Help New Yorkers understand their health insurance and access the health care they need.
Community Health Advocates (CHA), New York’s designated health insurance Consumer Assistance Program, helps New Yorkers get, understand, use, and keep their health insurance and access affordable health care. CHA operates a statewide helpline and provides advocacy and representation services to consumers to protect their legal rights.
Applicants to the New York State Bar are required to perform 50 hours of pro bono legal service as a condition to admission (See https://www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/probono/baradmissionreqs.shtml.) CHA is proud to work with bar applicants to fulfill the 50-hour pro bono service requirement.
Pro Bono Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Spot issues and determine legal rights of health care consumers
- Assist health attorneys with client work
- Maintain detailed notes in the CHA database to support health attorneys
- Participate in ongoing trainings and updates on state and federal health consumer laws and regulations
- Carefully follow client privacy protection guidelines
- Perform legal research and draft formal appeals
Preferred Skills and Interests:
- Willing to learn a broad array of health law, health policy, and health advocacy
- Interest in serving low-income populations
- Strong customer service skills, including both listening and speaking skills (Competency in languages other than English a plus)
- Proficient in data entry and Microsoft Word
- Clear writing skills
- Comfortable working independently with supervision as needed
- Strong research skills and comfortable with online research
- Able to work at our office during regular business hours
To apply:
Those interested in completing pro bono hours with CHA should submit a copy of their resume and a Pro Bono Volunteer Application to healthvolunteer@cssny.org with the subject line “CHA Pro Bono Volunteer.”