Urban Justice Center - Mental Health Project

The Mental Health Project of the Urban Justice Center is a team of attorneys, social workers and advocates dedicated to enforcing the rights of low-income New Yorkers with mental illness.

We represent individual clients, bring class action lawsuits and engage in community education with the belief that low-income people with mental illness are entitled to live stable and full lives, free from discrimination.

Our primary practice areas are:

1) Eviction Prevention/Income Maintenance, where we represent clients in housing matters, ensure that clients have access to benefits such as food stamps, Social Security, and public assistance, and advocate for social policies that combat homelessness.

2) Disability Benefits Advocacy, where we represent clients before the Social Security Administration and in federal court in appealing denials, suspensions, reductions, terminations of benefits, and overpayment claims.

3) Discharge Planning, where we enforce state and federal laws by ensuring that people with mental illness who are being discharged from hospitals, jails, and prisons receive help applying for benefits, finding housing, and arranging aftercare services.

4) Criminal Justice Advocacy, where we fight against the criminalization of mental illness and for the humane treatment of people in prison with mental illness.

How to Get Help

Please call our Helpline: (877) MHP-LAW1 or (877) 647-5291and leave a message, any time, 24/7, or email mhp@urbanjustice.org. Messages will be returned Monday through Friday, within 24 hours. Have all documents related to your legal problem available.