Health Legal Services: Mission

(formerly AIDS Legal Services and The Diabetes Law Collaborative)

In November 2009, AIDS Legal Services and the Diabetes Law Collaborative officially became Health Legal Services (HLS).

The mission of Health Legal Services is to remove barriers to health stability and secure justice by providing comprehensive legal services to individuals living with chronic or life-threatening health conditions.

HLS is the only legal assistance program in Santa Clara County specializing in HIV/AIDS and diabetes-related law.  HLS has a staff of 3 attorneys, assisted by a part-time intake worker, a volunteer, and law students, who provide direct legal services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and diabetes in Santa Clara County.  HLS staff provides assistance in a wide range of practice areas by assisting clients with disputes involving private and public benefits and insurance; advocating for clients in housing and consumer matters; assisting clients with simple estate planning; representing clients in employment discrimination and reasonable accommodation matters; representing clients with breach-of-confidentiality issues; and providing representation or referrals on other legal issues.

HLS’s Diabetes Law Collaborative is the first program in the country dedicated to providing legal services to individuals living with diabetes through a medical-legal partnership model.  To address obstacles to health stability that face clients living with diabetes, the HLS staff attorney holds weekly office hours at Valley Medical Center to meet with new clients, provides ongoing legal representation in areas such as employment law, public and private benefits, and housing.  HLS also develops legal trainings for medical providers and joins the hospital’s diabetes education efforts, as appropriate. 

Update: 2/2010