About NLRC
The overall purpose of the National
Legal Resource Center (NLRC) is to provide the aging and legal networks with easy
access to a coordinated national legal assistance
support system in order to strengthen legal assistance/elder rights efforts across
the country. The NLRC has (2) primary ongoing objectives:
Objective 1: The NLRC supports the leadership, knowledge, and systems
capacity of states, legal services providers, area agencies on aging, ADRCs, and
other organizations serving older persons in order to enhance the quality, cost
effectiveness, and accessibility of legal assistance, and elder rights programs
provided to older persons.
Objective 2: The NLRC supports demonstration projects and state
wide initiatives designed to expand or improve the delivery of legal assistance
and elder rights protections to older persons with social or economic needs.
Through pursuit of these objectives, the NLRC helps promote the creation of a nation-wide
system of effective legal assistance and elder rights advocacy services that protect and
enhance essential rights and benefits of older adults facing challenges to their independence
and financial security, particularly older persons who are least able to advocate on their
own behalf.
NLRC Targeted Audience
The audience targeted to receive support
services through the NLRC includes a broad range of legal and elder rights advocates
who play important roles in helping to achieve the NLRC’s goal. These include: State
Unit on Aging Directors, State Legal Services Developers, State LTC Ombudsman, Area
Agency on Aging staff, Aging & Disability Resource Center staff, Title IIIB
legal providers, Legal Services Corporation providers, senior legal hotlines,
and other professionals involved in protecting the rights of older persons.
NLRC Services Available
NLRC partners can provide support and
assistance on both substantive legal issues and service delivery systems issues.
This includes intensive case consultation and training on complex and emerging legal
issues, and access to a wide range of information resources. Types of legal issues
include, for example, saving elders from the tragic loss of their homes through
foreclosure, protecting against consumer scams that destroy nest eggs, problems
in long-term care facilities, and difficulties in accessing public benefits essential
to remaining financially secure, independent, and healthy. With respect to legal
assistance/elder rights delivery systems, NLRC partners can provide technical assistance
and resource materials on the efficient, cost-effective and targeted provision of
state-wide legal and elder rights advocacy services.
Learn more about the NLRC Partners here.