Fort Bend County health care nonprofit connects patients with free legal aid
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Fort Bend County health care nonprofit connects patients with free legal aid – Houston Public Media
AccessHealth has formed a medical-legal partnership that helps patients with civil matters. The program’s in-house attorney, Susan Soto, has helped more than 200 patients. Soto and the other attorneys through Houston Volunteer Lawyers help patients with a wide range of civil legal matters, ranging from child custody and child support cases to estate planning. Recently, Soto even helped with an adoption case, which was “a great day for the family, for the medical legal partnership, and for those present in the courtroom,” she said.”We know that unresolved legal issues can result, certainly in not only mental health issues, but even physical manifestations,” Soto said.
When Funmilayo Gregory became unable to work after she was injured on the job, she received legal aid from an unusual place: her doctor’s office.
Gregory is one of more than 200 patients who have received legal assistance through a medical-legal partnership run by AccessHealth, a health care nonprofit in Fort Bend County.
When Gregory struggled to pay rent, due to her disability, the program’s in-house attorney, Susan Soto, advocated for her and helped her navigate important calls.
“She helps people from her heart,” Gregory said. “She’s a great woman.”
Soto helps patients with civil issues and connects them to free legal services through Houston Volunteer Lawyers and their partner organizations.
Starting in 2021, health care workers began referring patients to Houston Volunteer Lawyers for pro bono legal aid. However, the referrals functioned as a one-way street, Soto said. There was no communication between health care workers and the attorneys after patients were referred.
After Soto was hired to run the program about a year ago, she was able to communicate with health care workers, allowing for a more traditional medical-legal partnership.
“I’m able to talk to providers. Providers are able to talk to me,” she said. “I’m able to collaborate with even the other wraparound services that AccessHealth provides for their patient community.”
Soto and the other attorneys through Houston Volunteer Lawyers help patients with a wide range of civil legal matters, ranging from child custody and child support cases to estate planning. Recently, Soto even helped with an adoption case.
“I was fortunate enough to attend that hearing where the adoption was finalized, and it was really a great day for the family, for the medical legal partnership, and for those present in the courtroom,” she said.
Soto said legal issues can lead not only to mental issues, but also other stress-induced medical problems, such as gastrointestinal issues, heart problems and even insomnia.
“We know that unresolved legal issues can result, certainly in not only mental health issues, but even physical manifestations,” she said.
AccessHealth looks at outside factors that could impact a patient’s health and tries to address these issues as well, Soto said. In addition to the medical-legal partnership, the nonprofit also helps patients learn about nutrition and navigate the state benefits system.
“A holistic approach is looking at the whole patient and trying to improve health and well-being through nontraditional ways,” Soto said.