Enhancing Access to Justice with the DC Resource Bridge

The graphic above seems so simple. But it represents a significant moment in the history of our legal aid community. If I knew how to set up this newsletter so that a drumroll played when you open it, I would. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAVE ONE PHONE NUMBER THAT DC RESIDENTS CAN CALL FOR LEGAL HELP. Full stop. Deep breath. And a prayer of thanks for the many who made this moment possible.

Over the years, I have shared many of the DC Resource Bridge’s milestones, the latest of which was its official launch last month, with 19 legal services organizations signed up to accept referrals. To start, the DC Resource Bridge will help residents with issues related to family law, public benefits, consumer debt and foreclosure, and cases in the DC Court of Appeals. Additional issue areas will be added in the coming months, with expansion to all areas of civil legal aid by March 2027.

Within the first two weeks, the DC Resource Bridge completed 40 intakes. In almost all those cases, the caller was placed with a legal services organization within one to two days. Gone are the days we heard of in our focus groups where people made multiple calls, left many messages, and often never found help.

Conversations about a coordinated intake system started decades ago, and it has been remarkable to watch this effort come to fruition. Former DC Bar Foundation Scoutt Prize winners and a current Foundation board member, who have all been a part of these conversations and have experience with the shortfalls within the legal aid system, shared their thoughts about what the DC Resource Bridge means for the legal aid community and DC residents.

“This work carries forward dreams and goals that have been in the works for years and are so important to improving access to justice for our neighbors.” –Beth Mellen, 2020 Scoutt Prize recipient

“The DC Resource Bridge is an important innovation to make certain that there is an easy and efficient way to seek services and there are no wrong doors for a person in need of legal help. The DC Resource Bridge will improve access and efficiency at a time when the need for help is rising and resources are at risk.” –Jonathan Smith, 2022 Scoutt Prize recipient 

“Twenty years ago, as a legal aid attorney, I remember frustrated clients who felt worn out because their call to our intake line was the 10th call they had made to tell a painful story of abuse. By the time they met with me, they were already exhausted by the legal system, and their case had not even started. The DC Resource Bridge will not only cut through all those barriers for clients but also create efficiencies for already stretched legal services providers. The DC Resource Bridge has been thoughtfully created and considered, and I am proud to watch it enhance access to justice for DC residents.” – Vivian  Huelgo, DC Bar Foundation Board Member

In addition to the DC Resource Bridge and to further help make the path to legal aid simple, the public can now also access an updated directory of legal services organizations. The Service Provider Directory lives on the DC Resource Bridge website and is accessible to anyone, including individuals seeking civil legal services in the District. Information in the Directory is populated directly from the information provided by legal services organizations on the DC Resource Bridge platform, and information will be updated regularly so that the Directory always has the most accurate information. In terms of functionality, the Directory is broken out by areas of law, making it easier for users to identify which legal services organizations could be helpful. The system will only populate options for providers that will be able to assist with the identified legal issue (providers that are unavailable will not be listed). I encourage you to bookmark this resource. It is our hope that this will replace the many lists created by different entities and circulated throughout the community, often with outdated information.

The Foundation’s vision for the District is one where every resident has access to justice regardless of their wealth, knowledge, or power. The launch of the DC Resource Bridge gets us one step closer to realizing that vision. Whatever your role has been in this journey, be that hosting a focus group, attending one of the Monthly Chats, participating in a workgroup, building community at a DC Social Justice Transformations Network Convening, or simply cheering quietly from the side, THANK YOU. 

Sincerely, 

Kirra L. Jarratt

Chief Executive Officer