Ohio State Bar Foundation
2005 Award Winner

Fewer than 25 percent of adults complete advance health care directives; of these, only 33 percent can locate these legal documents when they are needed. The Ohio State Bar Foundation and its 2002 Fellows Class met this challenge with “Light the Way: Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones in the Dark.” This ongoing statewide education campaign has encouraged more than 2 million Ohioans to plan and discuss health care decisions before a medical crisis occurs.

Each year the newest lawyer and judge volunteer members of the Ohio State Bar Foundation work together as a Fellows Class to produce a project that promotes public understanding of the law and improvements in the justice system throughout Ohio. The Ohio State Bar Foundation’s Fellows Class of 2002 asked more than three dozen social service providers and government agencies to help create “Light the Way,” including:

• 1,200 CD “toolboxes” containing professionally prepared newsletter articles, talking points, statistics, stories, resource lists, wallet cards, flyers and posters; this information also was posted on the foundation’s and provider partner Web sites, and pamphlets were placed in physician and hospital waiting rooms
• a 60-attorney speakers bureau sent volunteers across the state to senior centers and civic groups to spread the message
• “Light the Way Month,” culminating in 200 Ohioans working with volunteer lawyers to fill out their advance directive forms – at no cost.

The National Conference of Bar Foundations is pleased to present its Seventh Annual Award for Bar Foundation Excellence in Public Service Programming to the Ohio State Bar Foundation. This award recognizes innovative and imaginative programs that are executed efficiently and respond effectively to important problems in society and the legal system.


For more information about "Light the Way", visit www.osbf.net/advancedirectives.

Copyright © 2005
National Conference of Bar Foundations
www.ncbf.org