Legal Issue Areas

Medical-legal partnership programs assist patients with a wide range of legal issues, reflected in the mnemonic I-HELP: income supports and healthcare coverage, housing and utilities, education and employment, legal (immigration) status, and personal safety and family stability. Under the MLP model, patients are screened for unmet needs related to these issues, each of which directly impacts health. Clinicians are trained to recognize health-related legal needs, and to refer patients to MLP attorneys for assistance.

The table below, from a recent article in Health Affairs, describes the I-HELP categories in greater detail.

If you are a member of the MLP Network, click here for an I-HELP training guide developed by Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston, the founding member of the MLP Network, for clinicians and students.