might legal services be a good fit for a fourth top-level service category?

[jmlev]

Wary of mission creep here, but on the other hand it occurred to me that this might be another category that someone "needs now". I.e. if you're about to be denied your SSI benefits, or you're an undocumented person facing deportation-- etc. etc.-- legal services might be a crisis need for you in that moment. Thoughts?

[WheresHJ]

This is the sort of thing that I feel like speaks to the need to make this a generic resource engine, not just focused on homelessness resources. To that end, I'd also recommend seeing how this might square with Nancy's work on the Kids Council, which was also about finding resources.

[jmlev]

hi Harlan--

Do you mean creating a generic NeedNow-based template that could power other tools, the way Finda does? Or expanding the scope of NeedNow itself to merge into Find it Cambridge (Kids' Council's tool) and other finders?

If the former, I think it is a terrific idea that I would strongly support, but is pretty far outside the scope of what I can work on (during work hours at the City anyway...could lend some help in my free time).

If the latter, I am a bit wary. I think the population we are focusing on has specific and different needs, and our tool is designed specifically to be slim and targeted rather than comprehensive.

Thanks for continuing to think about this and I appreciate your input!