兰德-An-Evaluation-of-New-Mexicos-Online-Intake-System-for-Civil-Legal-Aid_85页_723kb

New Mexico's Online Intake System for Civil Legal Aid: Summary

Core Content

This report evaluates the implementation and impact of New Mexico's online intake system for civil legal aid, which was launched in April 2016. The system was designed to streamline the process of collecting information from applicants to determine eligibility for legal services. The evaluation focuses on the first eight months of operation (May to December 2016), using data from staff interviews, surveys, and administrative records from the two main legal aid providers in New Mexico: New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) and Law Access New Mexico (LANM).

Main Points

• Purpose of Online Intake Systems: Online intake systems aim to improve efficiency by allowing applicants to input information online, which is then used to determine eligibility and triage cases to the appropriate legal aid agency. This can reduce the time intake screeners spend on non-qualified applicants and allow for quicker confirmation of information via phone calls.

• Implementation of the System in New Mexico: The online system was a hybrid model, requiring applicants to complete the intake process via phone during regular business hours. This design may have limited its effectiveness in reaching individuals who are not available during these hours.

• Key Implementation Issues:

  • Information from the online system did not automatically feed into the CMS, requiring manual input.
  • A high dropout rate occurred due to difficulty in contacting applicants by phone.
  • NMLA received too many cases that were not suitable for their immediate service needs.
  • Some applicants filled out the form for others, leading to confusion when callbacks were made to non-English speakers.
  • Agencies could not modify the system themselves, leading to delays in addressing issues.

• Usage of the Online System:

  • In the first eight months, 13% of LANM intakes and 2% of NMLA intakes came through the online system.
  • Low usage was attributed to limited advertising and the fact that the system was not yet widely known.
  • Surveys indicated that 40% of traditional applicants would have used the online system if they had known about it.

• Impact on Access to Justice:

  • The system may have introduced a new type of client who would not have accessed legal aid through traditional methods.
  • However, the low response rate and sample size of the survey make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about its impact on access to justice.
  • The system did not significantly increase the number of individuals served due to unresolved inefficiencies and unchanged staffing levels.

Key Findings

• The online system did not result in a significant increase in intake efficiency during the initial eight months.
• A large portion of applicants dropped out of the process due to difficulty in being contacted by phone.
• The system was not fully online, which limited its ability to serve individuals outside of regular business hours.
• There is a potential for increased usage if the system is better advertised and made available in Spanish.
• Agencies are aware of the system's inefficiencies and are working to improve it through various changes, including automatic data feeding, streamlined callback procedures, and improved triage algorithms.

Recommendations and Future Changes

• Implemented Changes:

  • Information from the online system now feeds directly into the CMS.
  • LANM has streamlined its callback procedure, allowing attorneys to complete intake and provide services in a single call.
  • LANM now accepts all case types, including family law, through the online system.

• Potential Future Changes:

  • Clarify upfront that the system is a hybrid (online-phone) model.
  • Allow applicants to select time windows for callbacks.
  • Require completion of certain fields before moving on to the next.
  • Improve case triage to ensure appropriate cases are assigned to the correct agency.
  • Provide the system in Spanish to increase accessibility.
  • Increase advertising to raise awareness and usage.

Conclusion

The evaluation of New Mexico's online intake system shows that while it has the potential to improve access to civil legal aid, its initial implementation did not achieve the expected efficiency gains or increase in usage. The system's hybrid nature and limited advertising contributed to its low adoption rate. However, ongoing improvements and future changes may help increase its effectiveness. This study provides important insights for other legal aid agencies looking to implement similar systems.

Key Takeaways

• The online intake system is a promising tool for improving efficiency in civil legal aid.
• However, the initial implementation in New Mexico faced several challenges, including data integration and callback accessibility.
• Low usage suggests that more awareness and outreach are needed.
• Future improvements, including better triage and multilingual support, could enhance the system's effectiveness.