Legal Aid of East Tennessee offers help to those who cannot help themselves
By Staff Report
July 27, 2006
Lindsay* (name changed to protect her privacy) and her mother walked into Legal Aid of East Tennessee two years ago after being referred by her juvenile probation officer. She had such a severe anxiety disorder that she was unable to attend school due to the crowds of people. She made a series of poor choices, especially when it came to the peers with whom she associated, stopped going to school, and became involved in drugs.
As a condition of her probation, she was ordered to attend school. Laurie Draves, director of the Special Education Advocacy Project at Legal Aid of East Tennessee reviewed her educational and medical records to determine her specific problems and assisted her in obtaining special education certification. Lindsay soon began attending a specialized program in the local school system and experienced tremendous success. To date, she is drug free.
Earlier this year, as a high school junior with excellent grades, Lindsay came back to Legal Aid and asked for assistance in graduating early from high school and going to college. Once again reviewing records, Ms. Draves found that Lindsay had met all of the requirements for graduation from high school with a regular diploma. Ms. Draves invited a vocational rehabilitation counselor from the Tennessee Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to meet with Lindsay and, before the meeting was over, she was accepted for their services and signed the paperwork for her college tuition to be paid through that agency. In addition, if she chooses to pursue a post-graduate degree, they will provide full funding for her studies. She will be attending a local college this fall and plans on obtaining a four-year degree in the medical field.
Ms. Draves recently received a rewarding phone call from the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency inviting her to an awards dinner. They informed her that, because of Lindsay’s outstanding progress, they were awarding Lindsay another college scholarship to help with related expenses. In addition, she was awarded the Moral Kombat Teen Hero Award. Lindsay is also participating in the Miss Teen Tennessee pageant. “As I watched Lindsay accept her award, I was reminded of the rewards of the work we do every day at Legal Aid. It is very gratifying to watch as a young person blossoms from a confused kid, spinning out of control, into a bright, articulate young woman who will now become a productive member of our community,” said Ms. Draves.
This is just one example of the important services provided by Legal Aid of East Tennessee, which serves 26 counties from the Tri-Cities to Chattanooga. In 2005, LAET provided free advocacy and civil legal aid to over 9,000 income-eligible clients regarding such issues as domestic violence, housing, TennCare, Medicare, special education, long term care, public benefits, bankruptcy, consumer, and other matters important in maintaining their livelihood and well-being.
Last year, the Tennessee Alliance of Legal Services conducted a needs assessment survey among client-eligible residents in Tennessee. The results showed that only 5% of the civil legal needs of our impoverished, abused, and elderly residents are currently being met. The primary reason for the gap between community need and services rendered is lack of funding. Legal Services Corporation (the grant-making arm of the federal government) first began funding legal aid agencies in 1976 at 100%, which allowed the Tri-Cities office to staff fourteen attorneys in Northeast Tennessee. Now, there are only seven attorneys to serve the same twelve counties.
“This is simply not acceptable to us,” says Kathryn Berry, LAET’s Director of Marketing and Development. “Our legal staff is very dedicated, and passionate about the work they do, and I know it literally breaks their hearts when we must turn clients away because we don’t have the resources to serve them. And yet it happens everyday.” Berry said that after the retirement of one of their long-time attorneys, Gloria Samuels, last year, Ms. Samuels decided to come back to LAET to volunteer her time helping these clients. She now spends an average of 20 hours per week in such generous service.
LAET is currently kicking off its 7th Annual Campaign for Equal Justice, which will raise additional crucial funding for programs not covered by the grants it receives. “Up until now, this campaign has primarily been aimed only at the legal community. However, we are now asking the general public, as well as local corporations to step up to the plate,” says Berry. “What many people don’t understand is that helping our clients helps the entire community. Our clients are usually not recipients of public benefits of any kind. They are the working-class poor, and assistance provided by our community helps these people to continue their jobs and stay off welfare, which saves taxpayer dollars.”
Those interested in learning more about LAET’s crucial programs or their Campaign for Equal Justice are encouraged to call (423) 928-8311, ext. 34 to receive comprehensive information, or may log onto LAET.org.
