The Mental Health Legal Service (MHLS) provides legal services, counselling and support to people who are being treated or suspected of needing care in hospitals and community facilities for the mentally disabled. The MHLS represents the mentally handicapped in civil liability proceedings and other matters. Our employees offer various alternatives and solutions to represent the wishes and interests of a client. We may take legal action on behalf of our clients. The MHLS provides people living in institutions for the mentally disabled with legal representation, advice and support on residence, discharge, care and treatment. Facilities can be governmental, municipal, voluntary or private, and can be community or institutional. MHLS for the First Judicial Department covers New York County and Bronx County and maintains nine local offices in both counties in addition to its department office. Legal Services NYC fights poverty and fights for racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. Our neighborhood offices and proximity locations help more than 100,000 New Yorkers each year. Our services are free of charge. LSNYC will never charge its clients legal representation fees. The MHLS was founded in 1964 and is organized under section 47 of the Mental Hygiene Act and represents these persons in judicial and administrative proceedings relating to licensing, detention, transfer, treatment and guardianship.
In addition to handling court cases, the MHLS provides advice and representation regarding standards of care and other matters affecting the civil liberties of carers in institutions for the mentally disabled. The MHLS may be used as legal counsel or judicial expert in guardianship proceedings under the Mental Health Act under section 81 for persons in any type of institution or in the community (link to the website « Counsel to Children – Guardianship Section to be determined »). Finally, section 10 of the Mental Health Act institutionalizes the MHLS as the adviser of choice in all civil administrative cases of sex offenders. MHLS has full access to records of people with mental disabilities in New York State. We treat all customer information confidentially. MHLS will refer a person to the appropriate authority if a request does not fall within our jurisdiction. For example, we do not represent individuals in matters relating to wills, divorces or claims for damages against others. The MHLS represents persons who are subject to court-ordered outpatient treatment. Phone Number: 718-519-2482; 718-862-5140; 718-918-6742 Website: Westchester www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad1/ County Family Court131 Warburton Avenue2.2 miles – MHLS investigates complaints from clients, their relatives and friends about care and treatment.
Mount Vernon City Court2 Roosevelt Square North, 2nd Floor2.1 km. For more information: MHLS www.courts.state.ny.us/COURTS/AD1/Committees&Programs/MHLS/index.shtml welcomes requests for assistance or information from clients, family or friends who contact MHLS by phone, letter or personal visit. Yonkers City Court100 South Broadway, R.W. Cacace Justice Center2.1 km / 1 mi Visit our Links page for websites that offer job postings as well as U.S. government vacation closures. *Please call to check. Are any of the above false? Let us know here ¢ MHLS also represents people who need a guardian if it has been approved by a court, regardless of where the person lives.