Post on 16-May-2015
Beyond Online Intake: Looking at Triage and Expert Systems
December 4, 2013
Presenters Mike Grunenwald
DC Bar Pro Bono Program
Gwen Daniels
Illinois Legal Aid Online
Gordon Shaw
Massachusetts Justice Project
Liz Keith Pro Bono Net Mirenda Watkins(Moderator) Pro Bono Net
What We Will Cover Today
• What is triage and what’s it’s relationship to online intake?
• Why online intake and triage? How does it help low-
income individuals and members of the communities served by legal service organizations and courts?
• How has technology and expert systems enabled and
changed the way online intake and triage is approached?
Defining the Terms: Triage
Triage- varying definitions exist, triage tools can be advocate and public facing
Defining the Terms: Intake
Intake –can be described as the process a legal non-profit (including a pro bono project) uses to accepting or rejecting clients based on articulated criteria. It includes data collection, review, acceptance or denial, notification to the applicant, and referrals for all.
Defining the Terms: Online Intake
Online intake= online application tool + online intake system
Some Technology Tools Used for Online Intake and Triage
• A2J Author (http://www.a2jauthor.org/drupal/)
• Neota Logic (www.neotalogic.com/technology)
• Form Router (http://www.formrouter.com/)
• Wufoo (http://www.wufoo.com/)
2013 TIG-Funded Online Intake and Triage Projects
TRIAGE • Montana Legal Services Association • Pine Tree Legal Assistance (Maine) • New Mexico Legal Aid
ONLINE INTAKE
• Center for Arkansas Legal Services
• Legal Services of Greater Miami
• Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corp
• North Penn Legal Services
• Legal Services Law Line of Vermont
See: http://tig.lsc.gov/sites/lsc.gov/files/TIG/pdfs/TIG-2013grants.pdf
Resources • American Bar Association’s Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Aid: http://www.probono.net/link.cfm?22268
• ABA Model Rules Revisions Include Technology - What Attorneys Must Know - See more at:
http://www.lawlogix.com/blog/aba-model-rules-revisions-include-technology-what-attorneys-must-
know#sthash.iWyazgVA.dpuf
• The Access to Justice “Sorting Hat” — Towards a System of Triage and Intake that Maximizes Access and Outcomes, 89
Denv. U. L. Rev. 859 (2012): http://www.zorza.net/Sorting-Hat.pdf
• Triage Protocols for Litigant Portals: A Coordinated Strategy Between Courts and Service Providers
http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ctadmin/id/2045, Prepared by Tom Clarke, National Center for State
Courts. Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network, Katherine Alteneder, Self- Represented Litigation Network
• Using Technology to Enhance Access to Justice, Harvard Journal of Law & Technology. Volume 26, Number 1 Fall 2012:
http://jolt.law.harvard.edu/articles/pdf/v26/26HarvJLTech241.pdf
• Previous LSNTAP/PBN Online Intake Webinar Recordings and Materials: http://lsntap.org/blogs/online-intake-webinar-
summary and http://www.slideshare.net/LSNTAP/online-intake-best-practices-webinar
• Claudia Johnson, LawHelp Interactive Program Manager, cjohnson@probono.net
Two Online “Triage” Projects in
Washington, D.C.
Mike Grunenwald
Senior Project Specialist
DC Bar Pro Bono Program
Two “Triage” Projects in DC
•DC Bar Pro Bono Program
•Non-LSC funded program
•Partnerships with Georgetown Law and Neota Logic to develop two apps
Consumer Debt/Bankruptcy App
•Problem: Creditors harassing consumers
•Initial solution: Document assembly app
•Expanded solution: Clinic referral and pre-screening app
Consumer Debt/Bankruptcy App
•Bankruptcy Clinic pre-screening
•Complete debtor checklist for user to take to clinic
Consumer Debt/Bankruptcy App
•First draft developed by team of Georgetown Law students
•Built on Neota Logic platform
•Development continuing with support from Neota Logic
Consumer Debt/Bankruptcy App
•Online intake hasn’t taken root in DC yet
•Vision: App will be a model for clinic pre-screening/intake for other DC providers
•Works for clinic = works for organization?
LawHelp.org/DC Concierge App
•Users have two ways to access resources:
•Folder/subfolder search
•Text search
LawHelp.org/DC Concierge App
• Challenge: Is there a better way to help users find what they need in LawHelp?
•Solution: “Concierge” app to help users find resources relevant to their specific situations
LawHelp.org/DC Concierge App
•Started (relatively) small – 1 subtopic
•Georgetown Law externship student built first draft using Neota Logic
•Neota Logic continuing to support development
LawHelp.org/DC Concierge App
• Lessons learned so far…
•Grand long-term plans
Massachusetts
Legal Resource Finder
Gordon Shaw
Executive Director
Massachusetts Justice Project
Intake Timeline
1970s-80s - Emphasis was on face to face (by appointment)
intake. Programs also put a premium on having many satellite
offices.
1990s - Intake became phone-centric. The model in the 90s was
the phone during set intake hours staffed by professional
intake workers or screeners. This is the dawn of hotlines.
Mid 2000s- Programs began offering on-line intake systems.
➢ While On-Line Intake offers a solution to the access problem that is the
curse of phone-centric intake systems, it does nothing to address the
problem of volume. In fact, it could potentially make it worse – as you
now have created access 24/7
2012 and Beyond:
➢ The dawn of client-centered web
based triage tools
In 2012, MJP received a TIG to develop the
Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder (LRF).
What is it?
A web-based tool that will connect low income persons to the Massachusetts legal resources that correlate with their specific legal issues
Why is it needed? • Every day legal aid programs are flooded with requests for
assistance. The vast majority of these applicants will be turned away with
nothing more than a referral to self-help resources or other sources of assistance – often after long waits in a phone queue.
• Programs are stretched thin and this extends to screening, intake and hotline resources as well.
• Massachusetts has a wide range of programs and resources to help low income
people with legal needs. Until now, there has not been a centralized way to direct people to these resources.
• The goal of the LRF is to give some relief to our over burdened intake systems while at the same time provide consumers with a quick and accessible way to find out what resources exist with respect to their legal issue.
How will it work? ➢ A user will complete a short on-line form with a limited number of questions
about their legal problem and household demographics. The LRF will then
search a database and give back to the user information that could include any and
all of the following:
○ If the issue is one which a Massachusetts legal services organization accepts for legal assistance, it
would provide a link to their on-line application and/or provide information on how to call to complete an
intake.
○ Live links to relevant self-help resources and court forms including automated Massachusetts forms on
LHI and I-CAN.
○ Additional resources that exist for obtaining legal assistance such as lawyer of the day programs and
other court-based help, lawyer referral services, other non profits, and government agencies.
➢ Participating programs will set-up profiles in the database that
includes selection of the legal issues they want referred to their
intake systems. Programs will be able to turn issues “on or off” as needed – providing real
time updates to program case acceptance/priorities
Who is building it and how?
• The Massachusetts Justice Project received a 2012 TIG and is working with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute’s Statewide Websites Project on the design and implementation of the LRF.
• Search engine is being built in DRUPAL
Online Intake, Triage and Expert
Systems in Illinois
Gwen Daniels
Director of Technology Development
Illinois Legal Aid Online
Illinois Statewide Online Access System • Beta with Illinois’ LSC-
funded programs
•Public Benefits
•Foreclosure
•“Always Divert” areas
• Expanding in 2014 to 2 non-LSC-funded programs
Why Triage Before Intake?
• Programs are tired of having to say NO
• Divert people to the best AVAILABLE resource
• Divert people from applying when the program will not help them (low priority)
• Push high-priority cases through
Statewide Online Access System Three Components:
• Triage and Intake on IllinoisLegalAid.org
• Admin Console on IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org
• Drools Rules Engine
• Fourth component coming 2014: Rules Builder on IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org
Why This Approach?
User Profile
Set of rules
Scan rules
Find a match
Execute a rule
Update user
profile
• Integrates with existing technologies
• Flexible to support multiple agencies with varying priorities, service areas, and requirements
• Independent of website and case management platforms
How It Works
• Pop up offers triage when available
• Programs determine availability
Triage Example
• Rule generates a question
• Rule generates help display
• Answer to a question:
– Sends user to intake
– Sends user to ILAO resources
– Sends user to another question
Diversions
Next Steps
• Deeper integration with systems
• True statewide integration
• Data analysis to refine triage rules
Data analysis can lead to:
▪ Better rules
▪ More automated case acceptance
▪ Less time saying no
Resources
• On IllinoisLegalAid.org, search for public benefits or mortgage foreclosure in zip code 60602 to test; use name NTAP Tester
• Drools: http://www.jboss.org/drools/
• Documentation will be published in early 2014
• For more information: gdaniels@illinoislegalaid.org or 312-977-9047 ext. 13
New Mexico Legal Aid 2014 Triage Pilot
Project Overview
•2013 TIG to New Mexico Legal Aid
• Program partners: Five other legal aid agencies in New Mexico, New Mexico Courts and State Bar of New Mexico
• Technology partners: Pro Bono Net and Neota Logic System
•Goal: Pilot the creation and implement of a robust statewide online triage program for the major civil legal issues faced by low income individuals and other vulnerable populations
Project components
•Triage tool for advocates
•Triage tool for individuals in need of legal assistance
•New self-help and legal education content for triage system users
•Data reporting service
Scalable architecture to facilitate replication by other jurisdictions in the future
Triage Tool for Advocates •Advocates will be able to enter data about the litigant and assess relationship of case to:
Program priorities
Intake requirements
Broader advocacy strategies
•Based on these factors, the system will provide set of recommended options
Triage Tool for the Public • Info about self-help resources and
services, where available
• Referrals to appropriate to legal aid agency for intake, including several “next actions:” Email and printable summary with
interview results and recommended actions
Option to email a standardized intake request in .csv format and interview results to a recommended referral organization
• “Widgetized” for use on any website
Technology Approach
•Triage expert platform - powered by Neota Logic System
Rules can be created and modified by non-technical agency staff
• “LawHelp Triage” server at Pro Bono Net to run Neota Logic System
Extensible to host triage interviews for other states and integrate with other SWEB APIs in the future
Support for sharing and customization of rule sets
•Systems to integrate SWEB API feed with Neota Logic interview and capture anonymized data for reporting
“Phase II” Opportunities
•Deeper integration with case management and downstream systems
•Ability to apply standard visualization tools to analyze interview data and make adjustments
•Calls to outside data sources to help drive the interview
•Calendaring integration to have user scheduled into an organization’s next available appointment
•More extensive reporting interfaces to provide data to outside agencies/systems
For More Information:
•Ed Marks Executive Director New Mexico Legal Aid edm@nmlegalaid.org
•Liz Keith LawHelp Program Manager Pro Bono Net lkeith@probono.net
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY!
More information at www.lsntap.org
Contact Information
Brian Rowe (brianr@nwjustice.org) or via chat on www.lsntap.org
Don’t forget to take our feedback survey!