By Randye Retkin
Sometimes the most important member of your health care team is your lawyer.
It is now accepted as a matter of course that social and economic factors play an outsized role in the health of individuals and whole communities. Called social determinants of health, these non-medical circumstances (i.e. housing, income, immigration status etc.) directly affect one’s health and determine access to quality medical care.
Think about it: a cancer diagnosis is not only a health crisis; it can jeopardize employment, housing, and other essential needs. And immigration barriers can limit the health care that immigrants in the U.S. are entitled to.
That’s why our lawyers and paralegals are in hospitals every day, helping clients manage legal issues so that they can focus on their health. Here’s a snapshot of our work:
36
hospitals and community-based partners
228
legal clinics held in hospitals every month
17.5K
immigrants have worked with LegalHealth since 2001
This month, we reached an important milestone. We have worked with 50,000 clients since beginning our practice at NYLAG in 2001. We’re honored to do our part to ensure that legal issues do not stand in the way of good health.
We can’t wait to see what the next 18 years hold, as we continue to expand and reach more people in need.
Randye Retkin is the Director of NYLAG’s LegalHealth Division, home to the largest medical-legal partnership in the country.
