Legal Aid Offices: Vermont Legal Aid (VLA) helps low-income Vermonters with legal issues. This includes disability and health care issues, Medicaid for adults and children, Medicare, nursing home care, home health services, and mental health. VLA does not handle criminal cases. There is no charge for services.

Local Contact Information for Windham & Windsor Counties
Vermont Legal Aid
56 Main Street, Suite 301
Springfield, VT 05156
802-885-5181 (V/TTY)
1-800-769-9164 (toll-free)
www.vtlegalaid.org

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Legal Services Vermont:

We provide a wide range of civil (not criminal) legal services to Vermonters - www.legalservicesvt.org: 

• legal advice and information over the phone

• direct legal support or representation for low-income Vermonters in specific situations in areas like housing, debt collection, public benefits, abuse and victims of crime

• legal representation for low-income Vermonters at rent escrow and eviction hearings

• referrals to free lawyers through our Pro Bono Program

• legal education and outreach events

• self-help legal information on VTLawHelp.org

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Disability Law Project: Provides legal assistance, without charge, to people with disabilities whose legal problems arise from their disability. Provide assistance in matters such as abuse and neglect, special education, guardianship, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, accessibility, discrimination (employment, housing, government services, private business) and access to assistive technology. www.vtlegalaid.org/disability-law-project

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Advance Directives (also known as Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Terminal Care Documents) are available in printed and downloadable form from the Vermont Ethics Network. Go to www.vtethicsnetwork.org or call 802-828-2909. These are the standardized forms the state encourages everyone to use.

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Client Assistance Program is an independent advocacy program, offering free and confidential services. You are eligible if you are applying for or receiving services from the following agencies: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Vermont Center for Independent Living; Vermont Association of Business, Industry, & Rehabilitation; Supported Employment; or, Transition Programs. Call CAP if you need help, have questions or need information, have been turned down by any of these agencies, think things are taking too long, have trouble communicating with your counselor, or are not getting the services you need. 800-769-6728 or 802-748-8721. www.vtlawhelp.org/client-assistance-program

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Adult Protective Services: Vermont’s Adult Protective Services (APS) program is the primary unit of state government responsible for investigating allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults under Title 33 of Vermont Statutes. APS is a program within the Division of Licensing and Protection (DLP), with the Assistant Director for Adult Protective Services reporting to the DLP Director. DLP also houses Survey and Certification (S&C). S&C monitors licensed health care facilities for compliance with state and federal regulations, and they conduct their own investigations as a result of complaints and self-reports from the facilities. dlp.vermont.gov/aps

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Office of Public Guardian: A public guardianship program provides guardianship services to people 60 years of age and over for whom a suitable and willing private guardian cannot be found. Every effort to locate a suitable private guardian must be made before a public guardian may be appointed. The Office of Public Guardian is also available to provide information to the public about guardianship and its alternatives and to assist private guardians in understanding and carrying out their duties. For more information, call 802-241-2663. ddsd.vermont.gov/programs/public-guardian

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Vermont Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: This program assists residents of nursing homes and residential care homes and advocates on their behalf. The goal of the Ombudsman is to protect the safety, welfare, and rights of long-term care residents while supporting the independence of each resident. Ombudsman staff visit nursing homes and speak with residents throughout the year, working to make sure that the residents’ rights are being upheld. Many community volunteers also donate their time to the ombudsman program. For Windham and Windsor Counties, call 885-5181. www.vtlegalaid.org/vermont-long-term-care-ombudsman-project

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Vermont Judiciary: The mission of the Vermont Judiciary is to provide equal access to justice, protect individual rights, resolve legal disputes fairly and timely, and provide everyone the opportunity to have their day in court. www.vermontjudiciary.org

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Note that the inclusion of any entity in this section of our website does not imply endorsement by Putney Community Cares.