This brief presents four case studies of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) with projects dedicated to assisting those with opioid use or substance use disorder in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Portsmouth (Ohio) and Reno. It finds that MLPs are successful at reducing barriers to employment, stabilizing families, and improving health.
The main reasons for not going to law enforcement when experiencing abuse was fear of being stigmatized by their church, family, and community. The researchers reviewed data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and conducted fieldwork in four rural counties in the Black Belt of Alabama. They find that when women feel more independent, which can be furthered by legal services such as assisting with benefits and outreach, they were more likely to come forward to seek out law enforcement.
In this study, the California Commission on Access to Justice reports on attorney deserts — places where there are too few attorneys and high numbers of unmet legal needs. They find that attorney deserts are an acute problem in rural areas. This is not a problem concentrated in California — in the US, approximately 2 percent of small law practices are in rural places, serving approximately 20 percent of the US population.
In this study, researchers conducted a cost benefit analysis of an MLP. Using baseline data and three years of follow up data in logic modelling, they find that there was a 319 percent return on investment.
The researchers surveys rural populations in six states — California, Georgia, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and South Dakota — to provide insights on the rural challenges confronting each of these states, the legal resources available, and existing policy responses.
The California Commission on Access to Justice analyzes the quality and access to civil justice in rural California, discussing the legal needs, the profile of rural legal assistance, how the courts, self-help centers, and other community organizations can be involved, and how the legal aid community can engage with pro bono. Among other findings, the study finds that housing, labor violations, domestic violence, access to health care and services, legal problems facing the elderly and persons with disabilities, language assistance, and tribal-related issues were the top legal needs of rural Californians.
Legal Aid Research 