Legal aid agencies in Connecticut are responsible for ensuring that high-quality civil legal services are available for low-income persons. Funding has rarely been stable, and when constrained, difficult choices must be made. These choices should ensure critical functions are maintained. The directors of the three field programs—Greater Hartford Legal Aid, New Haven Legal Assistance Association and Connecticut Legal Services—recently announced their decision to close the Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut (LARCC). This will result in a loss of critical functions as well as staff with high-level expertise. This decision should be reconsidered.
Like other charitable endeavors relying on grant funding, legal aid must create and maintain an appropriate legal structure to deliver services. The three field programs in Connecticut provide representation in individual cases; they are 501(c)(3) organizations. LARCC is a 501(c)(4) entity with greater flexibility to provide impact advocacy, most notably lobbying before the General Assembly. LARCC also provides legal aid field staff with significant support, including timely updates on policy proposals and program modifications, information on resources to assist the needy client base served by field office staff, and timely updated community education materials on a range of legal topics. The community education efforts are invaluable. They are available on the web (CTLawHelp.Org) and in print form to the public and social service providers. They are also found in the state courts, libraries and other public locations, in a range of languages spoken in the state.
