Technology Tools for Reaching Clients During the Pandemic

• Sarah Galvan, Justice in Aging

• Erin Riker, Center for Elder Law & Justice

• Melissa Woods, Center for Elder Law & Justice

Key Topics

• Strategies and tools for remote operations • Communications and outreach to client

communities •Remote service delivery models and tools • Partnerships to enhance remote services• Challenges and design considerations

Serving Clients During COVID-19 Pandemic

• Certain populations are at high-risk if exposed to COVID-19

• Steps should be taken to:• Suspend in-person client meetings in the office and in client

homes• Reschedule outreach events or make them remote• Request continuances or remote appearances for court

dates

• Provide clear communication to current clients on upcoming court dates or appointments—there may be confusion about an expectation to appear

Access to Services & Information

• Internet access & use varies among the older adult population

• Phone access• Lifeline services

• Mail

• Some populations will rely on partnerships for communication:• Older adults in long-term care facilities• Older adults experiencing homelessness

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What equipment is needed to effectively clients remotely? Do

we need high-tech tools?

Checklist for Remote Work• Appropriate technology, including laptops or

tablets, printers, internet access, phones, etc.

• Access to case management systems

• Access to services needed to assist clients with disabilities or with limited English proficiency (i.e.: interpreter services)

• Hard copies of contact information for partners

• Legal research tools

• Program forms, such as retainer agreements, consent forms, and disclosure forms

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Communication Strategies –Optimize

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• Outreach through volunteer networks offering delivery services and wellness checks

• Informational cards or flyers provided through other “essential service” providers, including health care providers

• Contact your local newspaper or cable TV station directly. They may be eager for new and relevant content or offer PSAs

• Outreach through civic and faith-based organizations

• Outreach through companies that manage residences & communities for older adults

What models and tools can we use for remote services?

Remote Legal Support Models

•Phone advice

•Online, asynchronous forums

•Chat-based assistance

•Online/virtual clinics

•Broad-based access to legal rights resources and self-advocacy tools

How can digital tools expand meaningful roles for community partners?

• Tools to facilitate on site or phone-based legal health “check-ups” & referrals to a partnering legal services program

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With support from DOJ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), PBN is developing replication support resources for the Risk Detector

What is the Legal Risk Detector?

A web-based legal health “check-up” tool that allows medical personnel, social workers, and other allied professionals to screen

older adults for common legal issues, including housing, health care, consumer, abuse, and financial exploitation.

Disclaimer: this system does not provide legal advice and its use does

not form an attorney-client relationship between any parties

After a Risk Detector assessment is completed by a community partner

• A report is generated & automatically e-mailed to CELJ for appropriate handling & follow up.

• CELJ department(s) receive the report & call the potential client back

• Either we can help & a “full services” attorney-client relationship is established; OR

• We provide an assisted referral, or brief counsel & advice

Take the app for a test run!HTTPS://APPLICATIONS.NEOTALOGIC.COM/A/RISK-DETECTOR

Why are screening tools effective?

• Help community partners “issue spot”

• We do not always recognize problems as a legal issues, or that their problems have legal solutions.

• Help non-legal service orgs understand what your agency does.

• Provide community partners with an easy way to make a referral from anywhere (e.g. phone call, office meeting, home visit).• This will be increasingly important in the months to come

• Remove stigma of working with an attorney

Other Methods of Service

•Remote Legal Clinics •Drop-in virtual clinics can be centered around

specific issues (i.e. housing)

•Mobile Legal Unit •Meeting clients where they are to provide legal

health check-ups

Using Legal Advice Helplines to Reach Clients Remotely

• Use an existing Helpline physical structure if possible• Building a Helpline from the ground up not feasible during an

emergency• Adapt from other remote services your agency may provide• Scripts, informed consent documents, and technology can all be

manipulated to support Helpline infrastructures

• Ensure adequate staffing• If offering live hours, should be staffed by attorneys only• Paralegals and support staff can be used to intake

voicemails/emails and direct them to appropriate attorneys for callbacks

Best Uses for Legal Advice Helplines

• Helplines are best for brief legal services

• Answers to simple questions

• Relaying information contained in executive orders and emergency laws

• “Non-legal” but important information – status of local government offices, operating hours for important businesses

• Designate a coordinator to put together as many legal resources as possible for Helpline staffers

• Overviews for popular areas of law

• New developments related to emergency situation

• This is a full-time job, but one that can be done by paralegals or law students if needed

Structure for Legal Advice Helplines

• Live calling only• Callers dial a certain number during certain hours of the day and reach a live

attorney

• Voicemail only• Callers leave voicemails with callback information for an attorney to reach

them

• Can also leave specific days/times when they will be available

• Email option• Best when offered in conjunction with phone options

Structure for Legal Advice Helplines, cont.

• Hybrid• Mix of live calling, voicemail, and email options

• Could also include a web-based live chat if the technology is available to you

• Best option because it allows people to reach live attorneys for urgent matters, but also doesn’t limit intake to a few hours a day

Outreach for Legal Advice Helplines

• Flyers in delivery packages• Instacart• Pharmacy deliveries• Meals on Wheels

• Local Politicians• Newsletters, websites, press briefings

• Community Bulletins on TV/Radio stations• Often less expensive than ad space

• “Earned Media”• Seek out news outlets looking for feel-good stories or to provide information

regarding available services

Post-pandemic Practices

• We should continue to think about ways to avoid having high-risk clients go to court by advocating for phone appearances and continuances.

• There may be a surge in case volume (particularly in housing as moratoriums are lifted). • Screening tools and virtual clinics may streamline process

• Keep in mind that people’s experiences have been fundamentally altered, and that we should be careful to give our clients options for contact.

Contact Information

• Sarah Galvan, Justice in Aging • sgalvan@justiceinaging.org

• Erin Riker, Center for Elder Law & Justice• eriker@elderjusticeny.org

• Melissa Woods, Center for Elder Law & Justice• mwoods@elderjusticeny.org

Questions?