WINTER 2010 WINTER News From The Florida Bar Foundation volume 2 issue no. 1 Help for Floridians Inside lost in the health- care system Legislators urged to support by Nancy Kinnally Florida Access to Civil Legal or five years, Jodi Guin sat on a 2 Assistance Act in 2010 busy Tallahassee, Fla., street corner F selling peanuts to earn enough Paul Doyle Justice Center money to buy the shady lot where she dedicated as Florida Legal would later put the yellow doublewide 3 Services headquarters that is now her home. Sometimes it got so hot, she’d put her Shirley Spuhler Healthcare feet – shoes and all – into a bucket of ice. Fairness Project reaches out to “On the bank it showed it was 105 STANYARD RAY Jodi Guin, 80, and her husband Bobby, 75, 4 Medicare/Medicaid recipients a lot of times, and we’d be sitting down credit Florida Legal Services for ensuring there selling peanuts,” Guin remembers. After she bought the trailer with a they received the proper Medicare and Keeping the developmentally Medicaid prescription drug benefits. disabled out of prison small inheritance, she lived there alone 6 until one night, she went to a dance at the American Legion Hall, and she met Bobby. and although declining health has brought “I walked in, and there she was, and them hardship, theirs is still a warm, happy Florida Justice Summit I said, ‘Are you married?’ and she said, home filled with small tokens of their love explores alternatives to new ‘No,’ ” Bobby Guin recalls. “I said, ‘You for each other – artificial flowers, tiny 7 prisons figurines, and their Chihuahua, Bobbie Joe. got a boyfriend?’ and she said, ‘No.’ I said, Living on Social Security, they were Foundation welcomes new ‘I’ll be right back,’ and I went over and got directors me a drink.” getting by in spite of Bobby’s diabetes Jodi interrupts her husband’s yarn to and Jodi’s congestive heart failure. Then in interject: “And he’s been here ever since.” early 2006 they went to the pharmacy to Bobby, 75, is a retired plumber; Jodi, fill their prescriptions and were told their 80, a former restaurant manager. Their life new Medicare Part D plan wouldn’t pay together goes back more than 20 years, for them. Meanwhile, Jodi’s monthly drug premiums were deducted from her Social Security check, even though she wasn’t supposed to pay a premium under Part D. see HEALTH, p. 4 Providing greater access to justice Message from the President Last fall I had the chance to speak four legislators co-sponsored the act, to law students at Florida State University which was passed unanimously by each and to the members of the Tallahassee subcommittee that reviewed the bill and Bar Association, and it was such a received only one dissenting vote before pleasure to hear how appreciated The the full Legislature. Florida Bar Foundation is for its support Since that time, many legislators of the local legal aid community. In turn, have supported funding for FACLA each I was impressed with the Tallahassee Bar year. Sen. Mike Fasano and Rep. Association’s exemplary commitment Richard Glorioso played key roles in to pro bono service, which is, in fact, a securing $1 million in funding for FACLA requirement of membership. I was equally during last year’s legislative session. I Adele I. Stone, Esquire impressed with the commitment of the would like to take this opportunity to faculty and students at the FSU College thank them and the other members of We will again be counting on our of Law to their clinical programs. The the Florida Legislature for bringing Florida legislators to support our request for Foundation is proud to support both into the company of the vast majority of increased FACLA funding in the 2010 the law school’s civil clinic and FSU’s states that provide state funding for legal legislative session. More funding is needed Center for the Advancement of Human assistance for the poor. to meet the needs of the thousands of Rights, which was recently funded by the The FACLA funds support the work Floridians suffering the effects of the Foundation to develop a plan to combat of Florida’s legal aid organizations, which recession. If you have the opportunity, human trafficking in Florida. are confronting ever-increasing demands please tell your local legislators how While in the capital I was reminded from Floridians facing the impact of important FACLA is to your local legal aid of the vital importance of the support of a fragile economy, including job loss, organization. And when they tell you they our legislators, who signed into law the foreclosure and domestic violence. The support FACLA, please thank them. Florida Access to Civil Legal Assistance availability of legal assistance to families Act in 2002, which authorizes state in crisis serves to stabilize those families funding for civil legal assistance. Sixty- and strengthens our communities. Make your mark. Plan a gift. Join the Legacy for Justice. For those who know just how important access to justice really is, here is an opportunity to have a lasting impact. Members of the Foundation’s Legacy for Justice make planned gift commitments such as bequests, charitable gift annuities or trusts to sustain the critical work of the Foundation into the future. Gifts of life insurance or appreciated securities ISTOCKPHOTO qualify as well. Find out more. Tim Bachmeyer Establish your legacy as a proud member of your profession and a firm believer in [email protected] the principles upon which it is founded. (407) 451-9187 2 WWW.FLORIDABARFOUNDATION.ORG COURTESY OF FLORIDA LEGAL SERVICES COURTESY Florida Legal Services Executive Director Kent Spuhler presents a statue of Lady Justice to Paul Doyle. On the base are inscribed the names of those who contributed to the Building Justice capital campaign in honor of Doyle, for whom the new FLS headquarters is named. Paul Doyle Justice Center dedicated by Gabrielle Davis hen it came to naming the new Portland, Ore., to attend the dedication of “For the poor, home of Florida Legal Services, the new FLS headquarters. W only one person would fit “[Doyle] has served in many roles, justice is not vague or the bill, said FLS Executive Director Kent but in all those roles he has been a leader, Spuhler. an encourager and a person that says dispassionate, general “There was only one name that we can never be satisfied,” Spuhler said. could go on the state capital justice “There’s more to do, there is more we can justice for all, but center,” said Spuhler at the Dec. 10 do, no matter if the money’s up or the a living, ambitious, unveiling of the Paul Doyle Justice Center money’s down. The job is in front of you in Tallahassee. “That’s the name of the and the job is making a difference.” sometimes controversial man who has devoted 40 years of his Doyle’s commitment to legal services professional career to the oppressed and began in the 1970s when he served as and dedicated quest. those who weren’t able to get a fair deal executive director of Jacksonville Area out of our legal system.” Legal Aid. We owe the FLS staff For 35 years, FLS has been the voice For 18 years, Doyle has served as and the staff of legal aid for Florida’s poor and disadvantaged. director of The Florida Bar Foundation’s Over the years, its role has grown, both Legal Assistance for the Poor and Law programs throughout in the courtroom and in the Capitol, but Student Assistance grant programs, its attorneys and staff were still working working to fund legal aid organizations Florida our support, in cramped, rented basement offices. in Florida and to foster a love of public The need became apparent for a larger, service among tomorrow’s lawyers. respect and enduring permanent space with more room for The impacts Doyle’s efforts have debt of gratitude for statewide training programs, as well as made are nationwide, said Foundation workspace for legal services staff visiting Executive Director Jane Curran. the shouldering of the capital. As a way of honoring Doyle “I get a chance to travel all over the and helping FLS purchase a more suitable country and tell people what Paul has told this challenge.” building, 175 donors contributed more me to say and I get such recognition for it, than $625,000 through the FLS Building but it’s all Paul,” Curran said. – Paul Doyle Justice capital campaign. In accepting the honor, Doyle said December 10, 2009 About 150 of Doyle’s colleagues, the most important word in the building’s family and friends traveled from as far as name is “justice.” 3 who coordinates the Florida Medicare/ Health Law Program on a class action How the Medicaid Prescription Drug Helpline at against Florida’s Agency for Health Care FLS. Administration. The case came in the wake Foundation helps The helpline is part of the Shirley of new requirements set by the Florida The Shirley Spuhler Health Care Spuhler Health Care Fairness Project, Legislature that certain prescriptions be Fairness Project is just one of many named for its founding director, who lost “prior authorized,” including those for programs at Florida Legal Services her own battle with cancer just over a year patients on more than four brand name supported by The Florida Bar Foundation, whose support for FLS ago. The project uses strategies including drugs, or those needing a drug not on the in 2009-10 includes: class action litigation, fair hearings, state’s Preferred Drug List (PDL).