Project CLeAR

Project CLeAR

Indiana Legal Services, Inc.

8 N. 3rd Street, St.102

Lafayette, IN 47901

Christopher Moeller, Project Staff Attorney

Christopher.moeller@ilsi.net

(765) 423-5327 ext. 16236

Project CLeAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Project CLeAR?

Project CLeAR is a civil legal services project that provides free civil legal services to eligible persons living with opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders. The project works with recovery houses and programs to provide know your rights trainings and on-site outreach. Project CLeAR receives referrals from the recovery houses and programs for eligible persons who have a civil legal issue that is preventing a person from gaining or maintaining their sobriety.

How is a Project CLeAR referral different from a regular referral to a legal aid?

Project CLeAR clients are clients of the recovery houses and programs from which they are directly referred to the Project CLeAR attorney. A legal aid organization accepts applications for assistance from the community at large. Unlike a legal aid organization, Project CLeAR only accepts referrals for persons living with opioid use and other substance use disorders whose ability to gain or maintain their sobriety is being affected by a civil legal problem.

How does a referral to Project CLeAR help?

A referral to Project CLeAR can help people living with substance use disorder with legal issues that affect the person’s mental or physical health, and which cannot be addressed through the provision of recovery treatment.

What types of cases can the Project CLeAR handle?

It is easiest to explain the types of cases we cannot handle. The project cannot handle criminal cases involving a decision of guilt or innocence, challenges to jail or prison conditions, or reductions in sentences. It cannot also handle cases that are fee-generating (ex., personal injury claims) or immigration cases. When in doubt, refer it to us. If it is a case we do not handle, we can usually help the person get in touch with someone who does handle those types of matters.

What are examples of client-provider interactions that may lead to a referral to Project CLeAR?

A client may inform a provider that they have been unable to rent a place of their own due to a past criminal conviction. A referral to Project CLeAR may result in Project CLeAR assisting the client with an expungement that will seal the person’s criminal conviction.
A client may inform a provider that the children’s custodial parent is preventing the client from visiting their children because the client receives Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). A referral to Project CLeAR may result in Project CLeAR filing a motion in court to enforce the client’s right to parenting time.
While meeting with a client, a provider learns the client has not been taking the medication the client has been prescribed. When the provider inquires as to why the client is not complying with the medication, the provider discovers the client’s unemployment benefits have been terminated. A referral to the Project CLeAR could uncover that the client’s benefits should not have been terminated and could result in Project CLeAR assisting the client with an appeal of the termination.

How do you make a referral to Project CLeAR?