Virginia MLP Network

The Virginia MLP network was launched in September 2008 at a statewide meeting of over 25 medical and legal partners from throughout Virginia who came to Charlottesville interested in learning more about this model and how to develop an effective network in Virginia.

May 7, 2010 . . . Lawyers and physicians from around the state came together once again for the VA MLP Network statewide meeting held in Richmond. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Our network now includes medical-legal partnerships in Suffolk, Charlottesville, Richmond, Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Fairfax, with programs actively under development in Roanoke and Norfolk.
• Our network is also growing into a regional network, as a program under development in West Virginia has asked to join forces with our network.
• Statewide meetings are planned for three times a year and will bring physicians, law students, medical students, and attorneys together to brainstorm and plan for how to make this the most effective network possible.
• We will begin work on a number of statewide initiatives in the next several months, including development of a statewide website and a library of shared program materials. Work has also begun on a project to support improved medical documentation for children’s disability applications in order to facilitate eligibility determinations. Other initiatives include working to increase breastfeeding support (breast pumps) for low-income mothers and improving access to pediatric mental health services for low-income children.

March 2010 . . . Virginia MLP network members were well-represented and In the News at the recent MLP Summit held in Washington D.C.

The second annual statewide VA MLP meeting was held in Richmond on October 16, 2009. There, medical and legal partners from across the state came together to discuss the progress made in the VA MLP network to date and to plan for future development of the network.

Areas of particular focus included:

Opportunities for research collaboration
Pilot projects at Virginia Commonwealth University (family needs assessment) the University of Virginia (social disadvantage screening) were successfully launched over the past year and may form the basis of future collaborations.
Opportunities to become involved in systemic advocacy related to child health
Jill Hankin, attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, presented information on their newest initiative, a coalition called “Healthcare for all Virginians” which seeks to improve access to health care, especially for children and low income families.
Plans are underway to develop an evaluation plan for the network, to develop a collaborative assessment project, to participate in “Pediatric Day at the General Assembly,” and to develop a map and guide sheet of the MLP sites currently operational in Virginia. The network will also be actively involved in the National MLP Summit to be held in Washington, DC, March 24-26, 2010.

The network plans to meet three times a year to continue its work.