Virginia Medical-Legal Partnership Network

The Virginia Medical-Legal Partnership Network improves health outcomes by harnessing the combined power of doctors, lawyers and social workers. Dr. Barry Zuckerman, the founder of Reach Out and Read, created the first Medical-Legal Partnership (“MLP”) in Boston in 1993. Since then, the model has been replicated in over 180 sites around the nation. In 2004, the first Virginia MLP was formed in Charlottesville. Now, there are a number of MLPs at nine sites in the Commonwealth. Virginia MLPs have formed with hospitals, primary care centers, specialty practices, federally qualified health centers, and nursing homes. We serve individuals, families, children, and elders with a wide range of medical, legal, and social work needs. In 2008, the Network started meeting to promote best practices, share Virginia-specific resources, and work together to improve health outcomes in the Commonwealth. The Network now hosts an e-library of client and provider resources, three major meetings a year, and a list-serv. We also coordinate efforts with the National Medical-Legal Partnership in Boston.