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In April 2021, the Commission was awarded a second grant to implement solutions that address
the civil legal resource desert findings. During this phase of the project, “access points” were
created to expand the reach of much-needed legal resources in parts of the state where barriers to
legal resources, coupled with high rates of poverty, are the greatest. To accomplish this, the JFA
Steering Team worked closely with courts, libraries, community organizations and leaders in the
areas to secure support, assess the legal needs of community members, educate staff of existing
partners, identify locations to launch the access points, and ensure the initiative is community-led
once launched. “Legal Help Access Points” have been launched in the East Carroll Parish Library,
the Concordia Parish Library Vidalia Branch, and the LaSalle Community Action Association in
Harrisonburg, Louisiana. The JFA Team is currently assisting with establishing an Access Point
in Jefferson Parish and evaluating other locations in St. Bernard and Beauregard Parishes for
additional access points.
In addition to physical access point locations, the JFA Team has begun quarterly “Law Talks”,
which are virtual presentations on important legal topics hosted by legal aid & volunteer attorneys.
Presentations will be via Zoom & streamed on the Louisiana Lawyers in Libraries Facebook page.
Topics covered included Custody, Divorce, and Small Successions. A Law Talk on Social Security
and Medicaid will be held on April 12, 2023, and a presentation on disaster issues is scheduled for
July 19, 2023.

Building Bridges Committee, Chair Adrienne Wheeler
The Building Bridges Committee supports relationships between criminal and civil legal aid
communities to address legal barriers of people formerly incarcerated using a coordinated
approach. Members and partners include public defenders, district attorney staff, private bar,
Department of Corrections, Department of Children and Family Service, social workers, case
managers, and civil legal aid providers. The Committee coordinates efforts to address systemic
issues in addition to ensuring the provision of legal services to people currently and formerly
incarcerated. The services provided reduce legal barriers to accessing housing, employment,
education, and transportation. This Committee works closely with the Statewide LA Prisoner
Reentry Initiative (LA-PRI)’s Legal Subcommittee, a program by the Louisiana Department of
Public Safety and Corrections, through which recommendations are presented to address the most
pressing issues people face upon release. Additionally, the Committee also works closely with
programs offering reentry legal services by assisting with volunteer attorney recruitment through
educational programming and CLE events.

Funding Committee, Chair Chris Ralston
The mission of the Funding Committee is to promote appropriate funding of the Louisiana Civil
Justice System. The focus is on state and federal funding issues.

State Appropriations

Past efforts of the ATJ Funding Committee have focused on a state appropriation for the
Louisiana Legal Services Programs. These efforts were successful for several years with
the state funding of $500,000 included in the Governor’s Executive Budget for the Legal

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