Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) help address the social determinants of health by connecting medical professionals to attorneys who can help stabilize housing, increase family stability and safety, protect benefits and income, and ensure that children are provided needed educational services. At LASC and SEOLS, we are grateful for our long-term MLPs with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohioans for Better Birth Outcomes, and Muskingum Health Centers, which have confirmed the positive impact of these partnerships. Our MLPs support pregnant women, children, and low-income families.
A recent national study on MLPs found that children referred for legal help were 38 percent less likely to be hospitalized in the following year. And the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership has found that when people have access to critical legal services, they report less stress and experience improvements in their mental health. These outcomes reflect the findings of our internal data collection, where our clients report a 16 to 30 percent reduction in overall stress levels. A survey of women who were pregnant at the time of referral found that 83 percent delivered full term.
While these studies are illustrative of the overall impact, they do not fully capture the importance of a coordinated medical and legal team working on behalf of the thousands of patients like Alison. She was referred to Legal Aid by the obstetrics/gynecology clinic at Ohio State University after her requests for subsidized housing and child care were denied. Alison, who had been a stay-at-home mom, was returning to work because her son’s father moved out. She found work in a warehouse but could not afford rent and child care for her three-year-old on her wages.
Legal Aid Paralegal Ashlie Stevens contacted the county and resolved the child care issue. Attorney Nathan Crowell contacted the housing authority and explained why he thought Alison should be approved for housing. After reviewing the case, the housing authority’s attorney agreed that the denial was improper. Within a few weeks, Alison received a Section 8 voucher.
