The National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership conducted a study on the legal needs of veterans. They describe the legal needs of veterans. They then provide case studies on three MLPs, showing how MLPs are changing how we think of care for veterans.
Case types – LSC
The Color of Debt: How Collection Suits Squeeze Black Neighborhoods
Two investigative journalists for ProPublica analyzed debt in collections by neighborhood tract. They find that debt is concentrated in neighborhoods that are majority black and that the average balance for which a balance was sued varies by race; white residents were sued for higher amounts, suggesting that they are better able to resolve smaller debts.
Legal Aid Society of Columbus: Tenant Advocacy Project Evaluation
Legal Aid Society of Columbus had Thoughtwell, a nonpartisan think tank, conduct a project evaluation of the Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP). The project evaluation finds that legal services provided through TAP had a significant positive effect on housing outcomes for their clients.
Expediting Permanency: Legal Representation for Foster Children in Palm Beach County
Researchers at the University of Chicago conducted an evaluation of a partnership between a legal aid organization and a social service provider for children. They find that when children are represented, they had a higher rate of exit to permanency (between 1.38 and 1.59 times faster). They also find that this program is cost effective.
Evaluation of the QIC-ChildRep Best Practices Model Training for Attorneys Representing Children in the Child Welfare System
This program evaluation of the QIC-ChildRep training for attorneys representing children in child welfare cases finds that children assigned to attorneys who underwent the intervention’s training were more likely to experience permanency within 6 months when compared to attorneys who did not participate in the intervention. Attorneys who participated in the intervention met with their child client more frequently, spend more time on cases, contacted more parties, spent more time developing the theory of the case, and had more contact with foster parents and substitute caregivers.
Disasters in Rural California: The Impact on Access to Justice
This report analyzes how disasters have disproportionately struck rural parts of California. These areas often have higher poverty rates than urban ones, and are typically the slowest to recover from disasters. During disaster and recovery, low-and modest-means communities often do not have access to legal remedies, meaning that recovery is often uneven. This report outlines how legal aid and pro bono assistance help residents in areas of housing, consumer issues, employment, insurance, public benefits, replacing vital records and documents, and accessing FEMA benefits.
The Attorney As the Newest Member of the Cancer Treatment Team
In this study, researchers profile LegalHealth, a free legal services program that works alongside health care providers in cancer care. Because oncologists often discuss insurance, employment, and financial concerns at first diagnosis and then later on, advanced planning (e.g., health care proxies, advance directives, etc.), they are in a prime position to partner with legal services. In this article, the researchers profile the benefits to patients, families and care partners, as well as benefits to providers and to the health care institution.
A Medical-Legal Partnership as a Component of a Palliative Care Model
In this evaluation, researchers reviewed program referral and outcomes over three years from an MLP. They found that through the legal services component of the MLP, they overturned 17 benefit denials and the institution received $923,188 for current and past health services.
Evaluation of the Guardian Ad Litem System in Nebraska
In many child dependency cases in Nebraska, the court will appoint a guardian ad litem to advocate for the child. The researchers evaluated five counties in Nebraska. They find that there is a lack of clarity for guardian ad litems, guardians were satisfied with their caseloads, a majority believed their compensation was inadequate, and most of the guardians believed they received insufficient training.
Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men
This research article uses the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence survey to examine levels of sexual abuse, physical violence, stalking, and verbal abuse of American Indian and Alaskan Native women and men by their intimate partners.
Legal Aid Research 