| Dear Friends,
June 24th was a dark day for the United States as the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, which almost immediately resulted in bans on abortion in 13 states. A handful of other states will experience bans in the coming month or so. This court decision has undone nearly 50 years of precedent and, in the process, endangered the health of millions of women. In a dissenting opinion written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, the justices stated, "With sorrow — for this court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent."
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Image Courtesy of The Boston Globe
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| Bet Tzedek Supports Abortion Rights
Bet Tzedek supports abortion rights, women’s rights, and bodily autonomy. We stand behind the pro-choice movement, which gives women freedom over their reproductive and overall health. And while Bet Tzedek does not provide services in the reproductive justice space, we champion the vulnerable populations the decision will disproportionally impact. This ruling hits marginalized women (and non-women who can give birth) including those who are poor, indigenous, from communities of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and those living with disabilities the hardest. We stand in solidarity with these communities.
We are also left deeply concerned as to what other rights may come under attack as a result of today’s ruling. After this ruling, the future of hard fought for rights have been thrown into question, including same-sex marriage, access to contraceptives, interracial marriage, and other fundamental rights and protections Americans have held for years. Bet Tzedek will remain vigilant as these issues unfold, and our teams have already begun the work of examining the intersection of this decision with our advocacy efforts.
For those of you thinking about the difference you can make, we suggest the following: donate to local abortion funds, especially in states with “trigger laws” which will make the bans immediate. You can donate to these funds here.
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Big Medi-Cal Changes to Benefit Low-Income Individuals
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| Two new important changes are coming to Medi-Cal that will help low-income persons save money for emergencies, avoid out-of-pocket costs on health care, and stay housed. First, the Medi-Cal asset limit will be significantly increased in July 2022. This is an important change because older adults and persons with disabilities, the only population groups subject to an asset test under Medi-Cal today, will be able to save money for emergency expenses, for the future, for a security deposit, and to prevent the loss of housing. Secondly, immigration status will no longer be a barrier to comprehensive, full scope Medi-Cal benefits for persons ages 50 and over in California. Undocumented individuals over age 50 will now have access to the full range of Medi-Cal services, including primary and specialty care, dental, behavioral health, transportation, and home and community-based services. Click here to learn more thanks to Justice in Aging’s FAQ on the subject.
RELATED EVENT: Kim Selfon, Bet Tzedek’s In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) & Medi-Cal Policy Specialist, has a speaking engagement tomorrow, July, 13, 2022. She is speaking in-person at the TOPS networking meeting. Kim will speak on new ways to access Medi-Cal, and discuss the new Medi-Cal asset limit, Medi-Cal expansion for undocumented adults ages 50+, and the Medi-Cal spousal impoverishment rules for married couples. Networking starts at 8:15 a.m., speakers begin at 8:30 a.m. The event will be held at Sunrise Assisted Living of Beverly Hills, 201 North Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, 90210.
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| Volunteer Needed to Preserve a Single Mother’s Assets and Her Family’s Wellbeing
For more than 49 years, 83-year-old Dawn and her cats have lived in a rent controlled West Hollywood unit. In May 2019, Dawn was served with an Ellis Act eviction notice because the landlord intends to remove the property from the rental market. Dawn properly invoked her rights as an individual living with a disability to request a one-year extension on her displacement. Later, within that extension period, L.A. County Covid-19 Tenant resolutions were passed that forestalled "no fault” evictions (including those under the Ellis Act) through at least December 31, 2022. Nevertheless, at the end of April, her landlord served Dawn with an eviction notice.
Bet Tzedek has secured an extension for filing an answer to the eviction. We are now seeking to have someone represent Dawn in the eviction matter, which will be heard at the Santa Monica courthouse, while simultaneously pursuing a settlement. Without help, Dawn will be evicted and face homelessness. You can make all the difference in Dawn’s life.
Special Note: Bet Tzedek can provide mentorship and support OR serve as formal co-counsel on the case, per your preference. This is an excellent opportunity for associates to obtain courtroom experience! If interested, contact Director of Pro Bono Programs, Sara Levine at slevine@bettzedek.org.
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