Re: New Mexico State Planning Report

Dear Sarah,

         Thank you for your timely submission of the New Mexico LSC State Planning Report. As indicated in my October 22, 1998 letter to you, the Legal Services Corporation has established procedures to review all State Planning Reports in a thoughtful and deliberative way. This letter is to inform you that the staff of the Legal Services Corporation's Office of Program Operations has completed review and discussion of your Report.

         We found the New Mexico 1998 State Plan quite responsive to LSC's call for effective planning to achieve an integrated legal services delivery system in the state. In fact, we realize and are most appreciative of the fact that, under your leadership and the support of the State Bar, strategic planning has been fully integrated into the regular work of legal services providers in New Mexico since 1994.

         It is clear that the planning effort has the participation of all key stakeholders in New Mexico, including the Bar, pro bono attorneys, LSC-funded and non-LSC-funded providers. Throughout the years, you and other planners have systematically explored ways to improve the delivery system by encouraging coordination and elimination of duplicative efforts among providers, by increasing support -- financial and otherwise -- for legal services, and by ensuring that the goal of full access for clients is achievable. The various initiatives and projects discussed in your State Plan are precisely the indicia of effective planning that LSC called for earlier this year.

         You should know that LSC views New Mexico as a model of effective planning. The Plan is client driven, and has a goal of full access for clients made possible by a network of fully integrated providers. You have set out a range of activities (e.g., a proposed statewide intake and referral hotline) which the participants will undertake to realize the Plan's vision.

         It is clear that New Mexico is committed to a comprehensive delivery system benefiting clients. It has moved toward this end without being impeded by the existing LSC service area boundaries. LSC expects that New Mexico will consider the issue of configuration if new developments in your planning process indicate that the current configuration may be an impediment to further development of a comprehensive, integrated delivery system.

         Given LSC's full review of New Mexico 1998 State Plan, LSC has decided to award three-year funding to all service areas within in the state, with the exception of the migrant service area which will be awarded two year funding. The two-year migrant service area funding is in anticipation of a 1999 LSC review of the national migrant delivery structure. It does not reflect any quality concerns about your state's migrant delivery.

         We request that you keep LSC informed about progress and developments in your planning process. Toward that end, we ask that New Mexico file with LSC a progress/status Report on or before October 1, 2000 describing achievements and activities occurring since the October 1998 Report.

         Again, thank you for your leadership and support. We are eager to assist New Mexico in realizing its goal of providing full client access to the justice system.

         Please feel free to contact me at 202-336-8946, if you have any questions.