Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources

Legal Aid is open, but you must call first. Thank you for your understanding during these uncertain times.

Resources for you to monitor the latest information about the COVID-19 pandemic: Please check back as we will be updating it regularly. (You must scroll…info is not in any particular order.)

Here’s how we are responding:

• In the interest of everyone’s health and well-being during these uncertain times, our 2020 Justice for All Luncheon has been cancelled. (It will return in 2021!)
• Our clients depend on us and we do not see the need to suspend intakes or close our offices at this time. However until further notice, our office will be closed to the general public, including walk-in clients.
• Staff members are working remotely (from home) when possible or medically necessary.
• Throughout all our offices, we are making additional efforts to clean and disinfect individual work areas and our public spaces.
• If you need assistance, please call the Legal Aid office serving your county. If we are unable to answer your call please leave a message and your call will be returned. Please visit our contact page for individual office phone numbers.

Unemployment Benefits Questions?

Our Legal Aid CARES Hotline expanded to include question about unemployment benefits. Please call if you have questions regarding unemployment benefits or if you have been denied unemployment and you need to appeal your case.

Call our Legal Aid CARES Hotline
1-800-990-2907 | M-F 9 am-4 pm

Essential Services:

Missourians in need can find essential services, such as nearly 240 food pantries, food banks, school meal programs for students, diaper banks, and more through the online Missouri Services Navigator system. The Services Navigator offers instant access to programs and services available in Missouri.  There are currently over 2,000 services listed, with new services added daily. Searches can be keyword, location, and/or service. Every program and service contains a map of the location as well as contact information.

CARES Act Stimulus Checks:

Do you have questions about your stimulus check from the CARES Act? We’ve got answers!

Call our Legal Aid CARES Hotline
1-800-990-2907 | M-F 9 am-4 pm

Health Insurance:

Health Insurance FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Mental Health Help:

Kansas City: A list of resources all Kansas Citians can access for help with psychological distress

Unemployment Benefits:

Employee Rights:

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Domestic Violence Protection:

We are continuing to help victims of domestic violence.

• • Protective order hearings are being conducted by telephone, polycom, videoconferencing, Zoom or any other method that does not require the physical presence of persons in Court Buildings. (They are doing their best to limit in-person hearings.)
  • If you have questions about your current protective order or upcoming hearing date, please call your local Legal Aid office.
  • Please remember you can TEXT 9-1-1 in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri and Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. Please confirm if your county is not listed.

Shelters and Hotlines:

• • Crisis hotlines across the KC metro region are still staffed 24 hours a day.
  • Shelters are still operating, though some have had to alter or halt admittance of new clients.
  • Counseling and therapy sessions are held over the phone.
  • Agencies are searching for creative ways to serve victims and survivors while maintaining social distancing.
  • Any of the six Kansas City area metro shelters can be reached at 816-468-5463.
  • If you are outside the Kansas City area the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233.

Tax-Related COVID-19 Updates:

1. 1. The IRS and MODOR have extended deadlines for income tax return filing and payment to July 15. These extensions are automatic, so they don’t require any request.
   2. All free (in-person) tax preparation sites have closed for now, including IRS VITA and AARP Tax-Aide.
   3. Free filing is available online at www.irs.gov. More general info at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus
   4. The IRS is urging those who are due refunds to file ASAP, electronically–we know that many are facing financial difficulties during this time, so getting that possible refund in can be a smart idea.
   5. For any questions and concerns, contact the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at Legal Aid @ 816-474-6750.

Do you pay your Jackson County real estate taxes through the Senior Quad Payment Plan? If so, your third and fourth installments are now due August 31, 2020. You can still pay the third installment on May 31 if you want, but there will be no penalties or interest for waiting. MORE DETAILS

MO Dept. of Social Services COVID-19 Updates (SNAP, MOHealthNet, etc)

Family Support Division Updates re: COVID-19

SPANISH: Family Support Division Updates re: COVID-19

The Department of Social Services will continue to make sure you get the services you need while protecting your health and the health of our team members.  Please check this website frequently for the most recent information.

SNAP/Food Stamps

• • FOOD STAMP RECERTIFICATIONS – Starting in July, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will again require Missourians to complete a periodic recertification form to verify that they still qualify for Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits. The Family Support Division will mail a recertification form that will need to be completed and returned. To make sure there is no delay in benefits, it’s important that the form is completed and sent back before the deadline on the letter. Recertification forms are required every year, or every two years if the individual is aged, blind or disabled.
  • The Family Support Division received approval to extend food stamp benefits for individuals up for recertification in March, April, and May. Those benefits will be extended by 6 months and recipients do not need to call in or submit any verification.
  • Pandemic SNAP benefits mean all households currently eligible for SNAP will receive the maximum amount for the household size in April & May. (DSS received approval to extend this through August.)
  • The Family Support Division is waiving all work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents through the end the federal emergency COVID-19 declaration.
  • Families with children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in all MO school districts that close at least five consecutive days will get a Pandemic EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) (P-EBT) card benefit for March, April and May. The amount is determined by the federal government and will be the value of the number of missed meals. This benefit will automatically be added to the Food Stamp/SNAP recipient’s EBT card if they already receive Food Stamps; otherwise, families will need to apply by July 7. Click here for more information.

USDA Food Distribution:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the Missouri Department of Social Services’ request to use USDA foods to operate Disaster Household Distribution in response to COVID-19. Through May 7, 2020, Missourians in need can get a food package from mobile and drive-by locations through six Missouri food banks at over 200 distribution sites. Disaster Household Distribution expects to serve over 90,000 Missourians, including elderly households, households with health conditions, and the recently unemployed. Each food package weighs approximately 25 pounds and contains vegetables, fruits, pasta/rice/starch, protein, and dairy products. Only agencies that have proper cold/frozen storage facilities will distribute frozen meats and any perishables. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Free Lunches for Kids:

In addition to area school districts providing free lunches, Children’s Mercy Hospital has free sack lunches at many of their locations. (click on the Resources for Food tab)

Please Note: KCPS free lunch program will resume distribution 4/13/20.

Consumer Issues:

Student Loan FAQ

Avoid Coronavirus Scams:

• • Advice for Consumers (FTC)         Spanish
  • Download sharable quick guide to scams (FTC)        Spanish
  • Report Scams: English  Spanish

Consumer protection basics… plain and simple.

• •  English: cosumer.gov  — what to know and do
  • Spanish: consumidor.gov  —  qué saber y qué hacer

COVID-19 Consumer Resource Center: This website, written entirely by three of the nation’s leading consumer protection law firms, is intended to provide you with our thoughts relating to all aspects of your financial life in order to help you navigate this difficult time.

Mortgage Relief
The CARES Act signed on March 27^th includes federally mandated prohibitions on some foreclosures and requires forbearance options for some mortgage loans. Find out if your loan is covered by reading the National Housing Law Project’s informational sheet on the CARES Act here. Be sure to visit their website here for more updates as the situation changes.

Homeowner & Renter Help (CFPB) This website consolidates the CARES Act mortgage relief, protections for renters, resources for additional help, and information on how to avoid COVID-19 related scams. It also provides lookup tools for homeowners to determine if their mortgage is federally backed, and for renters to find out if their rental unit is financed by FHA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac.

Kansas City: COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS UTILITIES RELIEF 

The National Consumer Law Center has made their “Surviving Debt” book available for FREE online during the COVID situation. You can access it here: https://library.nclc.org/sd/0101

Veterans:

Veterans with a debt with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Debt Management Center can call 1-800-827-0648 to request temporary financial relief in the form of:

• • Suspending all actions on Veteran debts under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department.
  • Suspending collection action or extending repayment terms on preexisting VA debts, as the Veteran prefers.

More information can be found at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website at https://www.va.gov/debtman/.

Veterans having trouble reaching the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by phone can also contact the VA by email at https://iris.custhelp.va.gov/app/ask/ or send letters to:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Debt Management Center
PO Box 11930
St. Paul, MN 55111

Please be aware that it is unclear how long this suspension may last.

Veterans who have a “VBA benefit debt” or an “overpayment” who request a suspension of the debt collection and then begin receiving their full benefit amount can be increasing the debt they owe the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Similarly veterans who suspend collection action or extends repayment terms on preexisting VA debts, can result in longer period of time for the veteran to pay off his or her debt and may end up paying the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs more money in the long run.

We encourage veterans who contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Debt Management Center about temporary financial relief to keep a record of the date(s) they called, who they spoke to, and any information provided, copies of all e-mail communications, or copies of all correspondence the veteran sends and receives.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

• • Small Businesses
  • Individuals
  • Possible Scams

CARES Act Stimulus Checks:

Do you have questions about your stimulus check from the CARES Act? We’ve got answers!
Call our Legal Aid CARES Hotline: 1-800-990-2907 | M-F 9 am-4 pm

Jasper County/Joplin Resources:

Virtual Job Fair: JOBFEST is back and better than ever – VIRTUALLY! This event begins April 15th and will remain active throughout the Covid-19 restrictions.

City of Joplin COVID-19 Resources

Jasper Co. COAD
Facebook Page
Website

Kansas City-Focused: Most are frequently updated, so continue to check back.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources – Kansas City Public Library
• Coronavirus Information – Kansas City Health Department
• PrepareMetroKC – Mid-America Regional Council
• What you need to know as the Coronavirus hits the Kansas City metro– KCUR
• COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Kansas City Arts – ArtsKC
• Kansas City COVID-19 Community Resources – The Beacon
• Disaster Resources – United Way of Greater Kansas City 2-1-1
• COVID-19 Relief Resources for Kansas City – Uncover KC
• City of Kansas City, Missouri

To learn more about the virus, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)
• The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)