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DOUGLAS SEA RECEIVES THE ORDER OF THE LONG LEAF PINE AWARD AT RECEPTION HONORING HIS 40 YEARS WITH CHARLOTTE CENTER FOR LEGAL ADVOCACY
May 8, 2024

Charlotte, NC – The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center) is proud to announce that Senior Litigation Attorney Douglas Sea received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award. It is awarded for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and their communities that is above and beyond the call of duty and which has made a significant impact and strengthened North Carolina. Since 1963, North Carolina’s governors have reserved this highest honor for people who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their service and exceptional accomplishments.

Doug remains the pre-eminent advocate fighting for low-income North Carolinians since the 1980s. Doug led or co-led, and often won, almost every class action or precedent-setting court case on behalf of individuals and families seeking cash assistance, health care, and family support services over the past 40 years. Moreover, Doug has also assisted attorneys in cases in which he is not counsel and has led critical policy advocacy that benefitted tens of thousands of North Carolinians. He remains a singular resource for advocates state-wide.

Sea received his B.A. and J.D. degrees with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He worked for Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear in Wilmington, N.C., from 1981 to 1984 in public benefits and health law. Sea came to Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (now Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy) as Benefits Team Leader in 1984 and performs legal work in the Family Support and Health Care Program, covering areas of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Security, SSI, Food Stamps, Medicaid, health care access and other benefits.

Sea has been a lecturer at over seventy continuing legal education seminars, conferences, and similar events sponsored by the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association, National Health Law Program, Southeast Training Advisory Group, NC Bar Association, Wake Forest University, Charlotte School of Law, Mecklenburg and Gaston County Bars, Legal Services of NC, Legal Aid of NC, ARC of NC, West Virginia Legal Services, Council for Children’s Rights, and other organizations concerning Medicaid and other public benefits, health care reform, class action and complex litigation, ethics, and other subjects.

Sea is also the author of several published articles and numerous training guides for Clearinghouse Review, NC Bar Association, NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, NC Division of Aging, Mecklenburg County Bar, Wake Forest University, Legal Aid of NC, Legal Services of NC, and other organizations.

An Ohio native, Sea became involved in legal aid because of his desire to do public interest/public policy work. He is a member of the Southeastern Public Benefits Training Advisory Group. His passion for this field is driven by the intellectually challenging and rewarding aspects of his work and the chance to impact many in need through systemic advocacy and mentoring young advocates. His interests outside of the office include reading and singing with the Mecklenburg County Bar Revue and Opera Carolina.

Past awards received by Sea include the following:

University of North Carolina School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award 2017
NC Advocates for Justice Disability Section Lifetime Achievement Award 2011
NC Justice Center: Defenders of Justice Litigation Award 2004
Legal Services of NC: Julian Pierce Award for Outstanding Attorney 1991

Kara Moskowitz, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Advocacy Center, states “Doug has dedicated his long career to tirelessly advocating on behalf of the most vulnerable people in our community. He has been a mentor to dozens of young attorneys who have continued his fight for health care for all North Carolina citizens. His efforts have improved health access in North Carolina for everyone. Doug is a true example of the Advocacy Center’s mission of Justice for All.”

Sea was honored and received the award at a reception the evening of May 8 at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy can provide those in need with information, advice and advocacy in consumer protection, home preservation, health care access and public benefits, immigration, tax assistance and more. Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need. Our vision is to build a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, economic security and stability. Learn more at charlottelegaladvocacy.org.

KARA MOSKOWITZ TO SERVE AS INTERIM CEO OF CHARLOTTE CENTER FOR LEGAL ADVOCACY
April 30, 2024

Charlotte, NC – The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center) is announcing a change in leadership that will help shape the future of our organization.

After careful consideration and an evaluation of our strategic goals, we are making this leadership change to better position ourselves for continued growth and success. We believe this change will not only strengthen our organization but also create new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

We are grateful to Toussaint Romain, the Chief Executive Officer of the Advocacy Center over the past two years, for his contributions to our organization during his tenure, and we wish Toussaint all the best in his future endeavors.

Kara Moskowitz, who has been with the organization for 12 years as an Attorney and as Chief Legal Officer for the past two years, will serve as the Interim Chief Executive Officer. With a deep understanding of legal services and our organization, Kara brings valuable experience that aligns perfectly with the Advocacy Center’s vision and goals.

Kara has been working as an attorney in public interest law firms since 1989 and is licensed as an attorney in North Carolina, Arkansas and Georgia. Kara originally started working with Legal Aid of North Carolina, eventually managing the family law /domestic violence project in Greensboro. She then worked with Center for Arkansas Legal Services in Little Rock for several years (including serving as board president for the Domestic Violence Shelter for three years) and with Atlanta Legal Aid for 10 years where she concentrated on consumer and family law work (and started their Bankruptcy Project while she was there). Kara’s family is from North Carolina, and she has lived in Charlotte since 2012.

Advocacy Center Board Chair Gwendolyn Lewis shared, “Our focus remains on ensuring access to justice for all and fostering a workplace culture that encourages collaboration, innovation, and growth. The Board of Trustees is supportive of and grateful for Kara’s leadership throughout this process.”

The Advocacy Center’s staff is also committed to providing Kara with all the support needed to excel in this role and drive the organization towards continued success.

We are seeking candidates to be considered for the role of the Advocacy Center’s Chief Executive Officer. The Advocacy Center has 56 years of history serving the civil legal needs of the Charlotte community and beyond, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our efforts for this important endeavor.

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

CHARLOTTE CENTER FOR LEGAL ADVOCACY APPLAUDS MEDICAID EXPANSION
Health insurance navigators help applicants and watch for smooth implementation
December 6, 2023

Charlotte, N.C. – Health insurance navigators with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy continue to help consumers apply for NC Medicaid, while closely monitoring expansion implementation after the Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, press conference it co-hosted with NC Governor Roy Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Kody Kinsley. Medicaid expansion comes on the heels of post-pandemic Medicaid unwinding, which compromised beneficiaries’ right to timely, meaningful access to coverage. While 600,000 North Carolinians now have access to Medicaid, enrollment is only automatic for half of them; approximately 300,000 must understand their eligibility and then take the step to apply.

Health insurance navigators across the state, like those at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, provide free help to consumers enrolling in Health Insurance Marketplace® coverage or applying for Medicaid. The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy helped 54 applicants on Dec. 1, 2023, alone. More information is on the Advocacy Center’s website.

“At the Medicaid expansion kick off press conference, Secretary Kinsley said, ‘This is a marathon and not a sprint,’ and we couldn’t agree more,” said Toussaint Romain, CEO of the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy. “We are thrilled that Medicaid expansion is here, but educating those who are now eligible and getting them to apply will require extensive outreach from NCDHHS, organizations like ours and the long list of partners we bring to the table.”

While Medicaid expansion will impact more than 600,000 North Carolinians ages 19 through 64 years with higher incomes, those income levels start with single adults who earn only $20,120, annually. Many of those impacted by Medicaid expansion are employed as childcare workers, custodians, restaurant workers, nursing assistants, etc. While they have previously made too much income to qualify for Medicaid, they are often still struggling financially.

“Signing up for Medicaid may sound simple but it’s complicated and time consuming, especially for people who are working two or three jobs to support their families,” said Natalie Marles, health insurance navigator project manager at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy. “Many of these folks have applied before and been turned down.”

The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s Family Support & Health Care Program advocates are monitoring Medicaid expansion to ensure those that are newly eligible for Medicaid are able to apply for coverage and get timely access to care. This team, in partnership with the National Health Law Program, filed a lawsuit in 2022 on behalf of beneficiaries alleging that the NC Medicaid agency, along with county Departments of Social Services, were terminating and reducing Medicaid benefits without considering eligibility under all Medicaid categories. It was alleged that this was done without providing timely and adequate written notice, in violation of federal Medicaid statutes and the U.S. Constitution. Franklin v. Kinsley (formerly known as Hawkins v. Cohen) was settled and went into effect on March 14, 2023, resulting in extensive and very detailed changes to the procedures, forms and notices for redetermining Medicaid eligibility for the 2.8 million North Carolinians currently enrolled in Medicaid.

“At the end of the day, we all want Medicaid to be the best it can be for the North Carolinians who depend on it,” said Cassidy Estes-Rogers, senior attorney and program director for the Family Support & Health Care Program at Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.

As a member of the NC Navigator Consortium, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy navigators are available to provide free, unbiased advice to residents of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union Counties. Navigators are federally certified and extensively trained in the insurance plan options offered by the Marketplace®, in addition to cost-sharing reductions and premium tax credits eligibility. Navigators also help with Medicaid. Additional assistance is provided to consumers who are disabled, do not speak English or are unfamiliar with health insurance.

Free appointments with a local navigator can be made using the statewide appointment hotline at 1-855-733-3711, locally at 980-256-3782 or online at charlottelegaladvocacy.org/getcovered.

About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy provides those in need with information, advice and advocacy in consumer protection, home preservation, health care access and public benefits, immigration, tax assistance, and more. Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need. Our vision is to build a just community where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, economic security and stability. Learn more: charlottelegaladvocacy.org.

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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity number NAVCA210405-03-00 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.

Mark the kick off of NC Medicaid Expansion with the newly eligible, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and special guests, including Governor Roy Cooper
November 29, 2023

What: Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy will hold a Dec. 1, 2023 event to kick off NC Medicaid expansion during which health insurance navigators will take walk-in appointments to help the newly eligible apply for Medicaid. There will be a 10:30 a.m. press conference with CEO Toussaint Romain and special guests:

NC Gov. Roy Cooper
NC DHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley
Carolyn Allison, CEO, Charlotte Community Health Clinic

Who: Medicaid expansion will impact more than 600,000 North Carolinians ages 19 through 64 years with higher incomes on a sliding scale, starting with single adults who earn $20,120 annually. Health insurance navigators who help consumers with HealthCare.gov coverage can also help the newly eligible enroll in Medicaid in any language, either in person or by calling 980-256-3782.

When: Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Press conference to start at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Goodwill Opportunity Campus, in Bank of America Hall on the second floor
5301 Wilkinson Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28208

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Contact our media relations team

If you are a member of a news or media organization and need assistance, please contact Kelly Lynn:

phone: 980 202 7320
email: kelly.lynn@charlottelegaladvocacy.org

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