Legal Assistance and Advocacy Resources

People facing end-of-life issues may need help with a variety of legal matters, including advance directives, powers of attorney, guardianship, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, organ donation, burial, and distribution of property. Once people know how to locate them, local and national legal resources are easily available.Listed below are that may be of use to people in Utah.

Utah Legal Services
This organization provides free legal services statewide in civil matters regarding Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, guardianship and protective arrangements, housing, utilities, and advance directives (including living wills and health care powers of attorney).

Utah Legal Services, Inc.
254 West 400 South, Second Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah
84101
801-328-8891
Toll free 1-800-662-4245
TDD 1-800-956-2225

Satellite Offices:
Ogden
550 24th St., #300
394-9431
1-800-662-2538

Provo
455 N. University
374-9431
1-800-662-1563

Cedar City
965 S. Main, #3
586-2571
1-800-662-1772

Monticello
148 S. Main
587-3277

Senior Lawyer Volunteer Project
This project provides free legal services statewide to income-eligible clients with wills, trusts, property transfers, powers of attorney, and advance directives, including living will and health care powers of attorney.

Senior Lawyer Volunteer Project Utah Legal Services, Inc.
254 West 400 South, Second Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
1-800-328-0618

Utah State Bar Lawyer Referral Services
By calling this number, people can provides information about private lawyers who specialize in estate planning issues including wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, powers of attorneys, and advance directives.

1-800-531-9075

Advocacy Services in Utah
For help in understanding Medicare and Medicaid matters, contact the Health Insurance Information Program (HIIP). The statewide number is: 1-800-541-7735.

If you believe you or someone you know is being physically abused, neglected, and/or financially exploited, contact: Adult Protectives Services (for anyone over 18 years of age) Salt Lake County 264-7669. All other areas of Utah 1-800-371-7897.

Child Protective Services (for anyone under 18 years of age) 1-800-678-9399.

If you have a complaint regarding the treatment of someone residing in a long-term care facility, contact the state long-term care ombudsman in Salt Lake City at 538-3910, or contact your local Area Agency on Aging listed above for your local long-term care ombudsman.

Internet Resources
This section includes useful Web sites. Information on legal matters related to end-of-life issues is readily available on the Internet. Listed below are a few useful web sites.

AARP
www.aarp.org/ontheissues/issueadvdir.html
AARP offers valuable information about advance directives, living wills and the power of attorney.

American Bar Association
www.abanet.org/elderly/
The ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly is dedicated to examining the law-related concerns of older persons.

Legal Documents Online
http://legaldocs.com/misc-n.htm
This Web site provides advance directive forms for every state.

Senior Law
www.seniorlaw.com
This Web site offers senior citizens, their families, attorneys, social workers, and financial planners to access information about Elder Law, Medicare, Medicaid, estate planning, trusts and the rights of the elderly and disabled.

Utah State Bar
www.utahbar.org/
This Web site offers more information about lawyers in Utah, including contact information.