Published on Post-Gazette IPSO FACTO THURSDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2012
Written by Justin Karter
Neighborhood Legal Services (NLSA) is conscious of the social service needs that legal services clients present in addition to their civil legal needs. That is why NLSA has developed The Law & Social Work Partnership Program to ensure that clients get the support and key social services they need to achieve more comprehensive and longer lasting solutions to their legal problems.
“If somebody loses their job and then can’t pay their utilities that could break their rental agreement and the next thing you know they’re being evicted-- and now you have a legal issue,” explained Kathleen Parke, a Social Worker at NLSA. “Once the legal issue is handled social workers can get to the root of the problem and connect a client with the appropriate resources.”
The Law & Social Work Program works to indentify the needs of a client and match them with access to social services. These services often help to address their urgent legal problems and ultimately prevent future crises from reoccurring.
When a 21-year-old mother with an 8-month-old baby had fled an abusive relationship and was seeking legal help, the lawyers at NLSA were able to obtain a Protection from Abuse Order. The father of the child had repeatedly abused the mother and had threatened to kill both her and the child. While the Protection from Abuse Order prevented him from having contact with either the mother or the child, it could not help the struggling mother who now had build a new home for herself and her child. The social worker at NLSA, however, was able to meet with the mother and help her obtain Section 8 housing as well as employment training, a clothing voucher, and a referral service for a divorce lawyer.
“It makes sense to take a holistic approach to helping clients who have needs that are more than just legal—it’s a matter of being able to connect them with resources that will help them avoid further trouble,” said Parke.
Parke described helping another woman who had recently suffered a massive stroke. The elderly woman’s memory was badly damaged by the stroke and her mental health had deteriorated. The woman stopped receiving services when she forgot to renew them and she could no longer pay her mortgage and faced eviction. Parke was able to set her up with a program that would help manage her finances and pay her bills on time and, as a result of her efforts, the woman was able to stay in her home.
“Working with clients who come in with legal issues but who have underlying mental health issues ends up preventing a lot of homelessness,” said Parke.
Having a social worker as part of the legal services team leads to improved efficiencies and positive results for clients. NLSA lawyers are able to focus on representing the client and resolving the legal issues and the social worker helps to make sure the underlying social issues are solved so the legal problems don't escalate.
NLSA provides critical legal services to the victims of domestic violence; to seniors in order to preserve dignity and human necessities such as income, health care, and shelter; to citizens with disabilities promoting accessibility, equality and independence; and to residents facing housing issues, foreclosures, and evictions thereby preserving shelter and preventing homelessness.
(Image: Kathleen Parke/NLSA photo)
When a 21-year-old mother with an 8-month-old baby had fled an abusive relationship and was seeking legal help, the lawyers at NLSA were able to obtain a Protection from Abuse Order. The father of the child had repeatedly abused the mother and had threatened to kill both her and the child. While the Protection from Abuse Order prevented him from having contact with either the mother or the child, it could not help the struggling mother who now had build a new home for herself and her child. The social worker at NLSA, however, was able to meet with the mother and help her obtain Section 8 housing as well as employment training, a clothing voucher, and a referral service for a divorce lawyer.
“It makes sense to take a holistic approach to helping clients who have needs that are more than just legal—it’s a matter of being able to connect them with resources that will help them avoid further trouble,” said Parke.
Parke described helping another woman who had recently suffered a massive stroke. The elderly woman’s memory was badly damaged by the stroke and her mental health had deteriorated. The woman stopped receiving services when she forgot to renew them and she could no longer pay her mortgage and faced eviction. Parke was able to set her up with a program that would help manage her finances and pay her bills on time and, as a result of her efforts, the woman was able to stay in her home.
“Working with clients who come in with legal issues but who have underlying mental health issues ends up preventing a lot of homelessness,” said Parke.
Having a social worker as part of the legal services team leads to improved efficiencies and positive results for clients. NLSA lawyers are able to focus on representing the client and resolving the legal issues and the social worker helps to make sure the underlying social issues are solved so the legal problems don't escalate.
NLSA provides critical legal services to the victims of domestic violence; to seniors in order to preserve dignity and human necessities such as income, health care, and shelter; to citizens with disabilities promoting accessibility, equality and independence; and to residents facing housing issues, foreclosures, and evictions thereby preserving shelter and preventing homelessness.
(Image: Kathleen Parke/NLSA photo)
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