Empowering people to move out of poverty and improve their quality of life since 1973.
RUBICON PROGRAMS INC
Hawkins Center - Legal Services
Rubicon's Hawkins Center provides legal representation and assistance to people living with physical and mental disabilities and HIV/AIDS. The Hawkins Center has been one of a very few Contra Costa-based providers of legal services to low income residents of the county since it was founded in 1986 as an independent non-profit agency. In June 2003 Hawkins merged with and became a program of Rubicon. Our services are divided into three key areas:
- Through our Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Benefits Advocacy program our staff attorneys represent people with all types of disabilities who are no longer able to work on their claims for disability benefits. Representation is available at all levels of the application process. Legal fees for these services are paid only if the client becomes entitled to benefits and the fees are a percentage of the client's lump sum, past-due benefit award.
- We offer counseling, advice and benefits planning assistance to people currently receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits regarding the complex Social Security rules that apply to disability benefit recipients who are working. Services range from providing basic information to assistance with detailed planning that can help with the transition from disability back to work. This is a free service.
- Our HIV Legal Services Program resolves a wide array of civil legal problems for low-income people with HIV/AIDS in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Services are provided free of charge and are focused on matters that will lead to positive health outcomes for the client.
- Through our Legal Employment Assistance Program (LEAP) we seek to integrate the comprehensive employment sevices of Workforce Services and the in-house legal expertise of The Hawkins Center to address specific, recurring obstacles that limit the employment and career advancement opportunities of the vulnerable and marginalized population now served by Workforce Services. The purpose of LEAP is to identify our program participants' legal barriers to employment and address these with appropriate legal interventions during the early stages of the employment process. Services may range from short-term limited legal advice to direct representation concerning a specific matter. The most common legal barriers to employment that our participants face includes issues associated with past criminal record, homelessness or an unstable living situation, disability, large child support arrearages and obligations, suspended driver's licenses, and limited access to information on employee and job appicant's rights and duties.
For more information about these services, contact Kelly Dunn at 510 232 6611.
