Legal Health Check

0 Comments

The Street Law LHC provides a number of questions to help community service workers better identify specific issues.

 

 

Where you are assisting someone with a number of problems, Street Law recommends you use the Legal Health Check (LHC). People who require legal assistance are often more likely to disclose their legal issues to a non-lawyer. Where possible, we get community service workers to administer a LHC so they can get a thorough understanding of all the legal issues someone may have. This provides us with a better basis for which to assist them.

Our version of the LHC provides a number of questions to help community service workers better identify specific issues. It also separates issues like fines/infringements and debt to better suit our client group’s needs.

If you or your organisation would like dedicated training on why we use the legal health check, the best way to use it and how this assists with referrals, Street Law is happy to provide this. Our training is designed to walk community service workers through the process, equip them to use it well, and provide opportunities to give feedback and a version best suited to the people they work with.

If you are unsure if your client is eligible for our services, or are unsure if we can assist, please call to find out more information.

 

You can refer to Street Law using the following process:

 

Use the Legal Health Check below to refer a client directly:

Legal Health Check

Legal Health Check

Best contact for your organisation
Insert full name
Is it safe for us to contact the client directly using the number provided?
Let us know if there is a safety plan. If there is, please outline details of the safety plan.
Provide the full names and other details of any other third party/related party that comes up as a result of using the Legal Health Check. This could include other people or agencies.
Is anyone chasing you for money? Do you have any payments due or unpaid accounts? Eg: Centrelink, car loan, rent? Do you have any issues with superannuation, pensions or insurance cover? Do you have any bank accounts, vehicles or other assets/savings? Do you think you can repay your debt? What factors are making it hard to do so?
Have you received any Court fines? Have you received any infringements? Are you currently paying off a debt to the Fines Enforcement registry? If so, how are you doing so? How would you like to deal with your outstanding fines?
Do you receive any Centrelink benefits? Do you have any other income? How much income do you have on average weekly? When and how were you last employed? Did you receive any entitlements when you left your last job? Do you believe you were unfairly dismissed?
Where are you currently staying and where did you stay before? Are you on the Department of Communities - Housing priority list or wait list? Have you been evicted recently? If so, why? If you paid bond, did you get it back? Did you leave behind any belongings? Do you have unpaid rent or tenant liability owing to the Department of Housing? Are you on the tenancy database? If so, why and how long ago?
Have you had any contact with the police recently? For example, have you been questioned or arrested? Are you due in Court? If so, when and what for? Have you missed any Court dates? If so, when and what for? Are you aware of any outstanding warrants in your name? Are you on any Court orders?
Have you been the victim of a crime? If so, when and did you report it to the police? The National Redress scheme is for people who, when under the age of 18 were subject to sexual abuse through an Institution – please use your discretion when discussing this, and assess if the appropriate support services are available if discussed.
Are you subject to any kind of restraining order, or do you wish to take one out? Have you had any involvement with the DCCPFS? If so, what? Are you concerned any parenting plans or orders with respect to your children? If you are in a relationship, do you have any concerns with respect to your rights in the relationship? Do you have any matters that require you to go through the Family Court of Australia? (divorce, property applications)
Do you need your ID Documents (Birth Cert, Photo ID etc.), Do you believe you have suffered any instances of discrimination? Are you under a guardianship or administration order? (public advocate, public trustee) If so, are you satisfied with current arrangements or would you like to change them? Are you under an involuntary treatment order? What are the most pressing matters and outcomes for you at present? Do you have any other concerns you would like to raise with a lawyer?
Do you consent to this information being shared to Street Law Centre for the purpose of identifying and dealing with your legal issues? Street Law will contact you or your case worker to discuss these matters further, but any further legal advice or assistance will happen at Street Law’s discretion. *

Download a printer friendly version of the Legal Health Check here.

DISCLAIMER

We hope you find this information useful. However, please be aware it is general information only. It is not legal advice. Unless we speak to you, we cannot guarantee it applies to the situation.

Last updated: May 2021