Support Amending NY’s Public Health Law to provide immunity for Administering Naloxone in Public-Facing businesses
May 30, 2019
Legislation (S. 5457/A. 7812) to ensure restaurants, bars and other retail establishments can administer naloxone without fear of legal liability is moving forward in New York. The Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse voted unanimously on 5/30 to move the bill to the Senate floor. Stakeholders throughout NY know how critical this legislation is to expand the ability of employees of restaurants, bars and other retail establishments to save lives and combat the opioid overdose crisis.
Read more
LANDMARK LEGAL VICTORIES ON BOTH COASTS EXPANDS ACCESS TO ADDICTION MEDICINE IN JAILS
May 2, 2019
The Legal Action Center (LAC) applauds both the recent proposed settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit in which Whatcom County Jail in WA agreed to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder to all individuals incarcerated there with medical need, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision upholding the District Court of Maine’s preliminary injunction requiring a jail to provide a woman with MAT while incarcerated.
Read more
“No Health = No Justice” Convening Held at Columbia
April 17, 2019
On April 3, 2019, the Legal Action Center’s “No Health = No Justice” Campaign convened over 130 advocates, directly impacted people, health care and reentry service providers, policy-makers, and academics to discuss “Dismantling Systemic Inequity in Criminal Justice and Health” at Columbia University in New York City.
Read more
NEW YORK BAR FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO LAC
April 9, 2019
The New York Bar Foundation recently awarded a grant of $4,820 to the Legal Action Center in support of our New York Sealing and Voting Project. LAC thanks TYNBF for its ongoing support of this crucial work, which will surely have a positive impact on individuals, families, and communities throughout the State.
Read more
LAC COMMENDS GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE ON PASSAGE OF STATE BUDGET
April 5, 2019
The Legal Action Center (LAC) commends Governor Cuomo and the New York State Senate and Assembly on passage of a State budget last weekend that includes important advances in restorative justice and health equity that we – along with many in the criminal justice and substance use disorder advocacy communities – have sought for many years.
Read more
Support Increased Funding for CHAMP in the NYS Budget
March 25, 2019
NY’s behavioral health ombudsman project, Community Health Access to Addiction and Mental Healthcare Project (CHAMP), is a first-in-the-nation independent consumer assistance program specifically designed to help individuals, their families and their providers overcome insurance barriers that keep too many from accessing care, and its continued funding is absolutely crucial amidst the current dual crisis of opioid overdose and suicide deaths.
Read more
2019 Restoration of Rights Cocktail Social
March 13, 2019
The Legal Action Center is incredibly grateful to all those who made our recent “Restoration of Rights” event a great success! Generously hosted by our Board Chair, Brad S. Karp, and his law firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, the evening included a keynote speech by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, as well as a panel moderated by LAC Board Member, Anthony C. Thompson.
Read more
Criminal Justice Reform Organizations Support Cuomo’s “mugshot ban”
January 24, 2019
Legal Action Center and other criminal justice advocacy organizations voice support for Governor Cuomo’s amendment to New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) that would ban the public disclosure of photos and booking information compiled by law enforcement agencies when they make arrests, mirroring policies already in place in federal agencies.
Read more
LAC SUPPORTS GOVERNOR CUOMO’S PARITY AND INSURANCE REFORM MEASURES
January 22, 2019
The Legal Action Center applauds Governor Cuomo’s proposals to enforce parity and remove insurance barriers to improve access to substance use disorder and mental health care for tens of thousands of New Yorkers.
Read more
LAC APPLAUDS GOVERNOR CUOMO’S 2019 JUSTICE AGENDA
January 16, 2019
The Legal Action Center commends Governor Andrew Cuomo on the landmark criminal justice and opioid and other substance use disorder (SUD) initiatives included in his 2019 Justice Agenda.
Read more