Medical-Legal Partnerships

Partnerships between community health centers, civil legal services, and community-based domestic violence programs are essential to address the health, legal, and safety needs of individuals affected by intimate partner violence (IPV), human trafficking (HT), and exploitation. Establishing medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) is a vital step in connecting people at risk or already impacted by IPV, HT, and exploitation with legal assistance in areas such as family law, housing, and employment. These partnerships bring the expertise of legal professionals into health care environments to support clinicians, case managers, and social workers in responding to issues that can contribute to negative health outcomes. Collaborations like these help create stronger community connections by linking individuals to comprehensive medical, legal, and social support systems. They also help expand access to health care for individuals engaged with legal or domestic violence support services, as well as the staff who support them. Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation offers training and flexible tools to help strengthen and sustain these cross-sector partnerships.

See below for related webinars, learning collaboratives, and resources: