For 2021-2022 JALBCA awarded the City Bar Justice Center/Cancer Advocacy Project a $66,000 grant.

The Cancer Advocacy Project (CAP) is one of the City Bar Justice Center’s founding projects. It provides free legal assistance to low- and moderate-income cancer patients and survivors and their caregivers in New York City, focusing on (i) preparation of life planning documents, (ii) health insurance-related issues, and (iii) cancer-related employment discrimination. Experienced attorneys volunteer their time and expertise with CAP to counsel clients and prepare life planning documents, i.e., basic Wills, Health Care Proxies, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney and Disposition of Remains directives. The health insurance component assists with unjust denials of coverage by medical insurance companies, and employment discrimination assistance includes information, advice and counseling on workplace discrimination and employee rights and options, including guidance on accommodation requests and FMLA leave. In addition, CAP conducts community presentations on those topics plus medical debt, for cancer-related organizations, support groups and medical service providers throughout NYC. The project also schedules periodic Life-Planning/Wills Clinics and workshops on medical debt. CAP has created a series of user-friendly guides, many of which are available in English and Spanish.