Today is National #PurpleThursday and LSVI reminds our community that we are committed to providing equal access to justice and doing our part to support victims of domestic violence. We BELIEVE you! The #1Thing that will end domestic violence is our collective power. If you or someone you know needs help please call our office: St.Croix – 340-718-2626 | St.Thomas/St.John – 340-774-6720 #LSVI #DVAM2021
The Mobile Justice Units are a symbol of Legal Services focus and unwavering commitment to seek access to justice and protect the rights of Virgin Islands residents. Mobile legal support services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am – 4:30pm in both Districts, St. Croix and St. Thomas.
St.Croix
Tuesdays – Virgin Islands Superior Court Parking Lot
Thursdays – Department of Human Services- Mars Hill Parking Lot
St.Thomas
Tuesdays – Merchants Bank Parking Lot (Tutu Plaza)
Thursdays– Omar Brown Sr. Fire Station Parking Lot (across from Barbel Plaza – VI Superior Court Magistrate Division)
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has awarded grants to 18 USVI nonprofit organizations for a total of $1,480,735 in funding. Grant funds will be used to support ongoing hurricane recovery, revitalization, and building forward efforts to enhance the wellbeing of residents and ecosystems across the territory. LSVI is the proud recipient of a $100,00 grant from CFVI. Funding will support the deployment of additional legal resources via Mobile Justice Units in and around St. Thomas and St. Croix in order to bolster ongoing disaster recovery along with efforts to enhance the overall wellbeing of low-income residents, including seniors, and victims of domestic violence. Click here for more information.
It takes a village, if we are to end domestic violence in our community we need the support of every man, woman, and child. Let’s all come together and work as one so we can all say #NOMORE to Domestic Violence. #DVAM2020 #DVSAC #WCSTX #LSVI
Domestic violence was already an epidemic before COVID-19, but the health crisis has caused a tremendous spike in incidents of abuse. Even as lockdown restrictions are lifted, the abuse will not simply end. It remains a critical time for survivors, and greater awareness, education, and bystander intervention are desperately needed. This October, join us in activating bystanders and sharing information that can help those who are experiencing violence during this unprecedented time.
Federal and local law enforcement and health care officials came together last year to form the Virgin Islands Health Care Fraud Task Force. The task force was formed in order to join forces and strengthen the fight against health care fraud by using a collaborative approach. In a news release issued Monday, Shappert said the first meeting of the Virgin Islands Health Care Fraud Task Force was conducted on a virtual platform, permitting the participants to share information and develop strategies for the territory.
The task force is composed of representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); V.I. Justice Department (DOJ); V.I. Medicaid Program (MAP), Senior Medicare Patrol (VI-SMP), Disability Rights Center, (DRCVI), Veterans Affairs Office of Community Care, and the V.I. State Health Insurance Program (VI-SHIP).
Click here for more information.
We are very proud to share that Casey Payton who is the Supervising Attorney out of our St.Thomas office was one of the co-authors of the informative article highlighting Language Justice featured on the American Bar Association’s Disaster Legal Services website.
“Language justice is an evolving framework based on the notion of respecting every individual’s fundamental language rights—to be able to communicate, understand, and be understood in the language in which they prefer and feel most articulate and powerful.
Language justice is more important than ever during this pandemic as those who primarily use non-dominant languages have historically faced challenges in seeking access to basic amenities, legal remedies, and supportive services.”
Attorney Payton will be the moderator of the upcoming Language Justice During COVID-19 webinar on Wednesday, June 3rd at 1:00 p.m. Click here to read the full article here and to register for the webinar.
Congrats Casey!
Pictured: LSVI St.Thomas Staff Members
Census fraud can hit at home or at work (the Census Bureau conducts business-related surveys, too). Be especially watchful for impostors in the spring of 2020, when the actual Census Bureau will be sending out reminders to fill out your form and following up in person at households that don’t respond. (Plans for home visits may be affected by the coronavirus outbreak; check the 2020 Census website for developments.) Count on these tips to head off census scams.
