Better Together: A Descriptive Analysis of a Medical-Legal Partnership in Western North Carolina

BACKGROUND The medical-legal partnership (MLP) is an innovative and proven-effective approach to addressing health-harming social needs that have legal remedies (e.g., housing concerns, intimate partner violence). Yet, few MLPs exist within outpatient primary care practices and in rural settings.METHODS We describe the impact of an MLP between Pisgah Legal Services and the Mountain Area Health Education Center, which serves rural North Carolina counties, over a 24-month period.RESULTS Overall, 629 cases were referred to the MLP. Three hundred seventy cases were opened and investigated by a lawyer. Three hundred sixty-four cases were closed (i.e., a resolution was reached), yielding 808 outcomes, with an average of 2.2 outcomes per case. Domestic violence/family law and housing were the main socio-legal concerns addressed by the MLP. Eighty-six (24%) of cases included at least 1 representation outcome; the success rate in representation cases was 90%.LIMITATIONS We did not examine the impact of the MLP on patient health outcomes, nor did we have comparative outcomes data for similar individuals with unmet social needs but who did not receive MLP services.CONCLUSIONS The MLP was successful in helping to address multiple social needs faced by patients that contribute to worse health status and outcomes. Monetary benefits to patients were $309,902 plus an additional $174,733 from tax returns and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The MLP lawyer provided education and training to support clinicians, learners, and community organizations. These data highlight the benefits of collaboration between health professionals and lawyers in advancing equity by addressing unmet social needs.