Technical Support for Legal Hotlines

Source: AARP.org | January 28, 2003

Providing Support for Organizations Developing Legal Hotlines

What is a Legal Hotline?

A legal hotline is a telephone service where callers can access free legal advice from attorneys. Over 20 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have legal hotlines where you can get free legal advice over the phone if you are 60 or older.

What is the AARP Technical Support for Legal Hotlines Project?

AARP Technical Support for Legal Hotlines provides technical assistance, materials, training, information, and consultation to managers of legal hotlines and organizations interested in developing legal hotlines.

What else does the project do?

The project arranges conferences for legal services organizations on hotline related issues and teleconferences for hotline managers to discuss items of interest, problems, and concerns.

Online Publications

The project publishes various documents which are available online:

• The Legal Hotline Quarterly features in-depth articles about legal hotlines, hotline news, statistics, and other matters of interest.
  http://www.legalhotlines.org/newsletters/index.cfm
• The Senior Legal Hotline Annual Report documents productivity statistics, funding sources, and annual news updates from the statewide senior legal hotlines
  http://www.legalhotlines.org/standards/statreport01.pdf
• Best Practice Tips are a compilation of techniques addressing a variety of hotline operations matters.
  http://www.legalhotlines.org/profiles/index.cfm
• Profiles provide in-depth descriptions of operations at a sampling of legal hotline programs. www.legalhotlines.org/profiles/index.cfm

Legal Hotline Technical Support Library

AARP Technical Support for Legal Hotlines has also collected and catalogued hundreds of documents at the Legal Hotline Technical Support Library at the National Center for Poverty Law. These materials are available at www.legalhotlines.org:

• Legal Hotline Surveys, Statistics and Reports
• Procedural Manuals and Practice Guides
• Technology for Hotlines
• Hotline Funding/Sample Grant Proposals
• The Substantive Materials listings within the Technical Support Library include state specific Frequently Asked Questions Manuals and Self-Help Guides

AARP Legal Hotline Directory

The AARP Technical Support for Legal Hotlines Project has also developed a nationwide searchable directory of legal hotlines. The AARP Legal Hotline Directory provides a nationwide search of non-profit organizations offering legal advice by telephone. It provides information on local, state, regional, and national legal hotlines operated for people over 60. There are currently 22 senior legal hotlines operating nationwide.

It also includes legal hotlines serving low-income clients, and clients who need legal advice on special issues such as housing, domestic violence, mental health, and a variety of other needs.

Who funds this program?

This program is funded by the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Visit www.aoa.gov for more information.

Contact Us

AARP Technical Support for Legal Hotlines
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
(202) 434-2120