State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Judicial Department Mental Hygiene Legal Service 40 Steuben Street, Suite 501 Albany, NY  12207 Phone  (518) 451-8710    Fax  (518) 473-5849

Sheila E. Shea Director David M. LeVine Deputy Director

Mental Hygiene Legal Service

    The Mental Hygiene Legal Service (MHLS) provides legal services, advice and assistance to persons receiving care or alleged to be in need of care at inpatient and community-based facilities for the mentally disabled.  Created in 1964 and organized under Mental Hygiene Law article 47, MHLS represents such persons in judicial and administrative proceedings concerning admission, retention, transfer, treatment and guardianship.  In addition to handling judicial proceedings, MHLS  provides advice and representation regarding standards of care and other matters affecting the civil liberties of persons receiving care at facilities for the mentally disabled. 

    MHLS can also be assigned as counsel or court evaluator in Mental Hygiene Law article 81 guardianship proceedings for persons in any type of facility, and as counsel for persons who the State wishes to commit pursuant to the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act (Mental Hygiene Law article 10).

    MHLS for the Third Judicial Department has field offices in Albany, Binghamton, Elmira, Kingston, Ogdensburg, Oneonta, Plattsburgh and Tupper Lake.
 
 

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