Managing a Self-Help Center

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News: Self-Help Innovations in Maryland (News 2021)
The Maryland Court Help Center 2021 Provider Conference offered a glimpse into some of the cutting edge innovations in self-help in the COVID era.1  
Year published: 2021
Document Author: SRLN
100% Access to Justice Strategic Planning Courts Self-Help Centers Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Managing a Self-Help Center Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services
Survey: SRLN Tiers of Service Survey Tool (SRLN 2015)
The SRLN Tiers Survey was developed for states to conduct a quick tiered inventory of their court based self-help services. Tier 1 services are asynchronous (one-way), Tier 2 services are synchronous (two-way), and Tier 3 services integrate multiple providers or parts of the system.
Year published: 2015
Document Author: SRLN, Katherine Alteneder
Strategic Planning ATJ Commissions Courts Surveys Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Managing a Self-Help Center Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services Evaluating a Self-Help Center
Resource: Sample Hotline Caution-Intake-Data Templates (Alaska 2006)
Attached are sample operations templates from the Alaska Court System's Self-Help System.
Year published: 2006
Document Author: Katherine Alteneder
Managing a Self-Help Center
Guide: Guidelines for the Operation of Self-Help Centers in California Trial Courts (California 2011)
The Administrative Office of the Courts, in collaboration with judges, court executive officers, attorneys, and other parties with demonstrated interest in services to self-represented litigants, is charged with the development of these guidelines for dissemination to the trial courts by March 1, 2008, and thereafter to review them every three years. The attached document reflects the guidelines for the delivery of comprehensive statewide court based self-help in California.
Year published: 2008, 2011
Document Author: California Judicial Council Center for Families Children & the Courts
Self-Help Centers Trial Court Self-Help 100% Access to Justice Courts Managing a Self-Help Center Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Strategic Planning Evaluating a Self-Help Center
Report: Turning on the Lights: How the Massachusetts Trial Court Could Deploy a Virtual Court Service Center to Assist Self-Represented Litigants (MA Appleseed 2019)
This report was prepared in partnershup with the Mass. Trial Court to inform the development of a virtual self-help center to supplement the work done by its court service centers. This report will be valuable to any jurisdiction working to better serve SRLs. It includes a robust literature review, analysis of input from numerous stakeholders (survey tools are included), and recommendations for how to increase human help and optimize technology. A must read for anyone working in court based self-help.  
Year published: 2019
Document Author: Massachusetts Appleseed, Deb Silva, Julia Schutt, Jake Hofstetter
Reports Surveys Trial Court Self-Help Starting a Self-Help Center Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Managing a Self-Help Center Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services
Tool: CA Self-Help Centers' Self-Assessment Tool for Quality Programs (CA Courts 2018)
The California Self-Help Centers’ Self-Assessment Tool for Quality Programs was developed as a strategic and tactical planning template to promote quality Self-Help Center Programs across California. The tool is designed to connect a wide range of initiatives within the Judicial Branch, and to intentionally develop systems to interconnect the larger court system with self-help programs. The Tool is designed to:
Year published: 2018
Document Author: California Judicial Council Center for Families Children & the Courts, Superior Court of California, County of Butte SHARP Program
Reports, Evaluations, Best Practices, Surveys Evaluation Best Practices Surveys Tools for Evaluating Self-Help Programs and Services Self-Help Centers Trial Court Self-Help Starting a Self-Help Center Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Managing a Self-Help Center Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services Evaluating a Self-Help Center
Report: Evaluation of Glen Burnie District Court Self-Help Center (Maryland 2012)
This is a comprehensive evaluation of the Glen Burnie District Court Self-Help Center that helped lay the groundwork for Maryland now completely statewide and all court levels centralized self-help, see more at https://mdcourts.gov/selfhelp.
Year published: 2012
Document Author: Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts
Reports, Evaluations, Best Practices, Surveys Evaluation Managing a Self-Help Center Evaluating a Self-Help Center
News: LEAN Manufacturing Analysis Helps Senior Legal Hotline Network Serve More Clients in Better Ways (Center for Elder Rights Advocacy 2016)
 
Year published: 2016
Document Author: Alex Smith Davis
Strategic Planning Evaluation Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Managing a Self-Help Center Evaluating a Self-Help Center Triage & Service Portal
Weblinks: National Center for State Courts Triage Page (NCSC 2015)
The National Center for State Courts(NCSC) provides numerous resources for court personnel who contemplate triage through the lens of case management, which is a critical step towards simplification, use their search feature for "triage". Many of the resources cited are repeated here, but be sure to check the NCSC Information and Resource page for updates (ncsc.org).
Year published: 2015
Document Author: National Center for State Courts (NCSC)
Triage Best Practices Managing a Self-Help Center Triage & Service Portal
Presentation: Legal Information and Legal Advice: The Hard Situations (Greacen 2010)
Presentation on the distinction between legal information and legal advice given by John M. Greacen at the 2010 California Conference On Self-Represented Litigants April 29-30, 2010.  
Year published: 2010
Document Author: John Greacen
Clerk, Self-Help Center Staff, and Librarian Ethics Managing a Self-Help Center Conferences & Summits