Va MLP Network
The Va MLP network was launched in September, 2008 at a statewide meeting of over 25 medical and legal partners from throughout Virginia who came to Charlottesville interested in learning more about this model and how to develop an effective network in Virginia. The network presently includes 6 partnerships in operation around the state and several others under development.
2nd Annual VA MLP Network Statewide Meeting
(2009) The second annual statewide VA MLP meeting was held in Richmond on October 16, 2009. There, medical and legal partners from across the state came together to discuss the progress made in the VA MLP network to date and to plan for future development of the network. Areas of particular focus included opportunities for research collaboration; pilot projects at Virginia Commonwealth University (family needs assessment) and at the University of Virginia (social disadvantage screening) were successfully launched over the past year and may form the basis of future collaborations. The group also explored opportunities to become involved in systemic advocacy related to child health, and Jill Hankin, attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, presented information on their newest initiative, a coalition called "Healthcare for all Virginians" which seeks to improve access to health care, especially for children and low income families.
Plans are underway to develop an evaluation plan for the network, to develop a collaborative assessment project, to participate in "Pediatric Day at the General Assembly," and to develop a map and guide sheet of the current MLP sites currently operational in Virginia. The network will also be actively involved in the National MLP Summit to be held in Washington, DC March 24-26, 2010. The network plans to meet three times a year to continue their work.
1st Annual VA MLP Network Statewide Meeting
(2008) Ellen Lawton, J.D., Executive Director from the National Center for Medical Legal Partnership in Boston facilitated the meeting. As the inaugural attorney for the first medical legal partnership at its inception at Boston Medical Center by Dr. Barry Zuckerman, Ms. Lawton is an expert on the model and its implementation in various settings.
Topics of discussion included what a statewide network would look like, how programs can support each other, how to develop legislative advocacy into the programs, how to develop a referral network, and how to engage medical staff to effectively utilize medical-legal partnership programs for their patients. At the conclusion of the meeting, plans were underway to pursue further discussion via two workgroups, namely the medical workgroup and the legal workgroup. Both groups had their first meeting in January, 2009, and the network is now moving forward in its development.
VA MLP Network Sites
The medical-legal partnership model is spreading rapidly throughout Virginia and our network is now beginning to work together to provide economically disadvantaged families across Virginia with access to legal services to address such issues as housing, benefits, and special education. Our network includes the following programs:
UVA Child Health Advocacy Program (CHAP), Charlottesville, VA (2004)
Legal Aid Justice Center
UVA Department of Pediatrics
UVA School of Law
Here is a short slide show about the UVA Chap program and its development as the first medical-legal partnership program in Virginia.
UVA CHAP Slideshow
VCU Child Health Advocacy Program (CHAP), Richmond, VA (2006)
Legal Aid Justice Center
VCU Children's Hospital
CHIP of Greater Richmond
University of Richmond School of Law
Health Education Advocacy Law (HEAL), Suffolk and Lynchburg, VA (2007)
Western Tidewater Free Clinic
Sentara Obici Hospital Social Work Department
Main Street Physicians
Virginia Legal Aid Society
INOVA Fairfax, Fairfax, VA (2008)
Soutwest Virginia Medical-Legal Partnership, Castlewood, Marion and Christiansburg (under development)
Southwest Virginia Care Connection for Children
Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society
Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems
Georgetown University, Washington, DC (under development)
CHKD Child Health Advocacy Program, Norfolk, VA (under development)
Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters
Legal Aid Society of Virginia
Hampton Roads Care Connection for Children
Petersburg, VA
Legal Aid Justice Center
Hopewell-Prince George Community Health Center
National Center for Medical Legal Partnership
Here are more resources and information from the National Center for Medical Legal Partnership. http://www.mlpforchildren.org/