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Medical – Legal Partnerships. Health Care Providers and Legal Service Providers Working Together. Introduction. Community Legal Aid Services (CLAS) Free civil legal services to low-income and elderly individuals Assistance with :. Bankruptcy Foreclosures Evictions Income Maintenance
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Medical – Legal Partnerships Health Care Providers and Legal Service Providers Working Together
Introduction • Community Legal Aid Services (CLAS) • Free civil legal services to low-income and elderly individuals • Assistance with: • Bankruptcy • Foreclosures • Evictions • Income Maintenance • Family Assistance • Medicaid
Introduction • Getting Assistance • Based on income • Must be a citizen or a eligible alien • www.communitylegalaid.org • 1-800-998-9454 • Health Advocacy Program • Akron Children’s Hospital & CLAS • Since August 2009
Introduction • Medical – Legal Partnership (MLP) • Developments • Nationwide • Statewide • Benefits of an MLP • Health • Legal • Possible Outcomes • Potential Developments • Getting Involved
Medical – Legal Partnerships • Originated in Boston, MA in 1993 • Ohio’s first MLP – Cleveland in 2002 • Toledo, Columbus, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, and Akron followed
Medical – Legal Partnerships • Health Care Providers (HCP) and Legal Service Providers (LSP) identify and remedy legal issues that are barriers to health • HCPs identify the legal impediments after training from LSPs • LSPs work to remedy those legal issues leading to improved health
Developments – National • National MLP Center developed • Currently there are 75+ partnerships nationwide • National legislation concerning MLP funding
Developments – Statewide • 6 Legal Aid Societies in Ohio • At least one partnership at each • At least one site for each partnership • Most sites are in some stage of growth or expansion
Cleveland Community Advocacy Program Toledo Medical-Legal Partnership for Children Health Advocacy Program Child and Youth Law Program Family Healthcare Advocacy Project Cincinnati Child Health-Law Partnership
Benefits of an MLP – Health • Improved asthma outcomes • Asthma caused/exacerbated by substandard housing improves w/attorney involvement • Decreased stress • Assistance with issues helps decrease feelings of being overwhelmed
Benefits of an MLP – Legal • Proactive legal interventions • Generally need less assistance • Assistance can have greater impact • Avoid many emergency situations • Learn of rent problems before eviction notice sent • Get involved with children’s education before serious disciplinary actions or academic deficiencies jeopardize educatino
Possible Outcomes • General • Improved health • Improved legal situations • Specific • IEP in place • Housing conditions improved • Greater financial security • Medical care for parents (better for kids, too) • More family stability
Potential Developments • State Taskforce Meetings Quarterly • Next Meeting… • Probably first or second Tuesday in July • Contact Local Partnership • Trainings could be provided • May be looking for additional medical partners or referral sources • Contact National MLP for additional ideas
Getting Involved • Akron – Health Advocacy Program • Akron Children’s Hospital • Community Legal Aid Services • Leah Jensen • Chillicothe – Family Healthcare Advocacy Project • Family Healthcare, Inc. • Southeastern Ohio Legal Services • Rebecca Gonzales
Getting Involved • Cincinnati – Child Health-Law Partnership • Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center • Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati • Elaine Fink • Cleveland – Community Advocacy Program • MetroHealth • Broadway Health Center • Buckeye Health Center • Main Campus Health Center • Thomas F. McCafferty Health Center • Legal Aid Society of Cleveland • Mallory Curran
Getting Involved • Columbus– Child and Youth Law Program • Nationwide Children’s Hospital • Legal Aid Society of Columbus • Vanessa Coterel • Toledo – Medical-Legal Partnership for Children • St Vincent’s Mercy Children’s Hospital • St. Vincent’s Mercy Family Care Center • University of Toledo, College of Medicine • Advocates for Basic Legal Equality • Legal Aid of Western Ohio • Dianne Mantel
Contact Leah R. Jensen, Esq. Equal Justice Works Fellow 50 S Main St, Ste 800 Akron, OH 44308 1-800-309-5454 ext. 2557 ljensen@communitylegalaid.org