Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP is pleased to announce that Laura M. Brancato, Partner in the firm’s Mental Health, Guardianship & Elder Law Litigation practice group, has been appointed to the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Homelessness and The Law. The New York State Bar Association recently launched a new task force that will examine the impact of homelessness and explore ways that governments can intervene so fewer families experience housing instability.
“Homelessness is a crisis, and you can see it in every city in this country,” said New York State Bar Association President Richard Lewis. “This is a pressing issue that affects veterans, people with mental illness, victims of domestic violence and many others. We live in the richest country in the world, and we should be able to help people who are experiencing homelessness and often find themselves in life and death situations.”
The Task Force on Homelessness and The Law will look for concrete steps that local, state, and federal governments can take to address the root causes of homelessness, with a specific focus on mental health, addiction and related causes. It will also examine how criminal justice and healthcare systems affect the lives of people experiencing homelessness.