From Timpanogos Legal Center

Timpanogos Legal Center's Certified Advocate Partners Program training requires approximately 45-60 hours to complete. During the training, advocates will receive training in the following areas:

• Utah Protective Order and Stalking Injunction Law
• Scope of Services and Ethics
• Advocacy Strategies
• Court Preparation
• Utah Rules of Evidence
• Legal Writing
• Modification, Enforcement, and Dismissal

Individuals interested in becoming a Certified Advocate must satisfy the following criteria:

• Employment at an Eligible Community-Based Organization
  The potential advocate must be employed by an organization that serves survivors of abuse who may seek civil relief orders. Additionally, advocates must have two or more years of experience as a victim advocate, and be currently working in a victim advocate role.
  
  Note: While CJAU is a Sandbox entity, organizations CJAU oversees must independently meet the Sandbox eligibility requirements. For this reason, the organization employing the potential advocate can’t be subject to disqualification from submitting their own application to the Sandbox due to disbarment or criminal history at the ownership or managerial oversight levels.
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• Approval from the Community-Based Organization
  The potential advocate must have approval from the organization that employs them to participate in the training and to provide legal services once training is complete.
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• Provide Services at No Cost
  The potential advocate and their organization must agree to not charge clients for legal services provided.
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• Comply with Regulatory and Reporting Requirements
  The potential advocate must be able to attend any mandatory ongoing training and meetings with CJAU, and must maintain and report data as required by CJAU.

Yes! Organizations are able to have multiple Certified Advocates. Each advocate must complete the required training and report data. We must have a signed contract from every advocate.

Victim Advocates who become Certified Advocates continue in their victim advocacy role, and their legal training becomes an additional tool in their service toolbox for holistically meeting the needs of Utahns. We believe in an approach to legal services delivery that blends legal services with social and other services to provide more comprehensive care.

There is no requirement that Certified Advocates provide only legal services, or that they provide legal services to every client. These skills are to be used when appropriate. However, if organizations want to have a position dedicated entirely to community justice work, that is allowed and welcome.

No, Certified Advocates that also interface with people experiencing medical debt may also cross-train and obtain Medical Debt Legal Advocate training through Innovation for Justice. If they interface with people experiencing housing stability legal concerns may cross-train and obtain Housing Stability Legal Advocacy training through Innovation for Justice.

Certified Advocates will need time to 1) provide legal services, 2) report data to CJAU, and 3) attend training sessions. Additionally, it may be necessary for CJAU to meet with the Certified Advocate or their organization to address questions or concerns.

• Legal Services
  Providing legal services often takes more time than providing other services more commonly offered by community-based organizations. Organizations should be prepared to allocate additional staff time to legal services. It is impossible to provide an exact number, as each organization and client is totally unique. For example, simple cases may take 45 minutes, where more complex cases may take 6 hours.
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• Data Reporting
  We have intentionally created a data reporting framework that is as minimally time-consuming as possible, while still being able to comply with regulatory requirements and to collect meaningful data about the programs. We have tried to mirror information already collected for common grants and other funders to decrease the need to collect additional information from clients.
  
  For each client who receives legal services, advocates must report basic demographic and case information after an intake is completed, and information on services completed and outcomes when the case is closed. It is anticipated that advocates will need approximately 20 minutes per client to complete required reporting.
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• Training Sessions
  From time to time, CJAU will hold ongoing training sessions and informal roundtable discussions. It is anticipated that these meetings will last approximately 1-2 hours, and will be held no more often than monthly.
  

Timpanogos Legal Center provides training at no cost to the advocate or their organization.

CJAU has a funder who is covering all costs for at least the first year of services, and we believe that we can continue to receive funding for at least the first two to three years. This funding includes all costs associated with overseeing advocates. In the future there may be a reasonable fee to use our services to cover the costs of oversight, including things such as staff time and malpractice insurance.