Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, Inc.

Transcription

1 Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, Inc. General Information One West Street Cambridge, MA 2139 (617) Website Organization Contact Mojdeh Rohani Year of Incorporation 197 1

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement Community Legal Services And Counseling Center provides free civil legal aid and affordable psychological counseling to low-income people. Our services combat the effects of poverty and violence by helping clients and their children meet basic human needs for safety, income, health and housing. CLSACC draws on the expertise of dedicated volunteer professionals to provide direct services to our community's most vulnerable members. All services are provided by the Center's paid staff and a dedicated corps of volunteer attorneys and mental health professionals. Volunteers are at the heart of CLSACC's service mission. Background Statement Community Legal Services And Counseling Center (CLSACC) was founded as a volunteer-based agency in 197 as Cambridgeport Problem Center. The Center used teams of legal and mental health professionals and lay people to help vulnerable residents solve a variety of problems that they faced and to make better life choices. By the early 198 s, the Center s work focused on short and long-term psychological counseling and legal help with family law, benefits, and housing issues. In 1984 the Center expanded its legal program to include immigration law and disability benefit work; in 25 the Center added a Psychological Evaluation Project for immigrant victims of persecution, torture, and abuse; and in 28 it significantly expanded its work with immigrants and refugees, adding Counseling Program staff that specialized in working with this population and attorneys with expertise in asylum law. In 215, the agency began a small micro-lending pilot project for asylum seekers. CLSACC helps low-income families and individuals through its highly regarded Legal Program in family law/domestic violence, housing and homelessness prevention, immigration law, and disability benefits and its Counseling Program with individual, couples, and group therapy, forensic psychological evaluations, and case management services. CLSACC s ability to deliver high quality services is greatly enhanced by an extensive network of local and statewide collaborations. The Center s staff provide consultation to community agencies, offer training and education, and promote volunteerism among private lawyers and mental health professionals. CLSACC s Legal Program also advocates on policy and reform issues. The Counseling Program works closely with the Legal Program in appropriate cases to provide holistic services, improve client outcomes, and provide invaluable assistance in addressing clients emotional and psychological issues during their legal cases. CLSACC s prioritizes services for low-income individuals with the most urgent problems: domestic violence, homelessness/lack of affordable housing, inadequate financial security, and fear of deportation to face torture, persecution, and possible death in a country of origin. The Center provides services ranging from advice to representation in complex litigation. Attorneys and mental health professionals volunteer at CLSACC last year contributing over 16, hours of professional services - the equivalent of nearly nine full-time staff. 2

3 Impact Statement ACCOMPLISHMENTS FY215 Prevented homelessness by helping low-income families and individuals, senior citizens, domestic violence victims, and people with disabilities obtain or retain access to safe, affordable housing. Clients were successful in defending against evictions, obtaining reasonable accommodations to maintain their affordable housing, and/or obtaining permanent housing with a 95% success rate. Assisted immigrants and refugees to obtain or maintain legal status in the U.S. with a 98% success rate, including clients seeking political asylum, immigrant domestic violence victims, and unaccompanied minors, with two cases on appeal. Increased the safety and well-being of survivors of domestic violence and their children by securing long-term legal protection from violence and abuse, financial security (child and spousal support), safe custody and visitation, and health care with a 97% success rate. Fostered independence and stability in the lives of low-income people with disabilities by assisting them to obtain disability and related benefits, with positive outcomes in 85% of full representation cases. Reduced the intensity and persistence of mental health symptoms among counseling clients with the majority of clients reporting reduced symptoms and improved functioning. GOALS FY216: GOAL 1: Provide high quality counseling and legal services to benefit low-income, vulnerable individuals and families, utilizing the Center's innovative interdisciplinary model to enhance client outcomes. GOAL 2: Expand the Center's capacity to handle cases by motivating mental health professionals, private attorneys, graduate students, paralegals, and interpreters to volunteer and strengthening their ability to provide high quality, culturally sensitive services. GOAL 3: Enhance service delivery by collaborating with an extensive network of non-profit agencies and healthcare providers to meet the needs of CLSACC's clients and to advocate collectively for systemic change. 3

4 Needs Statement Family Law Attorney to represent minorities and immigrants who are domestic violence victims in high risk cases. The domestic violence homicide rate overall has substantially declined in the past 2 years. However, there was only a minimal decline for minorities and immigrants. Cost $2, per client. Intake and Volunteer Coordinator to oversee CLSACC s legal intake system and volunteer program. With this position, CLSACC will be in a position to improve its intake system and enhance its volunteer program. An interdisciplinary social worker to provide a range of mental health services for legal clients. The partnership between legal and mental health staff will result in positive outcomes for clients. Cost $75 per client. Infrastructure Short Term: Website upgrade ($5,); development of online intake system ($1,); Infrastructure Long Term: lease or buy space adequate to accommodate expanded staff and volunteers and provide clients with more appropriate intake and meeting rooms. Rental space to cost between $2K and $3K per year. To purchase contiguous ground floor space close to public transportation, with parking, and with adequate space for staff and 1 volunteers annually in Cambridge or Somerville area. Cost $3 -$5 million. Board Chair Statement Service Categories Community Mental Health Centers Legal Services Human Services Geographic Areas Served CLSACC provides family law and disability benefits law services in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Chelsea, Everett, Medford, and Watertown. Housing legal services are provided in Cambridge only and immigration law services are provided statewide, with a priority for Greater Boston. Counseling Program clients come primarily from Greater Boston but clients will be served from all parts of Massachusetts. Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 4

5 Programs Legal Program Description CLSACC s Legal Program provides free civil legal assistance to clients whose incomes are at or below 125% of the federal poverty level ($3,313 for a family of four). In response to community needs, CLSACC prioritizes services for low-income individuals with the most urgent problems: domestic violence, risk of homelessness/lack of affordable housing, inadequate financial security, and fear of deportation to face torture, persecution, abuse, and possible death in their country of origin. 75% of CLSACC s clients have diverse backgrounds. The Center provides services ranging from advice to representation in complex litigation. CLSACC s legal work also includes training and education, collaboration with community partners, writing and distributing publications, and work on public policy and reform issues which affect the lives of many people in the community. Budget 75 Category Population Served Crime & Legal, General/Other Legal Services Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees, Victims Program Short Term Success For the most recently completed Fiscal Year, FY215 (July 1, 214 to June 3, 215) for clients in full representation cases, the Legal Program: Prevented homelessness by helping low-income families and individuals, senior citizens, domestic violence victims, and people with disabilities obtain or retain access to safe, affordable housing. Clients were successful in defending against evictions, obtaining reasonable accommodations to maintain their affordable housing, and/or obtaining permanent housing with a 95% success rate. Assisted immigrants and refugees to obtain or maintain legal status in the U.S. with a 98% success rate, including clients seeking political asylum, immigrant domestic violence victims, and unaccompanied minors, with two cases on appeal. Increased the safety and well-being of survivors of domestic violence and their children by securing long-term legal protection from violence and abuse, financial security (child and spousal support), safe custody and visitation, and health care with a 97% success rate. Fostered independence and stability in the lives of low-income people with disabilities by assisting them to obtain disability and related benefits, with positive outcomes in 85% of full representation cases. Program Long term Success CLSACC has met and/or exceeded its Goals and Outcomes in all areas. 5

6 Program Success Monitored By Utilizing its case management data base the Legal Program captures case outcomes to measure results, for example, a restraining order indicates increased safety; a support order shows increased financial security and obtaining legal status indicates the client may remain in the U.S. At monthly meetings legal staff members analyze quantitative data and discuss case strategy and case results. All clients are mailed "Achievement Surveys" and CLSACC s model is considered effective and innovative by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC), the Cambridge Department of Human Services (CDBG grantor), and other funders who regularly review overall agency operations. Each month legal staff review the number of cases opened, handled, and closed in each unit to determine whether the units are meeting their goals. CLSACC has met or surpassed its client service goals since 21 in all legal areas and is on target to do so again in FY216. Examples of Program Success 6

7 Counseling Program Description CLSACC s Counseling Program provides affordable mental health services for low income and vulnerable populations - those adults who are unable to find counseling by other means, filling critical gaps in services for people with low incomes. The Program is a vital resource for community-based individual, couples and group counseling, as well as forensic psychological evaluations and social work support services. In 215, the Counseling Program began a pilot microlending project for asylum-seekers which includes support services. During FY216, the Program staff and volunteers will serve approximately people. The Counseling Program uses a Community Mental Health Model with intervention strategies rooted in the following principles: (1) provide counseling to those otherwise unable to obtain services; (2) employ all resources to help low-income people face complex issues; and (3) maintain an atmosphere of trust, responsiveness and respect between client and counselor. Budget 3 Category Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs, General/other Mental Health Treatment Population Served Adults, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees Program Short Term Success To provide individual psychotherapy and/or group counseling to individuals. To provide case management and safety planning to 2-35 individuals. To make job coaching available to individuals having difficulty obtaining and/or retaining employment. To screen and assess mental health needs for 15 2 individuals. To provide necessary supports to 4 or more mental health professionals and graduate/post-graduate students through recruitment, training, supervision, and mentoring. To recruit, provide specialized training, and supervise volunteer mental health professionals to conduct forensic psychological evaluations for 25 3 immigrants and refugees. To pilot the Advance microlending project to provide 1-2 immigrant and refugee clients with small loans while they await legal status and permission to work in the U.S. Program Long term Success 7

8 Program Success Monitored By The Counseling Program projects annual, quantifiable outcomes. For example, in FY214 (July 1, 213 to June 3, 214), CLSACC projected that approximately 4 low-income people would be served and that hundreds of their family members would be positively impacted. CLSACC uses a database to track client information; to determine progress with individual counseling clients, counselors administer the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, rating psychological, social and occupational functioning on a hypothetical continuum of mental healthillness. Volunteer counselors and their supervisors evaluate services to clients against individual service plans and goals set by clients. CLSACC also evaluates its services by distributing client surveys asking clients whether our services helped them improve their situation. The Clinical Director and Executive Director review the surveys to assess any unrecognized. The vast majority of client reviews are full of praise for CLSACC s services. Examples of Program Success 8

9 Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Ms. Mojdeh Rohani Term Start Sept 215 Experience Executive Director, Mojdeh Rohani is deeply committed to and passionate about human rights and social justice. She has extensive management experience working across disciplines to integrate the expertise of mental health and legal professionals in serving diverse communities. Mojdeh brings a wealth of expertise in addressing the complex issues faced by CLSACC's clients, their families and their communities, with a background in working with survivors of trauma, torture, gender-based violence and human trafficking. Since joining CLSACC eight years ago as the Associate Clinical Director, Mojdeh has expanded the agency's integrated service model with multiple philanthropic and community partners and developed new programs to address the complex needs of our clients. Ms. Rohani is a Lecturer at the Boston University School of Social Work; and Co-Director of the Boston University BRIDGE Program (Building Refugee and Immigrant Degrees for Graduate Education). She received her Master's in Social Work from Boston University and previously worked as Director of Social Services at the International Institute of Boston. Co-CEO Term Start Sept 215 mrohani@clsacc.org Former CEOs Name Term Leslee Klein Aug Barbara Mitchell Sept Senior Staff Paul Goldmuntz Title Clinical Director Experience/Biography Ellen Wilbur Title Legal Director Experience/Biography 9

10 John Froio Title Deputy Director Experience/Biography Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors Retention Rate % Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 13 Hispanic/Latino 3 Native American/American Indian Other Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 3 13 Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually Annually Annually Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Under Development Under Development 1

11 Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Permit? No No Risk Management Provisions Directors and Officers Policy Disability Insurance Life Insurance Professional Liability Workers Compensation and Employers' Liability Awards Awards Award/Recognition Organization Year Ubuntu Award Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights at Boston Medical Center 21 Community Activism Award Respond 27 Affiliations Affiliation Year 11

12 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Mr. Tony Mirenda Esq. Company Affiliation Foley Hoag Term May 216 to May 217 Board Members Name Affiliation Status Walter Bardenwerper Retired Voting Mark Bernfeld Towers Watson Reinsurance Voting John Brown Tufts Mobile Forensic Team Voting Julia Byers Lesley University Voting Ms. Laura D'Amato Esq. Boston University Voting Fatuma Hassan Community Volunteer Voting Hugo Kamya Simmons College School of Social Work Voting Marie Lee McCue, Lee & Greene LLP Voting Liza Lunt Zalkind, Rodrequez, Lunt, & Duncan, LLP Voting John McBrine Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP Voting Tony Mirenda Foley Hoag LLP Mark Smith Goodwin Procter LLP Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 3 Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 9 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Board Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 7 5 Board Information 12

13 Board Term Lengths Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation 1 1 No 1% 37% Standing Committees Executive Nominating Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts 13

14 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start July 1, 215 Fiscal Year End June 3, 216 Projected Revenue $1,48,583. Projected Expenses $1,94,592. Endowment? No Credit Line? No Reserve Fund? Months Reserve Fund Covers 6 Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $1,5,83 $1,66,725 $1,28,86 Total Expenses $1,11,364 $1,35,371 $996,811 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation Contributions Government Contributions $24,376 $237,671 $235,785 Federal State Local Unspecified $24,376 $237,671 $235,785 Individual Contributions $628,282 $687,29 $651,651 Indirect Public Support $58,889 $59,443 $61,579 Earned Revenue $54,442 $63,435 $57,353 Investment Income, Net of Losses $14,39 $19,74 $18,578 Membership Dues Special Events $9,72 -- $3,86 Revenue In-Kind Other $1 $

15 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $933,748 $97,934 $934,658 Administration Expense $51,913 $36,68 $34,526 Fundraising Expense $25,73 $27,829 $27,627 Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 92% 94% 94% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 3% 3% 3% Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $88,699 $81,611 $766,174 Current Assets $35,326 $419,579 $48,184 Long-Term Liabilities Current Liabilities $81,36 $17,374 $15,774 Total Net Assets $727,339 $73,237 $66,4 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % % Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Comments Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in charts and graphs are per the organization's IRS Form 99s. Contributions from foundations and corporations are listed under individuals when the breakout was not available. Created Copyright 217 The Boston Foundation 15