Lessons learned from the first 13 model approaches to legal services delivery

Presenters Omar Valverde, U.S. Administration on Aging David Godfrey, ABA Commission on Law and Aging Keith Morris, Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors and Center for Elder Rights Advocacy Sue Wasserkrug, Senior Law Center

Model approaches Strategic Goal Tactical Application To promote the creation of comprehensive, well integrated, and cost effective legal service delivery systems that target scarce resources to older adults in the most social or economic need Tactical Application Systems that function with the right legal entities, handling the right kinds of legal cases, at the right level of service

Model approaches Essential Features Senior Legal Helplines Needs and Capacity Assessments Leveraging Low Cost Mechanisms Integration with Aging network Outreach and Targeting Reporting Systems and Outcomes Role of Legal Assistance Developer

Model approaches Needs assessment Systems capacity Collaboration with aging network Training Targeting services Integration Statewide reporting system Leveraging resources Outcomes

a. Needs Assessments

Needs Assessment Understand before you improve Legal Needs Studies examine the Demand side of the equation Legal Needs vs Legal Wants Benchmarking

Many Models for Studies Statistically valid sample Targeted sample Online Paper Multiple choice Narrative Interviews Focus groups

Look for conditions that place elders at risk: Income, Food Shelter Health care Risks to autonomy Risks of abuse, neglect, exploitation

Look beyond the choir Needs of those we know Who do you never reach?

b. Systems Capacity

Supply side of the equation What is the capacity of the system to meet the needs of the population How can the supply be enhanced How can the supply be better coordinated

Look beyond the usual suspects Traditional and non-traditional providers Collaborations with new partners Quantitative and Qualitative measures How many What issues What level of service Think of the full spectrum of legal assistance

c. Collaboration with aging network

Who else works with or helps your target population? Collaborations Who else works with or helps your target population?

What kind of collaborations Reciprocal referral arrangements Cross training Communications sharing of resources Collaborative funding Private bar Invite – invite – invite

d. Training the project that never ends

Training, training, and training… Who to train? Staff & volunteers Other legal providers Aging services network Government staff, e.g., victim services

Training Topics Our services & how to access them Substantive legal issues Issue spotting Serving seniors Capacity issues

Training can be an opportunity… To enlighten the general populations about seniors, their needs and vulnerabilities To educate the aging services network about low-income issues To inform about the importance of SLH’s To create collaborations & coalitions To find allies & advocates

e. Targeting Services

Targeting services Most programs are still very numbers driven and have a hard time changing to impact driven work Older Americans Act requires targeting to the most economical and socially needy Cannot means test

Targeting services A struggle for hotlines because most are used to helping all eligible callers Hotlines have been effective in helping target III-B programs by triaging all clients to identify ones with priority cases Use the needs assessment to help you determine what types of services are most important to your target population

f. Integration

Integration Goal is to create a seamless network of referrals and services, from the client’s perspective Must include both legal and aging Use formal agreements to cement relationships Hard to overcome territorial feelings from some programs

integration Hotlines can play a major role in establishing this seamless program Use of “warm handoff” is a great benefit to clients Use technology, such as automated case transfer, to help client and providers Survey clients to make sure there is no breakdown in the process

g. State reporting system

Statewide reporting system How you tell if your efforts for targeting and integration are working You have to be able to tell your story with an accurate picture Identify trends and gaps in service Must have buy-in from AAA because they control the contracts A strong Legal Assistance Developer is crucial

Statewide reporting system Michigan’s model Automated data extract of non-identifying client- level information Statewide system that cross references all entries to create a uniform report One source for all reports

h. Leverage resources

Sustainability Who moved my cheese? From Day One New and innovative Never done before Share projects Use legal needs and systems assessment to build the case for state and local funding Involvement builds buy in 50% of spending on Title III legal assistance

i. Outcomes

Outcomes How did your work change the lives of clients? Define it Measure it Report it Qualitative vs. quantitative Outcomes vs. outputs Crucial for funding!

Legal Service Delivery System

Customer Centered vision No wrong door Improved access

Resources www.nlrc.aoa.gov www.legalhotlines.org Omar Valverde, omar.valverde@aoa.hhs.gov David Godfrey, godfreyd@staff.abanet.org Keith Morris, kmorris@elderlawofmi.org Sue Wasserkrug, swasserkrug@seniorlawcenter.org