Research released today shows that for every dollar invested in civil legal aid in Wisconsin, the economy receives a return of $8.40. The finding comes from a study commissioned by the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation Inc. (WisTAF) and conducted by The Resource for Great Programs Inc. (The Resource).
Civil legal aid refers to the provision of legal assistance to people who cannot afford to hire an attorney but are facing life-altering issues related to civil law. Unlike in criminal legal matters, there is generally no guarantee of an attorney for someone facing a civil issue such as need for a restraining order; protection of rights related to health and safety, shelter, or financial independence; or determining child custody or guardianship.
Beginning in early 2022, The Resource gathered 2021 data from 12 participating civil legal aid providers. Together, the providers received 96% of civil legal aid funding in Wisconsin. Researchers combined case data with numbers from trusted government and other publicly available sources and then calculated economic impact.
The return of $8.40 on the dollar represented $176 million in total measurable impacts of participating organizations’ work, divided by the organizations’ total funding of $21 million from all sources during the same time period. Impacts fell into four categories:
- Clients avoided catastrophic circumstances that would have cost $18 million in emergency services paid for by governments, charities, lending institutions, and others. These services related to housing stability, medical treatment, and personal and family safety.
- Clients recovered $73 million in rightful assets or income, such as child support, health care coverage, and veterans’ benefits.
- Providers recovered $14 million in Medicare and Medicaid payments for health care providers including hospitals, pharmacies, and doctors.
- The state’s economy received a boost of $71 million from the economic multiplier impact of assets brought into Wisconsin and spent throughout the state, leading to revenue for businesses, which translates to jobs for Wisconsin workers.
