Georgia Senior Legal Hotline Outcomes Study

• Surveyed clients whom we advised to take action:

did client take the action?did client benefit?what was the benefit?

• “Benefit” quantified using our current category of outcomes

Examples of Recommended Actions

1. File answer to collections lawsuit2. Mail FDCPA letter to collection agency3. Repair request to landlord4. Bring proof of medical expenses to increase

amount of food stamps5. Apply for QMB

In a majority of our casesthe outcome is unknown

• Between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011, the Hotline closed around 2100 cases.

• Approx. 300 of these cases were transferred to our “full-service” unit so we don’t take credit for any outcomes

• Therefore, Hotline has a universe of 1800 cases that could have quantifiable outcomes

• Hotline recorded Outcomes for around 400 of these cases.

• Leaves 1400 cases in which Hotline has no quantifiable outcome to report. (Georgia Hotline doesn’t “count” advice or brief service in a particular area of substantive law as an “outcome”.)

Why do this? Help us do a better job internally and as a part of the legal services network

Can the Hotline improve practices to increase likelihood that client can undertake the action and get a good outcome?

or Is the action too difficult for clients regardless

of how clear Hotline’s advice is? (if so, then what?)

Why do this (part 2)?Existentialism: What role the Hotline plays in

the legal services delivery system?

Outcomes study helps us paint a more complete picture of Hotline’s role in improving lives of vulnerable seniors and can help guide discussions about using limited resources to help the most seniors.

Audience: our parent organizationlegal service organizationsthe aging networkpotential funders

Borchard Foundation Center on Law and Aging

Fellowship in Law & Aging for two law school graduates interested in an academic and/or professional career in law and aging

• A legal services or other non-profit organization involved in law and aging must supervise a Fellow’s activities and projects.

• Fellow must also provide direct legal services to older persons

• http://www.borchardcla.org/

Timeline (the real one)• Sept – December 2010:Reviewed all outcomes studies on CERA website (www.legalhotlines.org)Determined survey method and data analysis tool (survey monkey)Drafted surveys and tested surveysAttorneys start flagging cases• January – July 2011:Revised surveys!Conduct surveys • August 2011: Enter Data into survey monkey• September – now: Data analysis and draft report(Final report not completed; when final report is completed, it will be available

along with copies of our surveys)

Modeled our study on the AARP Foundation’s 2006 Legal Hotlines Client Outcomes Study.

Six Areas—six surveys• 1. Consumer • 2. Public Benefits • 3. Landlord-Tenant • 4. Power of Attorney or Advance Directives • 5. Qualified Income Trusts (QITs) :• 6. Probate

Flagged cases where we advised client to take “action”

TYPES OF CASES FLAGGED:The types of cases flagged for the survey were ones where the Hotline thought client could either (1)take a relatively simple action to resolve her dispute or gain relief or (2) in more complex cases, such as filing a pro se lawsuit or defending against a lawsuit, the client could not afford to hire an attorney and there were no LSC-funded, III-B funded, or pro bono legal services available to help the client further.

WHO FLAGGED:Attorneys flagged casesManager and Borchard Fellow reviewed closes cases and flagged additional cases

Conducting the Surveys

• Telephone Survey, most by Borchard Fellow• 6 weeks to 3 months after closed case• Survey may be short, but majority of calls turned into hours of

work • Many surveys could not be used – clients give inconsistent

answers and new attorney not yet skilled at teasing out the real story

• Next time: track # of clients we couldn’t reach or # of surveys that couldn’t be used

Compiling Data

• Written surveys• Entered into Survey Monkey – MUST check work!• Big “uh-ohs”

--cannot merge the 6 individual surveys into one large data set – had to hand calculate totals -- can’t delete answer choices (“not applicable”)--cross tabs limitedNext Time: use one master Survey Monkey survey or use Excel

# of surveys

Clients who took action Hotline recommended

For clients who took action, did things got better?

Outcomes discovered by conducting survey Clients who said Hotline was helpful

Consumer 63

45 (71%) (1 client still plans on taking action)

Yes 76% (34)Mixed 16 % (7) (5 of 7 waiting for results)No 9% (4) (2 of 4 waiting for results)

$112,207 debt avoided/recovery for 18 clients (including 5 lawsuits dismissed after clients filed answers; 3 corrected credit reports and 1 client eligible for homeownership program)5 clients protected from garnishment10 clients protected from harassing phone calls1 client delayed foreclosure and submitted HAMP application

57 of out 63 (90%)

Public Benefits 46 27 (59%)(2 clients still plan on taking action)When Hotline spots benefits issue: 56% take action. When Client calls about benefits issue: 67% take action

Yes 59% (16)Mixed 11% (3)No 30% (8) (7 waiting for results)

$3,275 monthly benefits ($39,300 annual benefits) in 11 cases $10,050 one-time benefit in 4 cases$14 overpayment waived in 1 case

38 out of 46 (83%)

Landlord Tenant 16 13 (81%) Yes 11 (86%)Mixed 1 (7%)No 1 (7%)

Prevented illegal evictions for 7 clients (12 individuals)Obtained $2,187 monthly housing benefits ($26,244.00 per year) for 3 clientsImproved housing conditions, $4,923 in repairs and other recovery for 4 clients (6 individuals)

13 out of 16 (81%)

Power of Attorney/Advance Directive

18 8 (44%)(4 clients still plan on taking action)

Yes 88% (7)No 12% (1)

14 POAs and Advance Directives executed, valued at $1,050 (calculated under ELAP rules; 14 docs @ $75 doc)

18 out of 18 (100%)

Probate/Wills

15 9 (60%)(4 clients still plan on taking action)

Yes 78% (7)Mixed 11% (1)No 11% (1)

$38,500 amount protected/obtained in 2 probate cases (4 clients reported success but surveyor didn’t get estimate of estate)1 codicil executed

14 out of 15 (93%)

QIT 16 16 (100%) Yes 11 (69%)Mixed 5 (31%) (4 waiting for decision; 1 spending down assets)No 0 (0%)

10 eligible for M-aid benefits worth approximately $40,000 per month ($480,000 per year)

16 out of 16 (100%)

Clients surveyed

Clients who took action Hotline recommended

For clients who took action, did things got better?

Financial Outcomes discovered by conducting survey

Clients who said Hotline was helpful

TOTAL 174 clients surveyed

68% (118) took the action recommend

An additional 11 clients (6%) plan on taking the action and do not need further help

Yes 73% (86)

Mixed 14% (17)(53% --9 clients--who reported “mixed” improvement said they were still waiting for the result of their action

No 13% (15)(60%--9 clients—who reported “no improvement” said they were still waiting for the result of their action

$166,744 one time award or amount protected

$5,462 awarded in monthly benefits (not counting the QIT; including QIT the monthly amount is $45,462)

Annually, the benefits total $65,544 (not counting the QIT; including the QIT, the annual amount is $545,544)

90% (156)

Action or type of case most difficult for clientsto handle

Barriers --demographic Recommendation for improving outcomes

Successful Actions and Practices

Consumer Completing FDCPA form lettersFiling a pro se lawsuit

Disabled -Follow up with disabled clients -FDCPA letters bring relief-Answers to collections lawsuits result in dismissals (Hotline’s written materials very helpful)

Public Benefits Understanding and applying for QMB/SLMB and veterans benefitsFiling appeals and waivers

DisabledLives aloneMale

-Place follow up call to client for QMB/SLMB.-Advise on one benefit at a time; advice letters should address one issue at a time.-Draft “generic” veterans benefits letter to encourage referrals to VSOs-Clients need help filing appeals. Discuss findings with full service legal aid offices who don’t accept referrals until after client files the appeal or waiver request; see if these offices will take the referrals.

Identifying eligibility for food stamps, QMB, “other” benefits (LIHEAP, etc).

Landlord Tenant Writing repair request to send to landlord

Disabled -Develop simple form letter that client can use to request repairs.-In general send written summary of advice

-Mailing copy of statute that client can show LL (successful b/c statutes are short and very clear)

Power of Attorney/Advance Directive

Most difficult form to understand was the financial power of attorney

Living alone -Place follow up calls to clients who live alone

Probate/Wills

Small sample size and no one action stood out as “too difficult”

Disabled No change recommended

QIT None None No change recommended Excellent written instructions

Improving likelihood of success• c

Satisfaction survey is not an outcomes survey

• Consumer survey: 8 out of 11 clients who did not understand our advice or found the action too difficult to do said the Hotline was helpful.

• On the flip side, one “consumer” client who took our advice and was successful said the Hotline was not helpful.

Consumer 63Client surveyed

45 (71%) took action Yes 76% (34)

Mixed 16 % (7) (5 of 7 waiting for results)

No 9% (4) (2 of 4 waiting for results)

57 of out 63 (90%)

LESSON: Satisfaction and “I feel” questions are nice but not a substitute for objective outcomes

Did you take the action that the Hotline recommended? (Consumer Surveys)N=63)

Response Percent

Response Count

Yes 71% 45No 29% 18

Action Recommended

Number of times

client was advised to take the action

Number of times

client took the action

Rate at which

action was taken

Mail FCRA letter 3 2 66%Mail FDCPA letter 21 13 62%Mail demand letter that the Hotline wrote for me

22

100%

Write letter to adverse party 10 7 70%Call adverse party 5 5 100%File a lawsuit 6 2 33%File an answer to a lawsuit 12 11 92%Attend Court proceeding 2 2 100%Contact HUD certified housing counselor 4 3 75%Bring notice of protected income to bank 2 2 100%Other 4 3 75%Consult a private attorney 4 4 100%

Seventy-one percent (71%) of clients (45 clients) took the action the Hotline recommended.

 

Did things change for the better after you took the action that the Hotline

recommended?  

Action Taken Yes No MixedRespon

se Count

Mailed the FCRA letter2

(100%)0 0 2

Mailed the FDCPA letter10

(100%)0 0 10

Mailed the demand letter that the Hotline wrote for me

2 (100%)

0 0 2

Wrote a letter to adverse party 5 (71%) 1 1 7Called adverse party 3 (75%) 0 1 4

Filed a lawsuit 0 0

2 (100%)

2

Filed an answer to a lawsuit 10

(83%)0 2 (17%) 12

Appeared in court for a legal proceeding

3 (100%)

0 0 3

Contacted HUD certified housing counselor

1 (33%) 2 (67%) 0 3

Took notice of protected income to bank

2 (100%)

0 0 2

Other 3

(100%)0 0 3

Contacted or hired a private attorney

1 (25%) 1 (25%) 2 (50%) 4

The harassing phone calls/letters from debt collectors stopped.

10

My contract dispute was resolved to my satisfaction.

8

Other 6

I was able to file an answer to lawsuit/make an appearance in court.

5

The lawsuit against me was dismissed. 5

My income was protected from garnishment. 4

Credit report was corrected/debt removed from credit report

3

I was able to file a lawsuit by myself. 2

I filed bankruptcy and I am happy with the result.

2

I met with a housing counselor and received assistance

1

Consulted with private attorney and got the services I wanted

1

How Were Things Better?

NARRATIVE: 20 clients reported quantifiable financial benefits totaling $112,207.00: 16 clients avoided excessive or unlawful debt totaling $62,913 (this includes 5 cases in which a collections lawsuit against client was dismissed after client filed an answer); 3 clients recovered $48,194; one client saved $1,100 in attorney fees.

In 3 credit reporting cases, we know clients benefited financially after the incorrect debt information was removed from their credit reports. We have not been able to quantify these additional benefits. For example, after getting an incorrect judgment removed from her credit report, one client was able to qualify for the Section 8 homeowners program. Because she has not yet purchased a home, we don’t know the exact value of the Section 8 benefit she will receive.

One client who met with a housing counselor and sent a letter to the mortgage lender was able to delay the foreclosure sale and submit a loan modification application. Again, we know the client has benefitted, but we do not know the exact value of the benefit.

10 clients reported that harassing phone calls from collection agencies stopped. These phone calls are more than an annoyance to many seniors. The phone calls terrify many seniors, disrupting sleep, causing an increase in blood pressure, and other mental and physical problems. We were very happy to learn that the form letters to collection agencies are working.

Didn’t understand advice and/or written materials

Didn’t remember what to do

Action was too hard

Decided to take other action

Still planning on taking the action

I think Hotline gave me back advice

Other Total

Mail FCRA letter 1 1Mail FDCPA letter 2 1 1 3 1 7Mail demand letter Hotline drafted

1 1

Mail demand letter client had to draft

1 1 1 3

File lawsuit 1 1 1 1 3File answer to lawsuit 1 1Contact housing counselor

2 2

TOTAL 6 (33%) 1 5 (28%) 4 (22%) 1 1 2

Why Clients said they didn’t take action

• (note: we had to create this table ourselves because of the cross tab limitations of Survey Monkey)

 

Did you take the action that the Hotline recommended?  

Client's Race/Ethnicity Yes No Response

CountAfrican American 16 (64%) 9 25White 27 (77%) 8 35Hispanic 1 1 2Asian/Pacific Islander 0 0 0Native American 0 0 0Other/Multi-racial 1 0 1Unspecified/unknown 0 0 0

answered question 63

 

Did you take the action that the Hotline recommended?  

Indicator of Social Isolation Yes No Response

CountLives alone 28 (72%) 11 39Homebound 1 0 1Disabled 16 (59%) 11 27Limited English proficiency 0 1 1None of the above 9 (70%) 4 13

answered question 63

Demographics and Barriers to Taking Action

 

Did you take the action that the Hotline recommended?  

Age Yes No Response

Count60-64 12 (60%) 8 2065-69 12 (75%) 4 1670-74 11 (85%) 2 1375-79 5 (63%) 3 880-84 2 (100%) 0 285-89 3 (75%) 1 490+ 0 0 0

answered question 63

Positive Comment “We are blessed to have you. Thanks to the Hotline, a $1900.00 judgment was removed from my credit report and I am now eligible for the Section 8 Homeownership program.

Positive comment “I felt I could call back with any questions. The attorney I spoke with was patient and caring. I am so glad we have the Hotline as a resource. I feel so relieved and I can sleep at night. I feel like I have a guardian angel.

Rates at which Specific Actions were Taken

Number of times client was advised to take

the action

Number of times client

took the action

Rate at which

action was taken

Contact a private attorney 3 3 100%

Apply for benefits 33 19 58%Call or visit the agency (get/drop off information) 8 5 63%File appeal, waiver, request for reconsideration

8 4 50%

PUBLIC BENEFITS

Look at rate type of action was takenThe following chart shows that 50% of the clients filed an appeal or waiver and only 58% applied for benefits.

PUBLIC BENEFITS

By cross tabulating the data in a different way in the following chart, we can see that clients are least likely to take action in Veterans Benefits and Medicare Saving Programs (QMB/SLMB) cases. (NOTE: Nice example of Survey Monkey cross tab, but must always keep its limitations in mind)

Did things change for the better after Client took the action that the Hotline recommended? N=27

Percentage Number of clients

Yes 59% 16

No 30% 8

Mixed 11% 3

PUBLIC BENEFITS

Did Taking the Recommended Action Help the Client? So, 27 out of 46 clients took action. Did taking action make things better for these 27 clients?

Veterans Benefits4 out of 12 took action

Food Stamps10 out of 18 took action

QMB/SLMB4 out of 10 took action

Social SecurityDisability 2 out of 3 took action

SSI2 out of 3 took action

Medicare0 out of 1 took action

Medicaid(Spend-down)2 out of 2 took action

Other benefits4 out of 5 took action

Received Benefits

1 5 3 -- 1 -- 2 3

Worked things out, satisfied

-- -- -- -- 1 -- -- --

Contacted private attorney

-- -- -- 2 -- -- -- --

Other positive change

1 -- -- -- -- -- -- --

PUBLIC BENEFITSThe following chart shows the outcomes by type of public benefit for the Clients who took action and said “things were better”

Clients received $3,275 in monthly benefits, $10,050 in one time benefits, and a waiver $14 in overpayments. Hard to value Spend-down.For the clients who took action but “things did not get better and/or things were mixed”, 7 out of 11 (63%) were still waiting to hear back from the agency.

 Did Client understand Written Materials?

Yes No

Percent who

understoodmaterials

Percentwho said materials helped

Letter summarizing Hotline adviceN=40

23 14 62% 54%

Application for QMB/SLMBN=9

4 5 44% 44%

"Guide to Benefits Programs" (DHS booklet)N=2

0 2 0% 0%

Georgia Cares program brochureN=3

0 3 0% 0%

PUBLIC BENEFITSWe asked clients which written materials they did or did not understand. We also asked whether the written materials

helped the client with their problems. The following table displays the results to these questions.

As the above table shows, only 44% of client could understand the QMB/SLMB application. This finding indicates that we need to follow up with these clients and make sure they call Georgia Cares.

Only sixty-two percent (62%) of clients understood the Hotline’s letters summarizing advice. We reviewed the letters and found that clients were least likely understand letters that contained information and advice about multiple issues (ex. applying for food stamps and veterans benefits). We will encourage attorneys to address one benefit at a time with clients.

Outcomes in which client benefits financially but which cannot be valued with certainty:

 

1. Consumer:

a) Clients protected from garnishment avoided costs associated with having bank account frozen: late payment fees, evictions, repossessions, accrued or higher interest payments.

b) Delay foreclosure to buy time to apply for HAMPc) Correcting credit report made one client eligible for Section 8 homeownership program and

reduced borrowing costs for 3 clientsd) Health and emotional benefits from stopping harassing collection calls

2. Landlord/Tenant: a) clients saved from eviction from privately owned rental housing (clients avoided moving costs,

utility connection fees, lost wages, damage to credit score.

3. Probate: Executed codicil to will (value of document preparation)

4. Public Benefits: Medically need spend-down

Demographics of clients surveyed, excluding QIT clients. For purposes of this demographics section, N=158. • Gender: Female 78% (123)

Male 22% (35) • Age: 60-69 52% (82)

70-79 35% (55) 80-89 11% (17) 90+ 3% (4)

• Poverty level:

less than 100% 29% (45)100-149% 34% (53)150-199% 16% (25)200-249% 11% (17)250-299% 1% (1)300-349% 3% (4)350-399% 1% (2)400%+ 3% (4)Not known 4 % (7)

• Indicator of Social Isolation: 81% (128) had at least one indicator of social isolation

Homebound 4Live alone 93Disabled 69Limited English 2

• Race:White 49% (77)Black 48% (75)Hispanic 2% (3)Other/multi-racial 2% (3)