Colorado Legal Services opens over 1,000 cases again in October
Nov. 28, 2023 (DENVER) – Colorado Legal Services, Colorado’s statewide legal aid nonprofit, opened 1,049 cases in October to provide legal help to low-income Coloradans, according to its monthly report released today. Of the nearly 10,000 cases opened this year, more than 300 included the involvement of social workers through a newly created and expanding interdisciplinary model. Social workers help ensure well-rounded support for clients.
“While we help many people who are in crisis keep their homes and families intact, our organization has seen an increasing need to help clients find additional resources to help them avoid these crises in the future,” said Matt Baca, executive director of Colorado Legal Services. “In 2021 we expanded our team to include social workers who are experts in connecting people with vital community tools.”
Just over two years after adding a single social worker to the team and seeing great success, Colorado Legal Services expanded the program, which now includes five social workers. They primarily work with Denver and Colorado Springs clients who are older or in need of housing assistance, offering guidance and emotional support in addition to the legal advice and representation our attorneys provide. Social workers have training to help clients better engage in the legal process; identify needs such a mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, social support, and financial advice; and find resources in the community to ensure their stability after their case is closed.
"Uno de los clientes que tengo a menudo en mente es un hombre mayor que, cuando empezamos a ayudarle, sólo necesitaba un teléfono y una recertificación del contrato de alquiler", explica Megan Collop, directora de Servicios de Apoyo al Cliente de Colorado Legal Services. "Pero a medida que su caso legal avanzaba lentamente por el sistema, le visitábamos con frecuencia y notábamos pequeños cambios con cada interacción -sus plantas volvían a la vida, la limpieza de su apartamento, las visitas al médico completadas que habían sido pospuestas- y sirve como recordatorio a nuestro equipo de que nuestro éxito no se mide sólo por el número de personas atendidas, sino también por cuántas sonrisas hemos provocado, cuántos suspiros de alivio hemos escuchado o cuántas veces hemos visto a un cliente levantarse un poco más erguido."
Para las personas sin hogar, por ejemplo, ese apoyo añadido puede significar la diferencia entre encontrar un lugar donde vivir o perder sus pertenencias y el refugio. Un trabajador social ayudó a otro cliente a darse cuenta de la gravedad de su situación y a encontrar un almacén y una empresa de mudanzas que le ayudaran a conservar sus pertenencias mientras decidía dónde vivir.
"Agradezco toda la ayuda porque estaba en un punto en el que estaba congelado en el lugar y no era capaz de moverme sin su ayuda", dijo el cliente. "Así que, sólo quiero asegurarme de que aprecio eso mucho y ahora estoy por mi cuenta y puedo empujarme a mí mismo".
In October 2023, the La oficina del Fiscal General de Colorado anunció una subvención de $410.000 a Colorado Legal Services para ampliar el uso del modelo de apoyo jurídico interdisciplinar que incluye a trabajadores sociales para dar servicio a las supervivientes de la violencia doméstica que viven fuera del área metropolitana de Denver.
The top concerns from Coloradans in October were housing (496), family and safety (213), and consumer (134) matters. Housing matters could include defending against evictions; negotiating rent agreements with landlords to help people stay in their homes; helping tenants learn their rights regarding security deposits and conditions impacting the habitability of their homes; and directing clients to rental assistance and community resources. Family and safety matters include representation of domestic violence survivors in divorce, custody, and protection order matters.
About us
Colorado Legal Services is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program providing civil legal assistance—which does not include criminal or traffic matters—to low-income individuals and older Coloradans throughout the state. Its 13 offices provide free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking, representation for domestic violence survivors, and many others.
Almost 1.4 million Coloradans qualify financially for CLS’s services. CLS’s current staff of 85 attorneys and 48 paralegals is supplemented by a robust private attorney involvement program. Learn more at www.coloradolegalservices.org.