Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC) provides free legal representation, advice, and referrals to Veterans in every town in Connecticut.
UPDATE (posted 1/13/2026): We are now OPEN for new clients with legal issues related to VA benefits, service-connection, or discharge upgrades.
If you (or, if you are a clinician, the veteran with whom you work) sent a referral or reached out between November 7, 2025 and January 1, 2026, please re-send. Our team will respond to you within 3-5 business days. If you do not receive a response in that time frame, please reach back out to the screening team. As a reminder, we are committed to screening each veteran but cannot provide full representation in every case.
Civil legal issues, including eviction, housing conditions issues, and consumer debt remain open and were not impacted by the November screening pause. If you are confronting any of these issues, please contact our Screening Team at intakes@ctveteranslegal.org or call or text (203) 479-0375.
Thank you for trusting our team with your legal issues and for your patience and partnership.
We prioritize serving Veterans who are low-income. You will be asked to share accurate income information during the screening process. If you are unsure about whether you will qualify, we urge you to reach out and talk to our Intake & Screening team at intakes@ctveteranslegal.org.
"As a primary care physician for patients experiencing homelessness I have witnessed firsthand the power of legal assistance in improving the lives of my patients."
Referring A Veteran / Client
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC) works with Veterans in treatment recovering from mental health challenges, addiction and substance abuse, and/or experiencing homelessness. CVLC works directly with Veterans who are referred to us by their mental health clinician, case manager, or physician.
To make a client referral, please follow these steps:
- Completely fill out the CVLC Referral Packet (opens as a pdf)
- Submit to our Intake and Screening Team via email at intakes@ctveteranslegal.org OR via fax to (203) 889-0111.
- Once we receive the completed form, a member of our Intake and Screening team will be in contact with you. Please note that it can take up to 5 business days for us to review this information.
CVLC’s legal services are partially funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk for Homelessness (LSV-H) Grant Program. As part of this grant program, CVLC is committed to upholding the LSV-H Program Policy of Non-Discrimination Based on Religion. Read the policy here.
Meet Our Intake & Screening Team
Cyd Oppenheimer
Supervising Attorney, Screening
Juliet Taylor
Intake and Program Access Specialist
Jeanine Avitabile
Legal Screener
Who can Make a CVLC Referral
- Addiction Therapist
- APRN /Nurse
- Behavioral Health Clinician
- Case Manager
- Community Support Worker
- Employment Specialist
- Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
- Mental Health Clinician
- Neurologist
- Occupational Therapist
- OEF/OIF Social Worker
- Outreach Social Worker
- Peer Support Specialist
- Primary Care Physician
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist
- Readjustment Counselor
- Social Worker
- SSVF Case worker
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- VASH Case Manager
- Veteran’s Jail Diversion Case Manager
- Vocational Specialist
PLEASE NOTE : You do not need to be affiliated with VA to provide a referral. CVLC accepts referrals from a variety of sources including community organizations, nonprofit agencies, and healthcare providers.
Thank You to our program funders and partners
