How to Reach BayLegal During the COVID-19 Emergency

• Notice of Remote Service Availability and Office Closures

  • For assistance please call:

    • Legal Advice Line: (800) 551-5554

    • Health Consumer Center: (855) 693-7285

Aviso de disponibilidad de servicio remoto y cierres de oficinas

• • Para asistencia, hable a:

    • Linea de Asistencia legal: (800) 551-5554

    • Centro de salud del Consumidor: (855) 693-7285

• Paunawa sa Remote ng Serbisyo ng Malayo at Mga Closure ng Opisina

  • Kung kailangan mo ng tulong, tumawag sa:

    • Legal Advice Line: (800) 551-5554

    • Health Consumer Center: (855) 693-7285

• Thông báo về tính khả dụng của dịch vụ từ xa và đóng cửa văn phòng

  • Để được hỗ trợ xin vui lòng gọi:

    • Legal Advice Line: (800) 551-5554

    • Health Consumer Center: (855) 693-7285

• 원격 서비스 가용성 및 사무실 폐쇄 알림

  • 도움이 필요하시면 다음으로 연락하십시오:

    • 법률자문관련: (800) 551-5554

    • 건강소비자센터: (855) 693-7285

• 遠程服務可用性和辦公室關閉通知

  • 您带来的不便，我们深表歉意.

    • Legal Advice Line: (800) 551-5554

    • Health Consumer Center: (855) 693-7285

Hours for the Legal Advice Line are:

• Monday and Thursday, 9:30am-3:00pm
• Tuesday-Wednesday, 9:30am-1:00pm
• You can leave a voicemail for the Legal Advice Line during the hours of operation above, or wait for an attorney to become available.

Hours for the Health Consumer Center are:

• M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm
• You can leave a voicemail for the Health Consumer Center at any time by selecting the callback option.

Hours for the Alameda County Tenants Rights Line (888-382-3405) are:

• Monday, Thursday, and Friday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
• You can leave a voicemail for the Tenants Rights Line at any time by selecting the callback option.

Changes in Clinics and Other Services

• Legal Clinics:

  • In accord with COVID-19 public health guidance, Bay Area Legal Aid is canceling all “in-person” clinics and making individual appointments by  phone or video. Our attorneys and support staff will work to help you outside of clinic if you have a time sensitive legal issue. Our Legal Advice Line (1-800-551-5554) will remain open with additional staffing and resources to help us serve more clients during this period. Please see below for additional information on emergency service and resources related to specific clinics.

    • Housing Clinics

      • See below (in the Resources section, under Housing Legal Issues) for self-help eviction defense resources.
      • The Housing Unit remains staffed and available for telephone counsel and advice through our Tenants Rights Line (for Alameda County residents) at 866-346-3405, or our Legal Advice Line at 800-551-5554 (for residents of all other counties in our service area).

    • Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics

      • Although clinics are closed during the time period indicated above, the Domestic Violence Unit remains staffed and available for legal assistance. Please call our Domestic Violence Hotline at (888) 330-1940. Please also see our page, Staying Safe During COVID-19: Information for Domestic Violence Survivors.

    • Consumer Law Clinics

      • Although clinics are closed during the time period indicated above, we are still accepting RSVPs for future Consumer Rights Clinics. We will also work to help you outside of clinic if you have a time sensitive consumer issue such as court deadline for a collection case.

• Closures, changes in schedule, and enhanced telephone/online services at Bay Area courts and government offices:

  • We have set up a clearinghouse page to track announced closures and changes in service schedules and availability among our area’s courts, administrative offices, and public agencies. We will do our best to update this page with the most recent and accurate information, but clients and community members should be sure to check with the relevant court or other agency first before scheduling appointments, canceling appearances, or otherwise modifying their course of action.
  • IF YOU NEED AN EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDER or other legal relief to protect you from domestic or partner violence, please consult our page, Staying Safe During COVID-19: Information for Domestic Violence Survivors.
  • FOR INFORMATION ON HOW COVID-19 IS AFFECTING IMMIGRATION OFFICES, PROCEDURES, ENFORCEMENT, AND OTHER ISSUES: Consult our page, Immigration Measures in Response to COVID-19.
  • FOR INFORMATION ON HOW COVID-19 IS AFFECTING PUBLIC BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY, APPLICATION PROCEDURES, AND RELATED ISSUES: Consult our page, Public Benefits During the COVID-19 Emergency.

Advocacy Updates

BayLegal is working with public agencies and community partners to slow or stop evictions, place a moratorium on non-safety related vehicle tows, pause consumer and government debt collections, and ease access to key sources of emergency assistance.  See our Covid-19 Advocacy Updates page for the latest details.

Resources for Clients and Partner Organizations

• Public Health Guidances and Orders

  • Santa Clara County’s Public Health Department has established a COVID-19 page, with frequently updated information on public health best practices and orders.
  • The Alameda County Public Health Department hosts a COVID-19 situation update page here, which includes links to additional public health resources.

• Information on the California state of emergency and statewide actions to promote public health

  • CA Penal Code 396 State Of Emergency Price Increase Limits: prohibitions on price gouging, rent inflation, and residential evictions during a state of emergency
  • March 18, 2020: Governor Newsom has issued an Executive Order to ensure that California’s most vulnerable residents can continue to receive health care, food assistance and in-home supportive services in a timely manner during the COVID-19 outbreak. The order waives eligibility re-determinations for 90 days for Californians who participate in:
    • Medi-Cal health coverage
    • CalFresh food assistance
    • CalWORKS
    • Cash Assistance for Immigrants; and
    • In-Home Supportive Services
  • The Western Center on Law & Poverty (WCLP) maintains a web page that provides a useful summary of statewide benefits, housing, and food & financial security issues related to the COVID-19 emergency.

• Health Legal Issues

  • CA Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Memo To MediCal Managed Care Plans Re COVID 19 Screening And Testing: responsibility of MediCal Managed Care Health Plans (MCPs) to provide screening and testing, telehealth and transportation services, and other service requirements related to COVID-19
  • Additional Information:
    • Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) article: https://healthconsumer.org/california-requires-health-insurance-to-cover-coronavirus-testing-and-screening/
    • CMS issues an announcement that coronavirus testing is covered under Medicare Part B
    • The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is issuing a reminder to Medi-Cal managed care health plans (MCPs) of existing contractual requirements and state and federal laws that require MCPs to ensure their members are able to access medically necessary services in a timely manner. Similar provisions are outlined in the recently released Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) All Plan Letter 20-006, which applies to MCPs licensed by DMHC.
    • Medicare Fact Sheet Highlights:  In addition to the diagnostic tests, Medicare covers all medically necessary hospitalizations, as well as brief “virtual check-ins,” which allows patients and their doctors to connect by phone or video chat.
    • Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Fact Sheet Highlights:  Testing and diagnostic services are commonly covered services, and laboratory and x-ray services are a mandatory benefit covered and reimbursed in all states. States are required to provide both inpatient and outpatient hospital services to beneficiaries. All states provide coverage of hospital care for children and pregnant women enrolled in CHIP. Specific questions on covered benefits should be directed to the respective state Medicaid and CHIP agency.
    • Individual and Small Group Market Insurance Coverage: Existing federal rules governing health insurance coverage, including with respect to viral infections, apply to the diagnosis and treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19). This includes plans purchased through HealthCare.gov. Patients should contact their insurer to determine specific benefits and coverage policies. Benefit and coverage details may vary by state and by plan. States may choose to work with plans and issuers to determine the coverage and cost-sharing parameters for COVID-19 related diagnoses, treatments, equipment, telehealth and home health services, and other related costs.
    • In response to the higher risk COVID-19 (Coronavirus) poses for nursing facility residents, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance this week aimed at reducing the spread of the virus. CMS outlines how facilities should screen visitors and staff members, and what factors a facility should consider in admitting and transferring a resident who has COVID-19.
    • For updated information on the range of CMS activities to address COVID-19, visit: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page
  • The National Health Law Program is maintaining an extensive list of coronavirus resources for advocates.
  • Covered California maintains a COVID-19 information page, which includes an invitation to subscribe to periodic email updates. Their most recent update contains a reminder to members to update income information—which may be particularly important for individuals who have experienced layoffs or reductions in work hours as a result of the public health situation.

• Housing Legal Issues

  • Our page, “Resources and News for Tenants During the COVID-19 Emergency” is updated frequently and includes:
    • Updates on tenant protections
    • Legal resources for tenants, including sample letters to landlords, self-help eviction defense packets, and other helpful links

• Economic Impact Payments

  • We have set up a dedicated web page for the most recent information on Economic Impact Payments (“stimulus payments”).

• Other Public Benefits Legal Issues

  • Our page, “Public Benefits During the COVID-19 Emergency” is updated frequently and includes:
    • Breaking news
    • A guide to emergency benefits
    • Updates from the Social Security Administration and other government agencies

• Workplace / Employment Legal Issues

  • Legal Aid at Work has put together a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for workers whose jobs, income, health, and families are affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
• Other COVID-19 Legal Resources
  • The Pro Bono Training Institute hosts a COVID-19 Resource Page with links to general legal services supports, as well as specific resources for survivors of domestic violence, older adults and public benefits recipients, and workers.
  • Disaster Legal Services is a consortium of Northern California organizations and firms working together to offer free legal services to communities in the aftermath of natural disasters. Their COVID-19 resource page hosts information and links to organizations with expertise in employer/employee issues, consumer / financial / insurance / medical issues, immigration issues, and general disaster preparedness.

• Youth Legal Issues

  • We have set up this dedicated page with information on education and special education, services for foster youth and former foster youth, mental health and other healthcare access, and other resources for youth during the pandemic.