG’s office.  

EFLRP has grown from a part-time hotline to a statewide leader in advocacy for access to health and long-term care benefits for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.  

While this is a major restructuring, many things will not change.  All seven EFLRP staff will continue to work as a unified team, with the Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program remaining intact as a unit and preserving its name.  The Program's name will continue to honor the memory of Evelyn Frank, an ardent legal services lawyer who advocated for access to Medicaid for low-income people in California, and who died at too young an age.  Her father, the late Hans Frank, established the program in her memory at Selfhelp.  A survivor of the Holocaust, Hans Frank was a leader on the Boards of both Selfhelp and NYLAG.

At NYLAG, EFLRP will continue to --

• Provide direct legal representation and advice to clients of Selfhelp’s many community-based programs as well as other New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid or Medicare;
  
• Conduct legal education programs for legal, social work, health care and other professionals from throughout New York City, including Selfhelp’s many social work staff (Click here for our training calendar);    
  
• Provide technical assistance and consultation to the large community of New York professionals who assist and advocate for consumers who need Medicaid and long-term care services; 
  
• Maintain the NYHealthAccess.org website, along with its partners at The Legal Aid Society and Empire Justice Center; and
  
• Voice the concerns of consumers in advocating for policies that protect their rights as new models of care are implemented.    

NYLAG is a well-established and creative leader in delivery of legal services to indigent populations, with which we have long collaborated.  With NYLAG’s broad spectrum of specialties – including its Immigration Protection Unit,  Holocaust Compensation Assistance Project, Special Litigation Unit, and LegalHealth program, just to name a few – joining forces will bring many new opportunities for effective advocacy and representation for the most vulnerable New Yorkers.   

We at EFLRP are grateful to Selfhelp for providing a nurturing home for the last eleven years, with the vision and hard work of its leadership and many dedicated staff that have enabled EFLRP to grow and flourish.  

We are grateful to NYLAG for welcoming our entire team into the NYLAG family with warmth and generosity. 

Most of all, we are grateful to you and all of our supporters, without whose generosity we would not have been able to grow to become the leader in advocacy that we are today.  We hope we can count on your continued support at NYLAG (please earmark your donation to the Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program in the dropdown list of Units!)

CONTACT EFLRP:   Intake  TEL 212-971-7658    Intake E-mail   EFLRP@nylag.org

Phones and fax for EFLRP staff remain the same Selfhelp numbers for now.   Please use the intake e-mail or phone numbers above for new matters.