Help MHAS provide free legal services to low-income folks with mental health disabilities

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For nearly 50 years, Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS) has stood beside low-income adults and children with mental health disabilities—providing free legal services to protect their rights and expand access to opportunity.

This year, we are calling on our community to stand with us once again.

Across Los Angeles County, the individuals and families we serve are navigating growing challenges—rising housing costs, deepening economic instability, and persistent barriers to mental health care, education, and employment. At the same time, critical legal protections and safety nets are increasingly difficult to access or enforce, leaving many of our clients at risk of losing the stability they’ve worked so hard to build.

Today, MHAS’ services are more important than ever before.

Our attorneys and advocates work alongside clients to help them understand and assert their legal rights—often at pivotal moments that determine whether someone remains housed, maintains income, or accesses essential services. Through free legal advice and representation, we help people navigate complex systems so they can live with dignity, stability, and autonomy.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite you to take action by making a donation. Every dollar raised through this campaign directly supports free legal services for people who would otherwise face these systems alone.

Your support helps ensure access to:

• HOUSING: Fighting housing discrimination, securing reasonable accommodations, preventing evictions, and increasing housing stability
• PUBLIC BENEFITS: Helping individuals and families secure income and resources to meet basic needs
• SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES: Ensuring children and youth receive the support they need to succeed in school
• EXPUNGEMENT: Removing barriers to employment and housing for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system
• AND MORE

Together, we can build a future where people with mental health disabilities are not defined by barriers—but are supported in living the lives they choose.

We can’t do this without your partnership.

RECENT SUCCESS: KEEPING ROGER HOUSED

Roger is a senior with profound disabilities and complex medical needs. Last year, he faced an eviction that put his housing and essential care at risk. For years, Roger has relied on a live-in aide for around-the-clock support, allowing him to live safely and independently in his home. Instead of accommodating this need, Roger’s landlord issued multiple eviction notices claiming that the aide was unauthorized. The landlord also denied a formal reasonable accommodation request and went as far as arguing that Roger could not live independently and should be institutionalized.

MHAS stepped in to advocate on Roger’s behalf and filed housing discrimination complaints. After extensive negotiations, the landlord rescinded the eviction notices and approved the live-in aide. The landlord also agreed to attend a fair housing training and make policy changes to prevent future discrimination against other tenants with disabilities. Through this advocacy, Roger remains safely housed with both the care he needs and the autonomy he deserves.

RECENT SUCCESS: SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES SECURED FOR BETO

Viridiana attended a medical appointment feeling overwhelmed as she sought support for her 11-year-old son, Beto, who was recently diagnosed with autism. Viridiana was initially referred to MHAS through our Medical-Legal Community Partnership for assistance with a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application, and it soon became clear that Beto was falling behind in school and not receiving the support he needed. As a monolingual Spanish-speaking single mother, Virdiana faced significant barriers navigating the special education system and understanding the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

MHAS accompanied Viridiana to multiple IEP meetings to communicate her concerns. Through this advocacy, MHAS secured independent educational evaluations to better assess Beto’s needs, which led to additional special education services. During her final call with MHAS, Viridiana shared that she finally felt heard and was now better equipped to advocate for Beto moving forward.