FAQs

 

What are MLPC | Boston's core activities?

 

As a medical-legal partnership, we focus our resources in three areas:

Case consultation with providers and direct legal services to pediatric patient-families;

Training and education of health care workers and other stakeholders on advocacy issues impacting low-income families; and

Systemic advocacy to promote child health and well-being.

 

~

 

What types of legal services does MLPC offer?

 

MLPC | Boston provides direct legal assistance on a range of civil legal issues affecting low-income families:

Income Supports

Housing & Utilities

Education

Legal Status (Immigration)

Personal and Family Stability

 

MLPC | Boston does not provide direct legal assistance on criminal matters or Department of Social Services cases.

 

The scope of services provided to a patient-family on a particular case varies based on a number of factors.  Different levels of service include:

Case consultations with front-line health care staff

Referrals to other legal services providers

Advice an counsel to patient-families

Limited interventions on behalf of patient-families

Full representation of patient-families

Some combination of the above

 

Boston MLPC does not charge any fees for its legal services.

~


Who is eligible for MLPC | Boston’s direct legal services?

 

Unlike traditional legal services providers, MLPC | Boston does not have a “hotline” open to the community at large.  Rather, as a program premised on a preventive law model, all of our legal interventions originate as “case consults” from front-line health care staff who have screened their patient-families for potential non-biological barriers to child and family health.

 

Front-line health care staff may contact MLPC | Boston for a “case consult” about any patient-family they serve, regardless of age, income level, or source of medical care.  However, patient families are eligible for an intake interview with our legal staff (and possible follow up advocacy) only if they meet the following criteria:

There is at least one child under 18 in the household;

That child receives medical care at one of MLPC's clinical partner sites; and

While MLPC Boston staff meets with families and makes appropriate referrals regardless of their income, we generally only provide direct legal services to households whose total income does not exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Level

 

Health care workers seeking a case consultation with Boston MLPC legal staff should follow the instructions in our Referral Process Flow Chart.

 

~

 

Where does MLPC host legal intake clinics?

 

MLPC hosts weekly appointment-only legal clinics at the following clinical sites:

Boston Medical Center Outpatient Pediatrics ward clinic

Boston Medical Center energy clinic

Codman Square Health Center (CSHC) clinic

Dorchester House Multi-Service Center (DHMSC) clinic

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC) clinic (with Day Pitney, LLP)

South Boston Community Health Center (with Foley Hoag, LLP)

South End Community Health Center (with Holland and Knight, LLP)

Upham's Corner Health Center (UCHC) clinic

 

~

 

How can I request a training?

 

If you would like information about MLPC | Boston advocacy trainings, please contact our Director of Training and Education, Pamela Tames, at Pamela.Tames@bmc.org.