A schedule of Action and Coordinating Committee meetings is now available.

ACTION COMMITTEES' PURPOSES

Pro Bono Proposals are available here.

Client Access: Ideally, all low income persons in Florida would have equal access to the legal assistance that they need to appropriately address the legal problems and improvement opportunities that are before them. The purpose of the Access Committee is to explore and develop recommendations on how to maximize the use of existing resources to move toward this ideal of equal access, both as to availability and nature of legal assistance, on a statewide basis. The committee will look at program intake systems, centralized intake, the use of hot-lines, client advice and referral systems, client empowerment, client outreach, uniformity of case acceptance criteria, access of special needs populations, holistic client intake, and shared responsibility for all of the needy in Florida. This committee will also address issues of community education. Minutes of the January 25 and April 11 meetings and Final Recommendations are available here.

Collaboration: The Collaboration Committee will develop recommendations to increase collaborative efforts and projects among providers and their staffs that will encourage energetic affirmative advocacy for low income clients in Florida. Included in the deliberations of this committee will be an examination and development of recommendations concerning collaborative efforts previously and presently pursued through statewide workgroups and the companion delivery system. Minutes of the January 28 meeting, communications issues, companion issues, staff issues and final recommendations are available here.

Legislative/Administrative Advocacy: Legislative and administrative advocacy is an important and essential component of energetic affirmative advocacy. Our goal is to make recommendations on the best ways to effectively and efficiently provide and use this legal strategy on behalf of our clients. Minutes of the February 11 and March 9 meetings and the Final Recommendations are available here. 

Also available from the Legislative/Administrative Advocacy Committee:  Report of Committee on a Coordinated System, Draft Recommendations of the Legislative/Administrative Advocacy Action Committee,  and Subcommittee on Holistic Approach to Client Issues- Issue Identification and Recommendations.

Resource Development: Increase resources to support the energetic affirmative advocacy by Florida's legal services programs through marketing, communication, research, fund-raising, grant seeking, legislative and entrepreneurial efforts. Collaborate with Florida Bar Foundation on its fund-raising and marketing efforts. Minutes of the January 20 and February 24 meetings and Final Recommendations are available here.

Technology: Our goal is to explore and develop recommendations covering the current and potential use of technology to promote energetic affirmative advocacy and inter-program communication/collaboration. Minutes of the January 26 and March 30 meetings and Final Recommendations are available here.

Training and Technical Assistance: To study the problems and opportunities in the training and technical assistance area reported by the program surveys and to develop recommendations for training and technical assistance that will encourage and support energetic affirmative advocacy.  Minutes of the January 20, March 15, and April 7 meetings and Final Recommendations are available here.

Vision: The Vision Committee will describe the shared goals, purposes, values, principles. and norms upon which the Florida State Plan to improve energetic client advocacy is based. The description will aim to ensure a consistent vision and purpose.  Minutes of the February 15 and March 15 meetings and Final Recommendations are available here.