2018 NLADA Annual Conference--Resilient Justice

If a mantra exists for using outcomes data to understand, improve, and explain the work of institutions, it is only now beginning to take root in the civil legal aid community. Among civil legal aid providers and funders who are enthusiastic about outcomes tracking, there is only the beginning of emerging consensus on best strategies and models. And among skeptics, there are continuing concerns about the burdens of collecting data, risks of over-relying on data, questions about the practical value of data, and more. To a large extent, the lack of clear consensus offers great room for progress. A new report from the National Center for Access to Justice at Fordham Law School captures perspectives of providers and funders on opportunities for unlocking the power of outcomes data today, working toward solving harder challenges in using outcomes data, and improving the quality of the outcomes data that is tracked. Join the discussion about leading edge topics concerning effective use of data, reporting on "big goals," relying on "big data," communicating with funders about what to track, reporting "systemic outcomes," obtaining feedback from service recipients, partnering with courts, tracking holistic service, and understanding causation.