Bay Area Legal Services, Inc.

Bay Pines VA Health Care System Medical Legal Partnership

Veterans may face stressful legal challenges such eviction, child support, drivers’ license revocations; or service-specific issues such as discharge upgrades or access to their VA benefits after returning home from service. These issues affect a veteran’s ability to gain or sustain employment or housing and impacts their ability to focus on medical needs and consistently receive treatment. Medical-legal partnerships (MLP) are an evidence-based approach to address social determinants of health by integrating civil legal aid into medical care teams. This BWF grant, made possible with thanks to the Wells Fargo Foundation, will support two attorneys working at Bay Area Legal Service’s MLP within Bay Pines VA Health Care System. The goal of this grant is to provide civil legal aid for at least 500 veterans served at the Bay Pines VA Health Care System to address the economic and social conditions that influence health.