UTAH LEGAL SERVICES SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT SUMMARY

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1 UTAH LEGAL SERVICES SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT SUMMARY Utah Legal Services (ULS) operates 4 offices throughout Utah providing free civil legal services to qualified low-income people who would not otherwise have access to the justice system. In 2013, ULS provided services in five major substantive areas of law, addressing 12 critical issues, with 75 different categories of services and over 200 different case types. During the year services were provided in 17,309 legal matters. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, $505,225 MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, $1,931,595 JUVENILE, $102,350 Issues Impact MISC LEGAL ISSUES, $363,889 SYSTEM COST SAVINGS OR AVOIDANCE, $1,106,400 CONSUMER FINANCE, $3,924,567 EDUCATION, $1,572 EMPLOYMENT, $258,593 INCOME MAINTENANCE, $11,160,971 FAMILY, $8,277,143 HOUSING, $2,069,251 HEALTH, $546,671 The Social Return on Investment analysis completed for ULS is a measurement of the values delivered during calendar year These values are based on the number of clients and the types of legal matters handled during this period. The Social Return on Investment value may vary in future periods based on the number of matters, the types of legal issues, and the outcomes achieved in these matters.

2 The Social Return on Investment for ULS is significantly higher than values for many other types of social service organizations based on two primary factors: 1) Many types of legal services delivered result in significant future cost savings or additional income to the State of Utah. These long-term values include (among others): Multiple year income from Social Security and/or Disability benefits that were previously denied, terminated, or reduced; Long-term savings on children s medical and other support costs resulting from child support payments that were previously not obtained; Significant savings on costs for emergency housing and family assistance resulting from enforcement of landlord/tenant law; Significant increases in property values resulting from prevention of housing evictions and foreclosures; Long-term economic benefit resulting from continued employment of lower-income workers due to enforcement of employment law; and Cost savings and benefits resulting from other legal aid services available to qualified low-income individuals and families. Another significant reason for the high value of ULS Social Return on Investment is the number of volunteer ( Pro-Bono ) hours of legal services delivered by attorneys throughout Utah. The Pro-Bono programs, which are supported by local Bar Associations, would be less available and less efficient if not for ULS. ULS provides the necessary infrastructure, frequently including attorney recruitment, training, and recognition, applicant screening, administrative support, technical assistance, and follow-up services for clients and pro-bono programs. ULS provides necessary services to a segment of the population that otherwise would have no access to legal services and no protection from predatory and unscrupulous practices.

3 For 2013, the value produced by ULS is as follows: Loss of Home/Unsafe Housing: Matters involving loss of home due to foreclosure, eviction from subsidized or private housing, landlord/tenant problems, sub-standard housing conditions, lockouts and utility shut-offs. During 2013 ULS closed 1,447 legal matters resulting in $1,111,883 in immediate direct financial benefits and $1,062,776 in long-term consequential financial benefits. Domestic Relations: Matters involving domestic violence, child abuse or child snatching, and matters involving elderly clients who face loss of housing or income. Limited services are available for other domestic matters involving divorce, paternity and custody. During 2013 ULS closed 2,788 legal matters resulting in $5,108,066 in immediate direct financial benefits and $4,968,636 in long-term consequential financial benefits. Public Benefits: Matters involving public assistance programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Medical Assistance, Home and Community Based Care, Veterans Benefits, Unemployment Compensation, and Social Security benefits. During 2013 ULS closed 1,018 legal matters resulting in $1,423,362 in immediate direct financial benefits and $13,050,456 in long-term consequential financial benefits. Employment Issues: Matters involving employment discrimination, wage claims and Fair Labor Standards Act violations, tax issues, employment rights, and other employment issues. During 2013 ULS closed 40 legal matters resulting in $134,760 in immediate direct financial benefits and $127,450 in long-term consequential financial benefits.

4 Consumer Protection: Matters involving deceptive and predatory lending practices, debt collection, auto repossessions, fraud, deficiencies, garnishments and bankruptcy. During 2013 ULS closed legal matters resulting in $3,440,397 in immediate direct financial benefits and $539,811 in long-term consequential financial benefits. Other Issues: Matters involving varied areas such as wills and estates, powers of attorney and advance directives, immigration and naturalization, Indian and Tribal law, civil rights, torts, licenses, non-profit organizations, municipal organizations, court and government usage savings, and other miscellaneous legal issues. During 2013 ULS closed 548 legal matters resulting in $1,415,293 in immediate direct financial benefits and $54,996 in long-term consequential financial benefits. The total immediate direct and longer-term consequential value of ULS activities delivered during 2012 was $32,609,643. Of this total, approximately $2,361,416 in value was unrealized due to factors such as parents not making required child support payments; bankruptcy of fraudulent mortgage providers; nonpayment of wage claims; and nonpayment of housing claims and repairs. The net value resulting from ULS s activities during 2013 totaled $30,248,227. CONSUMER FINANCE Bankruptcy & Debtor Relief $2,854,577 Collection Practices/Credit $3,150 Collections/Repossessions/Garnishments $999,440 Contracts & Warranties $56,850 Loans & Installment Purchases $4,350 Predatory Lending $0 Public Utilities $3,200 Unfair Sales Practices $0 Other Consumer Finance Issues $3,000 CONSUMER FINANCE Total $3,924,567

5 EDUCATION Special Education/Learning Disabilities $0 Student Discipline (Expulsion/Suspension) $300 Student Financial Aid $600 Vocational Education $0 Other Education Issues $672 EDUCATION Total $1,572 EMPLOYMENT Agricultural Worker Issues (not wages) $11,630 Earned Income Tax Credit $0 Employment Discrimination $2,700 Employment Rights $14,080 Tax Issues $600 Wage Claims and Fair Labor Standards $45,642 Other Employment Issues $183,941 EMPLOYMENT Total $258,593 FAMILY Adoption $352,300 Adult Guardianship $750,780 Custody and Visitation $415,250 Divorce/Separation/Annulment $2,063,523 Domestic Abuse $4,461,311 Name Change $5,750 Parental Rights Termination $15,000 Paternity $36,000 Support $162,365 Other Family Issues $14,863 FAMILY Total $8,277,143

6 HEALTH Long Term Health Care Facilities $487,645 Private Health Insurance $47,070 State and Local Health $10,694 Other Health Issues $1,262 HEALTH Total $546,671 HOUSING Federally Subsidized Housing $483,653 Homeownership and Real Property $47,449 Housing Discrimination $1,900 Mobile Homes $24,767 Mortgage Foreclosures $97,760 Mortgage Predatory Lending Practices $156,746 Private Landlord/Tenant Issues $1,186,779 Public Housing $65,306 Other Housing Issues $4,892 HOUSING Total $2,069,251 INCOME MAINTENANCE Food Stamps $1,336,368 Social Security $25,200 Social Security Disability Insurance $5,390,740 Social Security Insurance $3,812,236 State and Local Income Maintenance $99,799 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $168,846 Unemployment Compensation $169,587 Veterans Benefits $135,180 Other Income Maintenance Issues $23,016 INCOME MAINTENANCE Total $11,160,971

7 INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Civil Rights $2,800 Human Trafficking $34,392 Immigration and Naturalization $461,666 Mental Health Issues $300 Physically Disabled Rights $3,300 Other Individual Rights Issues $2,767 INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Total $505,225 JUVENILE Delinquent $3,000 Emancipation $0 Minor Guardianship $87,500 Neglected and Abused Dependents $11,700 Other Juvenile Issues $150 JUVENILE Total $102,350 MISC LEGAL ISSUES Advance Directives/Power of Attorney $63,300 Assistance for Non-Profits $0 Indian and Tribal Law $6,400 Licenses $9,600 Municipal Legal Needs $0 Torts $61,000 Wills and Estates $213,367 Other Miscellaneous Legal Issues $10,222 MISC LEGAL ISSUES Total $363,889

8 MEDICAID AND MEDICARE Medicaid Issues $1,799,027 Medicare Issues $132,568 MEDICAID AND MEDICARE Total $1,931,595 SYSTEM COST SAVINGS OR Legal System Cost AVOIDANCE Savings $1,106,400 The funding investment made by the federal, state, and local governments and other funders totaled $3,278,162. Funding Investments In-Kind Contributions, $76,407 Other Revenues, $8,375 Other Grants and Contract Revenue, $380,590 Temporarily Restricted Net Assets Released from Restrictions, $72,000 Federal and State Financial Assistance, $2,740,790

9 The total net Social Return on Investment for Utah Legal Services during 2013 was 923%. Social ROI Investment, $3,278, % Return, $30,248,227 For every $1 invested in ULS in 2013, the State of Utah receives $9.23 of longterm financial benefit. ULS also provides other non-quantifiable services such as legal clinics, public legal education and other educational services and assistance to the people of Utah. If these additional services could be measured and the resulting values quantified, the overall Social Return on Investment for ULS would increase.