 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
D.M. Goffinet, JD1, W. Thorne, BS2, K. Howell, BBA3, M. Rudasill, JD4, L. Clemons, BSW1, and Mark J. Kittleson, PhD5. (1) Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance, 444 Health Department, Murphysboro, IL 62922, (2) Community Benefits, Southern Illinois Healthcare, University Mall, Carbondale, IL 62901, (3) Abundant Health, Eurma Hayes Center, Carbondale, IL 62901, (4) School of Law, Southern Illinois University, Lesar Building, Carbondale, IL 62901, (5) Health Education, Southern Illinois University, Pulliam 307, MS 4632, Carbondale, IL 62901, 618-453-1841, kittle@siu.edu
The Law and Health Project of Southern Illinois is an innovative program that provides legal assistance to uninsured adults who seek medical assistance at a local free health clinic. It is a collaborative effort involving the Southern Illinois University Legal Clinic (affiliated with the SIU School of Law), Abundant Health Resource Clinic (community free clinic), Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., and the Community Benefits Department of Southern Illinois Healthcare (a not-for-profit healthcare system). Legal assistance is made available to patients of the free clinic on-site at the clinic, in the areas of public benefits, disability, family, housing, and consumer issues. Based upon the initial interview, individual cases are assigned to and handled by an attorney that specializes in that field.
Started as a Pilot Project in March 2002, the program obtained insurance reimbursement to local hospitals and physicians of over $150,000 in services provided. This service also has allowed for individuals to obtain Medicaid coverage, disability benefits, and legal assistance with issues such as domestic violence and child support. This collaborative effort is allowing low-income individuals to improve their health by assisting them with their legal needs by helping them through a bureaucratic system of which they have no understanding. This presentation will discuss the strategies used to develop such an initiative and lessons learned since its inception.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access and Services, Information Databases
Related Web page: N/A
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.