Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Community Needs Assessment - 2021

In our ongoing effort to maximize our effectiveness in serving the legal needs of the low-income community in our region, we are conducting a community needs assessment survey.

This survey will only take a few minutes. This survey will no longer be active after January 31, 2021.

Please respond by January 31, 2021.

Your input and comments will assist us in this effort and will make a difference.

Thank you VERY much for your help.

Joseph R. Carico
Executive Director
Southwest Virginia Legal Aid
jcarico@svlas.org
(276) 783-8300, ext. 2212

Question Title

* 1. Prior to receiving this survey, were you familiar with the services provided by Southwest Virginia Legal Aid?

Very familiar

Somewhat familiar

Heard of it only

Not at all familiar

Comments (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Please tell us what you think are the most important legal problems facing low-income people in your community. Because we are not able to work on every problem equally, please tell us which problems you think are more important than others:

	Very Important	Important	Not very important compared to other problems	Unsure
Housing issues (ex: public housing, evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, etc.)	Housing issues (ex: public housing, evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, etc.) Very Important	Housing issues (ex: public housing, evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, etc.) Important	Housing issues (ex: public housing, evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Housing issues (ex: public housing, evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, etc.) Unsure
Family law (ex: custody, child and spousal support, divorce, etc.)	Family law (ex: custody, child and spousal support, divorce, etc.) Very Important	Family law (ex: custody, child and spousal support, divorce, etc.) Important	Family law (ex: custody, child and spousal support, divorce, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Family law (ex: custody, child and spousal support, divorce, etc.) Unsure
Domestic/intimate partner violence	Domestic/intimate partner violence Very Important	Domestic/intimate partner violence Important	Domestic/intimate partner violence Not very important compared to other problems	Domestic/intimate partner violence Unsure
Adoptions and Foster Care issues	Adoptions and Foster Care issues Very Important	Adoptions and Foster Care issues Important	Adoptions and Foster Care issues Not very important compared to other problems	Adoptions and Foster Care issues Unsure
Consumer problems (ex: bankruptcy, debt collection, garnishments, sales or rental contracts, car purchases, etc.)	Consumer problems (ex: bankruptcy, debt collection, garnishments, sales or rental contracts, car purchases, etc.) Very Important	Consumer problems (ex: bankruptcy, debt collection, garnishments, sales or rental contracts, car purchases, etc.) Important	Consumer problems (ex: bankruptcy, debt collection, garnishments, sales or rental contracts, car purchases, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Consumer problems (ex: bankruptcy, debt collection, garnishments, sales or rental contracts, car purchases, etc.) Unsure
Government benefits (ex: unemployment, disability, etc.)	Government benefits (ex: unemployment, disability, etc.) Very Important	Government benefits (ex: unemployment, disability, etc.) Important	Government benefits (ex: unemployment, disability, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Government benefits (ex: unemployment, disability, etc.) Unsure
Substance use disorder-related issues (ex: drivers licenses, barriers to employment, restoration of rights, expungements, etc.)	Substance use disorder-related issues (ex: drivers licenses, barriers to employment, restoration of rights, expungements, etc.) Very Important	Substance use disorder-related issues (ex: drivers licenses, barriers to employment, restoration of rights, expungements, etc.) Important	Substance use disorder-related issues (ex: drivers licenses, barriers to employment, restoration of rights, expungements, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Substance use disorder-related issues (ex: drivers licenses, barriers to employment, restoration of rights, expungements, etc.) Unsure
Advance directives (ex: wills, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, etc.)	Advance directives (ex: wills, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, etc.) Very Important	Advance directives (ex: wills, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, etc.) Important	Advance directives (ex: wills, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Advance directives (ex: wills, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, etc.) Unsure
Employment issues (ex: discrimination, grievance, access, safety, etc.)	Employment issues (ex: discrimination, grievance, access, safety, etc.) Very Important	Employment issues (ex: discrimination, grievance, access, safety, etc.) Important	Employment issues (ex: discrimination, grievance, access, safety, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Employment issues (ex: discrimination, grievance, access, safety, etc.) Unsure
Public benefits (ex: TANF, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, disability, Veterans benefits, etc.)	Public benefits (ex: TANF, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, disability, Veterans benefits, etc.) Very Important	Public benefits (ex: TANF, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, disability, Veterans benefits, etc.) Important	Public benefits (ex: TANF, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, disability, Veterans benefits, etc.) Not very important compared to other problems	Public benefits (ex: TANF, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, disability, Veterans benefits, etc.) Unsure
Elder law issues involving fraud, abuse, exploitation, guardianships/conservators, estate planning	Elder law issues involving fraud, abuse, exploitation, guardianships/conservators, estate planning Very Important	Elder law issues involving fraud, abuse, exploitation, guardianships/conservators, estate planning Important	Elder law issues involving fraud, abuse, exploitation, guardianships/conservators, estate planning Not very important compared to other problems	Elder law issues involving fraud, abuse, exploitation, guardianships/conservators, estate planning Unsure

Question Title

* 3. For each problem you identified as important or very important in question 2, please describe what is going on in your community with that problem, and describe any suggestions you have for how Southwest Virginia Legal Aid might respond to it. The comment box below will expand if you have more to say.

Question Title

* 4. For each legal problem you identified as important or very important, do you believe those legal needs are currently being met?

Yes

a. If your answer is "No", please describe how Legal Aid could meet those legal needs more effectively? Are you aware if there is any other area of law or need that has not been mentioned in this survey, but that you would like to see addressed by advocates at Legal Aid?

Question Title

* 5. Is there any other area of law or need that has not been mentioned in this survey, but that you would like to see addressed by advocates at Legal Aid?

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* 6. Please give us any comments about Southwest Virginia Legal Aid:

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* 7. I am a (you may check more than one):

Professional that works directly with the low-income community (ex: advocate, social services provider, CSB employee, housing authority employee, volunteer, school or church employee, etc.)

Current or former client or other legal aid-eligible person

Judge, court employee, or attorney

Federal or state government employee or administrator

Legal Aid Board or Staff Member

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What is Legal Aid doing well? And/or what is Legal Aid doing well for the people you serve?

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* 9. What do you think of the quality of the work performed by Southwest Virginia Legal Aid?

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Below Average

Poor

Don't Know

To contact Southwest VA Legal Aid for legal help, you may call this toll-free number: 1-888-201-2772, visit us online at https://www.swvalegalaid.org or on Facebook @Southwest.Virginia.Legal.Aid

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Community Needs Assessment - 2021

Question Title

* 1. Prior to receiving this survey, were you familiar with the services provided by Southwest Virginia Legal Aid?

Question Title

* 2. Please tell us what you think are the most important legal problems facing low-­income people in your community. Because we are not able to work on every problem equally, please tell us which problems you think are more important than others:

Question Title

Question Title

* 4. For each legal problem you identified as important or very important, do you believe those legal needs are currently being met?

Question Title

* 5. Is there any other area of law or need that has not been mentioned in this survey, but that you would like to see addressed by advocates at Legal Aid?

Question Title

* 6. Please give us any comments about Southwest Virginia Legal Aid:

Question Title

* 7. I am a (you may check more than one):

Question Title

* 8. What is Legal Aid doing well? And/or what is Legal Aid doing well for the people you serve?

Question Title

* 9. What do you think of the quality of the work performed by Southwest Virginia Legal Aid?

* 2. Please tell us what you think are the most important legal problems facing low-income people in your community. Because we are not able to work on every problem equally, please tell us which problems you think are more important than others: