Our condolences are with the family of Karl Bren, a lifetime fair housing advocate and a VPLC Board member for decades. As a founding member of VPLC’s Advisory Council, Karl certainly felt like family to many of us here. He remains one of the best people I have ever known. Karl brought his brilliant mind, […]

Thousands of unemployment claimants may find today that their unemployment appeals are officially dismissed. In a move to wipe out more than a quarter of its backlog of almost 93,000 appeals, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) sent out notices alerting claimants that nearly 26,000 appeals – some years old – were filed late. The agency […]

By Pat Levy-Lavelle, Legal Aid Justice Center and Flannery O’Rourke, Virginia Poverty Law Center The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) currently has a backlog of more than 96,000 first level appeals of unemployment decisions. The persistence of this backlog directly harms workers and employers, who (on average) must wait a whole year for an appeal hearing. […]

Enroll Virginia’s statewide team of navigators is hard at work preparing for Open Enrollment, scheduling free one-on-one appointments and outreach events to guide consumers through the health insurance enrollment process. Open Enrollment at HealthCare.gov runs from November 1, 2022 through January 15, 2022. This is the only time of year that anyone can enroll in […]

Flannery O’Rourke has joined VPLC as a Law & Policy Analyst. She will support legislative efforts within our Center for Healthy Communities in the areas of unemployment benefits and social security. She recently received her Juris Doctor degree from University of Richmond. Miranda Huffer is the newest member of the Development team. After a successful […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2022 Virginia Poverty Law Center and Legal Aid Justice Center state that Governor Youngkin’s vetoes of Del. Clark’s HB573 and Sen. Deeds’ SB297 have derailed critical, popular, and thoughtfully crafted bipartisan consumer debt reforms for thousands upon thousands of Virginians. Richmond, VA – Outstanding bills for medical treatment are one […]

This was a busy week at the General Assembly for VPLC advocates. We often must try and follow bills being heard in two or even three committees that meet at the same time! Please encourage your legislators to do the right thing and publicly praise them when they do. Below, an update on some of our issues […]

The 2022 General Assembly is off and running, with 1,938 House and Senate bills filed — and more expected to come. Our advocates are dealing with a lot of change this year: a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, members in the House of Delegates, and committee chairs. But among the change, one thing remains […]

On July 1, 2021, Virginia expanded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), making over 25,000 families in Virginia newly eligible for food assistance. Here’s what you need to know about the program’s recent changes and available resources that can help with determining eligibility and the application process. The SNAP Eligibility […]

When the General Assembly convened for a special 2021 session, we urged lawmakers to prioritize Virginians hit hardest by the pandemic with a budget focused on equity. Not all of our priorities were funded, but we will continue to push for these in the state’s next budget. Below, here’s how our recommended budget priorities fared […]

The Virginia General Assembly will convene in Richmond on Monday, August 2 for a special legislative session to allocate more than $4.3 billion in federal relief funding and fill judicial vacancies. The remaining $4.3 billion comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, which has provided essential relief to millions of American workers – many of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2021 The suite of new laws will protect tenants, help families with food assistance, expand health coverage, protect consumers, and more. Richmond, VA – Effective today, several new laws in the Commonwealth will benefit hundreds of thousands of low-income Virginians. The new laws include better protections for tenants, expansion of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date:  July 1, 2021 Medicaid expands to cover full dental services, prenatal services regardless of immigration status Richmond, Va.— Effective today, Virginia has expanded Medicaid to cover dental benefits for all new and current enrollees as well as added new coverage for pregnant women regardless of their immigration status. The decision to […]

The Jill A. Hanken Scholarship Fund will honor Hanken’s accomplishments and build upon her legacy by training health law advocates in Virginia’s legal aid community. RICHMOND, VA – After a long and storied career of public service, advocacy, and leadership in healthcare for low-income Virginians, Jill Hanken, Health Attorney and Director of the Center for […]

Given a choice, most of us would choose to ‘age in place’ as we get older, remaining in our own homes and communities for as long as possible and potentially avoiding living out later years in a nursing home. The COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored this. Over the past 15 months, the virus ravaged nursing […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date:  May 13, 2021 Thousands of Virginians are enrolling in health coverage through the ACA because of the American Rescue Plan More than 24,000 Virginians have selected new health coverage plans since the current special enrollment period began   Richmond, Va.— Virginians are enrolling in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE: April 22, 2021 USDA announces free lunches for all students through 2021-22 school year The extension will bring relief to millions of food-insecure families. RICHMOND, VA – The United States Department of Agriculture has extended universal free lunch for all students through the next school year, bringing relief to millions of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: April 1, 2021 Contact: William Lineberry, Marketing & Communications Manager Enroll Virginia 804-366-3531 or [email protected] Virginia Ends 10-Year Work History Requirement for Medicaid Thousands from Virginia’s Immigrant Communities are Now Eligible for Coverage Richmond, Va.–Virginia has ended its 10-year (40 quarter) work history requirement for Medicaid, making thousands of individuals in […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2021 Statement from the Virginia Poverty Law Center The Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) stands in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in light of the tragic shooting that occurred in Atlanta, GA, Tuesday night. We mourn the loss of these victims and send condolences to their loved ones. We are outraged over the rise […]