The Texas Bar Foundation recently announced that The Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy (ECI) was awarded $10,000 to continue the HALO (Holistic Advocacy in Legal Operations) Initiative. This grant will provide holistic legal representation by assessing and addressing a broad array of biopsychosocial issues that impact ECI's clients.

ECI will use the funds to hire a licensed social worker to add a social services component to its legal advocacy work of assisting clients in cases involving housing and real property matters, juveniles involved in multiple systems (juvenile justice, foster care, mental health and school discipline), individuals who need their records cleared and persons who have been wrongfully convicted.

“This grant from the Texas Bar Foundation will allow ECI to continue providing crucial free legal assistance to Houston’s underserved communities,” said Sarah Guidry, Executive Director of The Earl Carl Institute. “Many of our clients come to us facing issues ancillary to the reason they need legal representation, and legal representation alone cannot cure the underlying issue. With a licensed social worker, with a legal background, ECI can improve the welfare of our clientele by assessing and addressing a broad array of social services needs that impact the communities that we serve and allow us to provide holistic client-centered representation. To be effective and to improve long-term outcomes, we have recognized that we need to address the whole person. Failure to do so can often result in the same or other legal issues rearising in the future.”

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $24 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation's largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

Founded in 1992, The Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy at Thurgood Law, on the campus of Texas Southern University, has become a top-tier legal services provider and think tank focusing on research, writing and outreach. The mission of the Institute is to empower underserved and disenfranchised communities by addressing systemic social issues through legal representation, research, education, and advocacy. For more information visit www.earlcarlinstitute.org.