Reaching Out
Published on May 6, 2008
CFJ Survey Sets New Course for Delivering Legal Services
A new survey conducted by Center for Justice Outreach Coordinator Holly Fauerso is injecting new energy and focus into the Center’s efforts to deliver legal services to poor and disadvantaged Spokane citizens.
The survey, which involved dozens of interviews with Spokane-area social service providers over a four month period, found that access to free consultations with attorneys is, by far, the top expressed need in the area of legal assistance. The legal problems identified in the assessment were fairly broad, but assistance in landlord/tenant disputes and help with credit repair were the two most frequently cited problems.
Fauerso took on the assignment shortly after she came to work at the Center last year. At the time, the Center had never done a formal needs assessment and CFJ chief catalyst Breean Beggs thought such a survey could help tailor the delivery of the Center’s Community Advocacy services.
“Previous legal needs assessments focused on areas of law,” Beggs explained, “the Center’s survey focused on the most effective way to deliver legal services from the client’s perspective. We found that the face-to-face advice is almost always the most effective means of serving the poor, even if the advocate was not an actual attorney.”
A starting point was a September 2003 “Civil Legal Needs Study” commissioned by the Washington State Supreme Court. One of the eye-opening findings of that study was that 87 percent of low-income Washington households confront a serious civil legal problem every year. While the results of Fauerso’s new survey are generally consistent with the 2003 statewide study there was at least one compelling difference in emphasis. Whereas the 2003 study stressed a “more thoughtful use of technology” would be instrumental in addressing unmet needs, Fauerso’s survey left no doubt about the pressing need for hands on help.
“The assessment helped us come to the conclusion that we needed to be out in the community getting through transportation and other barriers to deliver our services,” Fauerso says. “One of our steps in response to this is to set up Justice Clinics on-site at neighborhood community centers.”
The first of the CFJ Justice Clinics was held at the West Central Community Center on April 24th. Not surprisingly, given the results of the new survey, dozens of west central residents turned out to get free consultations from CFJ attorneys and advocates.
To read the new survey, click here. To read the 2003 statewide legal needs study, click here civillegalneeds.