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Press Release | September 1, 2026
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Expands Services for Individuals Affected by Substance Use Disorders
The Full Story
Jersey City, NJ., September 1, 2026 — Northeast New Jersey Legal Services (NNJLS) is broadening its program to provide civil legal assistance for individuals affected by substance use disorders in Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties.
This program expands NNJLS’s ability to serve individuals at any stage of substance use or recovery, including those currently using substances, engaged in treatment, or maintaining long-term recovery. Services will not be denied based on relapse, participation in medication-assisted treatment, or current substance use.
“Individuals navigating substance use challenges often face overlapping legal issues that affect housing, income stability, and family relationships,” said Leah Ashe, Executive Director of Northeast New Jersey Legal Services. “By expanding our services, we can help remove those barriers and support pathways toward stability and recovery.”
The expanded program supports representation in a broad range of civil legal matters, with particular attention to issues commonly experienced by individuals impacted by substance use disorders, including housing instability, access to public benefits, family law concerns, and record clearance opportunities such as expungements. While the program does not include active criminal defense matters, it does extend to post-conviction relief and other civil remedies that can support reentry and stability.
NNJLS will apply its existing financial eligibility standards under the federal poverty guidelines, with limited flexibility for certain populations, including older adults and others who may fall slightly above standard thresholds but still demonstrate financial need.
To ensure effective service delivery, NNJLS staff will participate in targeted training focused on trauma-informed lawyering and best practices for working with individuals affected by substance use disorders. These trainings emphasize nonjudgmental engagement, client trust-building, and recognition of substance use as a spectrum condition rather than a binary classification.
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About NNJLS
NNJLS mission is to ensure equal access to justice for residents of Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties, NJ experiencing poverty. NNJLS is a private non-profit public interest law firm that provides free legal help in civil (non-criminal) matters to underserved individuals and families experiencing poverty.
NNJLS focuses on four core areas of civil law: housing, consumer, family, and public benefits. NNJLS also has specialized programs in place to address the legal needs of veterans; seniors; survivors of domestic violence; survivors of sexual assault; students; immigrants; persons living with HIV or AIDS; individuals formerly incarcerated who now face legal barriers to re-entry; individuals experiencing homelessness; individuals affected by Substance Use Disorders, and residents experiencing poverty with federal income tax (IRS) issues.