PLAN offers its condolences to the family and many friends of Yvette Long who passed away suddenly over the weekend. Yvette is a long-time member of the PLAN Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Directors of Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance.

She was deeply committed to access to justice through civil legal aid programs and to betterment of the lives of low income Pennsylvanians and of low income clients across the United States. This commitment extended beyond just words. It translated into action.

Much of her work was through the PA Welfare Rights Organization. She was effective at advocating for increased funding for PLAN programs, for the prior establishment of a Department of Human Services Employment Project, and for impacting many decisions of DHS, in her role as a leader in Pennsylvania’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC), which impacted Medicaid policy in Pennsylvania and she chaired MAAC’s Consumer Subcommittee; a very active consumer advisory committee, which she made sure provided very effective input.

She was presented with the prestigious Mary Ellen Hamilton Award by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association in 2010, for which PLAN nominated her (following her tenure on that board). She is also a past winner of the PLAN Excellence Award and in 2013 was presented the Outstanding Leadership Award by PLAN, which is highlighted in the video below. We are deeply saddened by her loss and her leadership on behalf of the entire low-income community will be missed by us all.

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