ELDER LAW OF MICHIGAN

PROVIDED ECONOMIC SECURITY THROUGH MICHIGAN'S COORDINATED ACCESS TO FOOD FOR THE ELDERLY (MICAFE), A PUBLIC-BENEFITS ACCESS PROJECT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (MDHHS), THE AGING AND ADULT SERVICES AGENCY (FORMERLY THE MICHIGAN OFFICE OF SERVICES TO THE AGING), AND LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE PROJECT, OPERATING THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN, IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WIDELY KNOWN AS THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM OR SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)), MEDICAID AND OTHER SERVICES BY MAKING SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTERS POINTS OF ACCESS FOR THE PROGRAM (RATHER THAN REQUIRING SENIORS TO GO TO A LOCAL DHS OFFICE). MICAFE STAFF PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO OVER 109 COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO WORK WITH SENIORS TO HELP THEM APPLY FOR THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. STAFF ALSO ANSWERED ALMOST 14,087 CALLS TO ITS DEDICATED HELPLINE. FOR 2024 FISCAL YEAR, MICAFE DISTRIBUTED OVER 93,315 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO OVER 66,614 MICHIGAN SENIORS, AND SCREENED OVER 1,810 OF THEM TO APPLY FOR SNAP BENEFITS.BENEFITS ENROLLMENT AND OPTIONS CENTER WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON AGING (NCOA) TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE PROJECT TO PROVIDE SCREENING TO OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND INTERESTED IN FINDING PUBLIC BENEFITS LIKE MEDICAID, SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD ASSISTANCE, MEDICARE PART D, AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT COULD REDUCE THEIR COSTS OR PROVIDE NEW BENEFITS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR MOST BASIC NEEDS ARE MET. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED OVER THE TELEPHONE. ELM STAFF ALSO ASSISTS CLIENTS SCREENED ELIGIBLE FOR KEY BENEFITS WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS. THIS PROGRAM IS A COMPLEMENTARY SERVICE AND IS INTEGRATED WITH THE MICAFE PROGRAM AND ALL LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAMS. IN 2014, ELM DESIGNATED ALL PROGRAMS AT ELDER LAW TO BE PARTS OF THE BENEFITS ENROLLMENT CENTER BECAUSE EVERY CLIENT THAT RECEIVES ASSISTANCE FROM ELM IS SCREENED FOR KEY BENEFITS.

LEGAL HOTLINE FOR MICHIGAN SENIORS PROVIDED BASIC, PERSONAL LEGAL ADVICE AND INFORMATION OVER THE TELEPHONE TO OLDER ADULTS IN MICHIGAN. SINCE IT BEGAN IN 1990, THE PROGRAM SOLVES PROBLEMS FOR CLIENTS THROUGH CUSTOMIZED INTERVENTIONS AND CLIENT SPECIFIC LEGAL WORK. THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO RESPOND TO THE "SOCIALLY NEEDY" BY ELIMINATING BARRIERS SUCH AS GEOGRAPHY, TRANSPORTATION, ILLNESS, POVERTY, AND SOCIAL ISOLATION. THE PROGRAM SERVED APPROXIMATELY 2,000 PEOPLE STATEWIDE IN 2019. IN AUGUST 2019, ELM CEASED OPERATIONS OF THE LEGAL HOTLINE FOR MICHIGAN SENIORS DUE TO FUNDING SHORTFALLS. ELM PARTNERED WITH OTHER LEGAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN THE STATE TO REFER OLDER ADULTS CALLING THE LEGAL HOTLINE TO OTHER PROGRAMS NEAR THEM TO ENSURE EFFORTS TO MEET THEIR LEGAL NEEDS.THE MID-AMERICA PENSION RIGHTS PROJECT ASSISTS RETIREES OF ANY AGE IN RECOVERING PENSION BENEFITS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS REGARDING PENSION PLANS AND OTHER RETIREMENT BENEFITS. THE PROJECT STARTED AS AN ARM OF THE LEGAL HOTLINE TO SERVE MICHIGAN RESIDENTS. IT HAS GROWN INTO ITS OWN PROGRAM THAT IS A COLLABORATION COVERING SIX STATES, WITH ELM AS THE LEAD ORGANIZATION. THIS PROJECT HAS HELPED RECOVER OVER $86 MILLION IN PENSIONS FOR BENEFICIARIES THROUGH ITS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP. THIS PROJECT ENDED IN JUNE 2024.