Medical Legal Partnership: Innovative Solutions for a Healthier Community
March 26-27, 2012
Marriott Rivercenter, San Antonio , TX
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About
This activity has been developed with consideration given to the American Board of Medical Specialties Six Core Competencies. This activity will increase your competency in the areas of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Systems-Based Practice, and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement.
Join MLP teams, policymakers and leaders in medicine, nursing, social work, law and public health as we explore themes including quality of care, transforming healthcare and legal practices, and new innovations in MLP. This year, we will place a particular focus on MLPs as community-based organizations, highlighting strategies for leveraging existing resources to build capacity and promote long-term, sustainable programs.
Questions? Contact MLPSummit2012@gmail.com, or visit www.medical-legalpartnership.org for full details.
Target Audience
Physicians, attorneys, nurses, social workers, paralegals, researchers, policymakers, government and public health officials.
Needs Addressed/Gaps
Medicine alone cannot solve the problems of those who struggle daily with material hardships like hunger and safety. A child with asthma living in a moldy apartment will never breathe symptom free, no matter how much medicine is administered, without improved living conditions. A chronically ill adult will never get healthier if she or he does not have adequate nutrition.
While traditional healthcare and legal services treat vulnerable populations in isolation from each other, many people living in low-income communities often fall through the cracks. Studies by the Legal Service Corporation have shown that low-income Americans have an average of 2-3 unmet legal needs, and that 80% of civil legal needs are not being met. These unaddressed legal problems, like insufficient heat or unhealthy homes, exacerbate chronic conditions and preventable illnesses.
Medical-legal partnership is a healthcare delivery model that integrates legal assistance as a vital component of patient care. MLP brings physicians, nurses, social workers, and attorneys together to offer low-income, chronically ill and other vulnerable patients the comprehensive care they need.
It is widely acknowledged that adverse social conditions affect patient health, but prevailing models of healthcare delivery offer limited resources, tools and methods for addressing these issues. In addition, advocacy skills are valued, taught and deployed inconsistently within the medical community.
Numerous studies have found a significant level of unmet legal need among low-income individuals commonly cared for in health center settings. Pilot studies at Boston Medical Center show that a majority of patients studied are likely to benefit from on-site legal assistance. While there are a number of laws and regulations that address the social factors that influence health, studies show that patients are still struggling to secure the benefits that the law and various public programs afford them. Several studies show that MLP can improve clinical workforce skills in detecting legal needs and referring patients to those who can help them address these needs.
This conference will address these gaps.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:
1) Assess priorities, strengths and challenges for existing and developing MLPs
2) Select appropriate evaluation strategies and implement best practices for local programs.
3) Identify opportunities for combined systemic advocacy initiative for healthcare and legal providers.
