Implementation and Evaluation of Medical-Legal Partnerships Addressing Health-Harming Legal Needs across Harris Health.
Project Overview
This project represents a coordinated ecosystem of Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) research and evaluation activities designed to address health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) that influence health outcomes among Harris Health safety net populations- primarily families.
Details:
This project represents a coordinated ecosystem of Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) research and evaluation activities designed to address health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) that influence health outcomes among Harris Health safety net populations- primarily families. The primary research effort is supported through a K01 career development award focused on advancing expertise in medical-legal partnerships, social determinants of health, and mixed-methods evaluation of interventions addressing structural barriers to health. The K01 supports research examining the feasibility, implementation, and potential impact of pediatric MLP interventions, including assessments of patient engagement, reductions in legal and social needs, and improvements in health-related outcomes using mixed-methods and implementation science frameworks. Complementary evaluation projects extend this work across healthcare systems in Houston. These include mixed-methods evaluations of MLP programs within Harris Health and UT Physicians clinics, examining screening for health-harming legal needs, referral pathways to legal services, legal case outcomes, and patient and provider experiences with the MLP model.
Project Contact: Jemima John, PhD
Principal Investigator
Jemima John, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
Mallika Mathur, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Center for Healthy Communities