Medical-Legal Partnerships: An Expanding Model to Raise the Bar on Child Health

The Medical Legal Partnership for Children was begun at Boston Medical Center in 1993 to address the unmet needs of children and families. The Medical-Legal Partnership for Children (MLPC) promotes collaboration between pediatricians and lawyers at sites around the country. The lawyers help to meet children's basic needs, including housing, food, health care, education and safety. MLPC, by providing technical assistance and funding to active and nascent sites, seeks to transform the practice of pediatrics and the delivery of legal services by introducing preventative law to the clinical setting. By drawing on the strength of two powerful professions, community resources can be leveraged, and children and families can realize the promise of integrated, preventive services that promote health and well-being.