/ en /nick <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Nick: “A Life and Death Difference” </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sierra-chacona…</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-02-02T15:17:39-05:00" title="Monday, February 2, 2026 - 15:17" class="datetime">Mon, 02/02/2026 - 15:17</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-summary field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item">Nick Smith can’t live on his own. His father, Tim, was scared about what would happen to his adult son after being denied disability benefits. Thankfully, ��è��Ƶ-funded legal services were there to help.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-paragraph-types field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><div class="paragraph paragraph--text-and-image paragraph--text-and-image--default paragraph--type--text-and-image paragraph--view-mode--default align-left" id="meet-nick-" data-title="Meet Nick "> <div class="paragraph--content"> <div class="paragraph--column"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-oembed-video field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item"><iframe src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/5fpdbmr9TLs&amp;max_width=0&amp;max_height=0&amp;hash=ur-jzvXcTsNLGHsEKdgQOzK6Z3FXlcdGZeYSPw5F84E" width="200" height="113" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Nick &amp; Tim's Story: How Civil Legal Aid Helped a Family Find Justice"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph--column"> <h2>Meet Nick </h2> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-long-description field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Nick Smith lives in a group home for adults in rural Montana. A working farm, the home allows Nick to work with the animals and be part of a larger community. But when his parents were denied the disability benefits they needed to pay for Nick’s care, his future became uncertain. With the help of Montana Legal Services Association, Nick’s parents worked through the appeals process, and his attorney helped set up the arrangements needed for Nick to be able to remain in his home as long as he chooses and to get the care he needs.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--call-to-action paragraph--call-to-action--default paragraph--type--call-to-action paragraph--view-mode--default" id="call_to_action" data-title="call to action" data-original-title="call to action"> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--link paragraph--link--default paragraph--type--link paragraph--view-mode--default" id="link" data-title="link" data-original-title="link"> <div class="field field--name-field-link field--type-link field--label-hidden field__item"><a href="https://youtu.be/5fpdbmr9TLs">Watch on YouTube</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="text-respect fade-in-right"> <img src="themes/lsc/img/decor/respect.svg" alt> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--full-width-image-cta paragraph--full-width-image-cta--default paragraph--type--full-width-image-cta paragraph--view-mode--default" style="background-image: url('/sites/default/files/2026-02/gettyimages-2025486397.jpg');" id="cases-like-nick’s-are-growing-in-number." data-title="Cases like Nick’s are growing in number." data-original-title="Cases like Nick’s are growing in number."> <div class="paragraph--content"> <div class="full-width-image-cta__content"> <div class="field field--name-field-plain-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cases like Nick’s are growing in number.</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-long-description field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>While making up a relatively small portion of legal services cases, health-related legal problems like Nick’s are becoming more common. ��è��Ƶ-funded organizations saw a 24% increase in health cases from 2023 to 2024.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-double-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--call-to-action paragraph--call-to-action--default paragraph--type--call-to-action paragraph--view-mode--default" id="call_to_action" data-title="call to action" data-original-title="call to action"> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--link paragraph--link--default paragraph--type--link paragraph--view-mode--default" id="link" data-title="link" data-original-title="link"> <div class="field field--name-field-link field--type-link field--label-hidden field__item"><a href="/our-impact/publications/numbers">Learn more about case trends</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--double-cta paragraph--double-cta--default paragraph--type--double-cta paragraph--view-mode--default" id="learn-about-montana" data-title="Learn About Montana" data-original-title="Learn About Montana"> <div class="paragraph--column"> <h2>Learn About Montana</h2> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-long-description field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Learn about the civil legal needs impacting the state of Montana.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><img data-entity-uuid="18bf4cbe-ceb6-4602-89e7-150292173885" data-entity-type="file" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/montana%20icon.png" height="75" width="75" loading="lazy"></div> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--call-to-action paragraph--call-to-action--default paragraph--type--call-to-action paragraph--view-mode--default" id="call_to_action" data-title="call to action" data-original-title="call to action"> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--link paragraph--link--default paragraph--type--link paragraph--view-mode--default" id="link" data-title="link" data-original-title="link"> <div class="field field--name-field-link field--type-link field--label-hidden field__item"><a href="/grants/our-grantees/montana-legal-services-association-program-profile">Learn About Montana</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph--column"> <h2>Learn About Montana Legal Services Association</h2> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-long-wysiwyg field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Learn about ��è��Ƶ grantee, Montana Legal Services Association.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-secondary-cta field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--call-to-action paragraph--call-to-action--default paragraph--type--call-to-action paragraph--view-mode--default" id="call_to_action" data-title="call to action" data-original-title="call to action"> <div class="field field--name-field-call-to-action field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--link paragraph--link--default paragraph--type--link paragraph--view-mode--default" id="link" data-title="link" data-original-title="link"> <div class="field field--name-field-link field--type-link field--label-hidden field__item"><a href="/grants/our-grantees/montana-legal-services-association-program-profile">Learn About MLSA</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-client-stories field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field field--name-field-client-stories field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items field__tags"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/29" hreflang="en">Health &amp; Medical</a> </div> </div> Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:17:39 +0000 sierra-chacona@lsc.gov 4764 at