| Congressman Derek Tran is leading a bipartisan effort to ensure California’s seniors have access to the legal help they deserve. His legislation would expand senior legal hotlines – connecting older Californians to trained attorneys, 24/7 support services, and real legal guidance on issues that can threaten their housing, health, and financial security.
In communities like Orange County, where nearly 63,000 seniors live at or below the poverty level and too many face scams, abuse, or financial hardship, Rep. Tran’s bill would provide $10 million in critical funding and infrastructure to support seniors navigating civil legal challenges.
“Older Americans work their whole lives to care for their families and save for retirement. Elder abuse, including financial scams and caregiver neglect, can wipe out the security that seniors have built for themselves over decades. Senior legal hotlines are a critical tool to prevent such abuses and provide support to older adults who need help when they are targeted by scammers and other dishonest actors.” – Rep. Tran.
DCCC Spokesperson Anna Elsasser:
“Congressman Derek Tran has a proven track record of showing up for Californians, from fighting for consumers and workers as an attorney to championing bipartisan solutions that help California’s seniors. This is just the latest example of Tran’s commitment to protecting the dignity, opportunity, and wellbeing of all Californians.”
Read more about Tran’s work:
Orange County Register: New congressional effort tries to ensure seniors have access to legal services
- There’s a new, bipartisan congressional effort underway to support senior legal hotlines.
- Led by [Rep] Derek Tran…the bill establishes a competitive grant program to ensure hotlines are appropriately staffed with trained attorneys and paralegals, can provide older adults with support services, and are equipped with various technologies to provide assistance.
- The idea, according to Tran’s office, is to ensure every state can offer 24/7 legal help with a hotline staffed by real people, rather than having seniors fill out a form and wait to hear back.
- The bill would authorize $10 million…to create the grant program.
- There are only 20 statewide senior legal hotlines across the country, Tran’s office said.
- “Older Americans work their whole lives to care for their families and save for retirement,” said Tran, who is finishing up his first year in Congress. “Elder abuse, including financial scams and caregiver neglect, can wipe out the security that seniors have built for themselves over decades.”
- “Senior legal hotlines,” [Tran] continued, “are a critical tool to prevent such abuses and provide support to older adults who need help when they are targeted by scammers and other dishonest actors.”
- More than 10% of older Americans experience some form of elder abuse, according to stats from the U.S. Department of Justice, with more than 5% subjected to financial fraud, scams or other exploitations.
- “In Orange County alone, nearly 63,000 seniors live at or below the federal poverty level, and thousands face multiple civil legal problems every year — issues that can threaten their housing, health and financial security.” – Kate Marr, executive director of Community Legal Aid SoCal
- “A statewide hotline will fill this critical gap in the legal services infrastructure and promote dignity, autonomy and justice for every older Californian,” Marr said.
- The bill is also backed by representatives of the National Association of Senior Legal Hotlines and the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging.
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