A medical legal partnership (MLP) takes an integrated upstream approach to addressing and preventing health-harming civil legal barriers to patients’ health. In an MLP, lawyers collaborate with healthcare providers to ensure the health of vulnerable patients and families by addressing unmet health harming needs in conjunction with medical care.
The SC Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) is a partnership between three agencies: Prisma Health System, Furman University, and South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS). Through this partnership, a health care provider can identify a potential health harming legal need, and the patient can be directly referred to a lawyer located at CDS. This MLP currently provides legal services for children with developmental disabilities and special needs in low-income families who are patients of GHS healthcare providers.
The MLP offers a wide range of civil legal services through South Carolina Legal Services for eligible families. Some examples include:
- Guardianship/ Conservatorship
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Housing – conditions, landlord disputes, eviction
- Academic Support/IEP Representation
- Transition health care needs
- Many other civil areas of law
Referrals
Referrals can be made by a Prisma health care provider by calling the MLP at
864-432-0646
Families not seeing Prisma Health providers may contact SCLS directly by dialing 1-888-346-5592, through WWW.SCLEGAL.ORG, or apply for legal services online by CLICKING HERE.
