CLA partners with MetroWest Health Foundation to start a medical-legal partnership in Milford

THE DOCTOR (& LAWYER) WILL SEE YOU NOW.

 

Seeing a doctor is a good way to get treatment for a medical condition, but it may not alleviate all that is making you sick. The social determinants of health – poverty, access or the physical and social environment – may also impact your ability to get and stay well.

Many of these issues don’t require a physician, but rather a legal advocate working hand in hand with medical providers to address things like insurance denials, housing code violations or domestic violence. These medical-legal partnerships were first launched at Boston Medical Center in 1993 and have expanded to 262 medical institutions in 36 states. 

Thanks to funding from the MetroWest Health Foundation, CLA has started a new practice at the Kennedy Community Health Center in Milford.

The health center’s medical staff has been trained to screen patients for issues that may require further assistance from the participating attorney. CLA attorney Medha Maklouf is onsite several days per week and meets with the health center’s community health worker to develop a plan for those needing assistance. Since January of 2014, over 40 health center patients have received legal assistance ranging from advocacy with landlords, to appeals of denied health insurance claims.  

If you want to learn more about medical-legal partnerships, visit the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnerships website or read this recent blogpost from the New York Times.