Legal Help for Older People

Are you 60 or older? Do you need free legal help, advice, or a lawyer?

Get help with issues related to:

 Abuse and neglect

If you suspect an elder adult or adult at risk has experienced, is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation, call the Wisconsin Elder Abuse Hotline at 833-586-0107, make a report online, or contact your county or Tribal Adult Protective Services (APS) agency.

 Age discrimination

• For help with age discrimination at work, contact the Department of Workforce Development at 608-266-3131 or dwd.wisconsin.gov.
• For help with other age discrimination issues, find a private attorney using the State Bar of Wisconsin’s:
  • Lawyer Referral Service at 800-362-9082 or wisbar.org/forPublic/INeedaLawyer/Pages/i-need-a-lawyer.
  • Modest Means Program at wisbar.org/forPublic/INeedaLawyer/pages/modest-means.

 Alternatives to adult guardianship

• For information and assistance on issues related to adult guardianship, protective placement, advance directives, and questions like those below, contact the Wisconsin Guardianship Support Center at 855-409-9410, guardian@gwaar.org, or gwaar.org/guardianship-resources.
  • How do I petition for guardianship?
  • How can I make a power of attorney?
  • What are my responsibilities as a guardian?
• For help defending against guardianship, find a private attorney using the State Bar of Wisconsin’s:
  • Lawyer Referral Service at 800-362-9082 or wisbar.org/forPublic/INeedaLawyer/Pages/i-need-a-lawyer.
  • Modest Means Program at wisbar.org/forPublic/INeedaLawyer/pages/modest-means.
• For legal help with advance directives, contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org.
  • Powers of attorney, including help when entities don’t accept a Power of Attorney
  • Living wills
  • Health care proxies

 Healthcare

• For advice about healthcare coverage and benefits, find your local benefit specialist at 844-WIS-ADRC (844-947-2372) or dhs.wisconsin.gov/benefit-specialists.
  • Understanding your health insurance options
  • Coordinating health insurance coverage
  • Enrolling into Medicaid and Medicare
  • Resolving issues with Medicaid and Medicare
• For legal help with BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid eligibility, coverage, or termination, contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org.
• For help with Veterans Administration benefits, contact a county or Tribal veteran service officer at dva.wi.gov.

 Housing

Contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org for legal help with:

• Evictions
• Landlord disputes
• Maintenance issues
• Mobile home tenant issues

 Income

• Contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org for legal help with:
  • Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits reduction, termination, and overpayments.
  • Unemployment insurance eligibility, reduction, or termination.
  • Debt collection, including repossession and bank account or wage garnishment.
• For help with pension disputes, contact the Trellis Pension and Retirement Rights Project – Upper Midwest Region at 866-783-5021 or pensionrights.org/find-help/counseling-projects/upper-midwest-pension-rights-project.

 Long-Term Care; Home and Community Based Services

• For help with problems with quality of long term care, contact the Wisconsin Long Term Care Ombudsman Program at 800-815-0015 or BOALTC@wisconsin.gov.
• Contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org for legal help with:
  • Planning for eligibility for Medicaid.
  • Medicaid funding for assisted living.
  • Involuntary discharges (evictions).
  • Medicaid long-term care waiver programs.
    • Family Care
    • Family Care Partnership
    • IRIS ((Include, Respect, I Self-Direct)
    • PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly)

 Nutrition

Contact Legal Action of Wisconsin at 855-947-2529 or legalaction.org for legal help with FoodShare:

• Eligibility
• Benefits reduction
• Benefits termination
• IPV (Intentional program violations)
• Overpayment waivers and compromises

 Utilities

For help with utilities, contact the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin at psc.wi.gov.

• Accommodations
• Disputes
• Shutoffs

Reports

Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) looked at the legal needs of Wisconsin’s older adults through a the Model Approaches to Statewide Legal Assistance Phase One grant. Read the 2018 report (PDF) on how our state can improve how we’re able to meet those needs.

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