Clinics

Washington Medical-Legal Partnership

What is the Washington Medical-Legal Partnership?

The Washington Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) brings together medical providers, social workers and lawyers to address the legal needs of low-income patients and families who get care at Seattle Children’s Hospital and its Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC). Our lawyers train and advise healthcare team members so they can spot legal issues that affect patients’ health.

How can this program help my family?

If your family gets their care at Seattle Children’s Hospital or OBCC, MLP may be able to help with these and other problems:

Public benefits (such as loss of food stamps or being denied services for your child on Washington Apple Health)
Housing (for example, if the condition of your housing worsens your child’s medical condition)
Education (for instance, your child has special needs that the school is not meeting)

MLP also offers virtual and recorded classes for parents and caregivers about legal issues that may affect a person’s health, including:

Next Steps: Transitioning to Adulthood for Youth With Autism (a live, virtual class)
Your Child With Disabilities Is Turning 18 (pre-recorded videos on legal decision-making and public benefits)

How do I get help?

If you need legal help for a health-related problem, talk to your social worker or another member of your healthcare team at Seattle Children’s Hospital or OBCC. They can refer you to MLP. Families cannot self-refer.

MLP will follow up with your provider to learn more about why they referred you. If MLP accepts the referral, they will contact you to find out if your income qualifies you for help.

Washington Medical-Legal Partnership: What you need to know about the referral process (PDF) (Arabic) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)

Resources

Due to high demand, Washington MLP is not able to assist all Seattle Children’s and OBCC patient families who need legal services.

Free legal help for people with low income
Northwest Justice Project (NJP) provides free legal help to people with low income who qualify. To contact them:
- Call the CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education Advice and Referral) statewide hotline:
  - Outside of King County call 888-201-1014
  - In King County call 211 and ask for a legal aid provider
- Apply online
Benefits Law Center provides legal advice and representation to low-income King County residents with disabilities in matters related to Social Security disability and SSI benefits.

Eastside Legal Assistance Program provides free legal help to people living in east King County with low income who qualify. To contact them:
- Call 425-747-7274 (English) or 425-620-2778 (Spanish)
  - Email info@elap.org with your name, phone number and a short description of your legal issue
Solid Ground provides legal help and information if your Washington state benefits have been reduced, ended or denied or you have been notified of benefits overpayment.
Free legal help for youth (ages 12–24)
TeamChild provides free legal help to young people ages 12–24 in these locations:
- King County: Call 206-322-2444 or toll free 877-295-2714, or email kinginfo@teamchild.org.
- Pierce County: Call 253-274-9929 or toll free 888-244-5450, or email pierceinfo@teamchild.org.
- Spokane County: Call 509-323-1166 or toll free 888-240-4172, or email spokaneinfo@teamchild.org.
- Yakima County: Call 509-573-4993 or toll free 888-573-4993, or email yakimainfo@teamchild.org.
Free legal help for people with disabilities
Disability Rights Washington (DRW) provides legal information, resources and strategies for disability-related issues. DRW does not screen for income.
- Call 206-324-1521 or toll free 800-562-2702. Use 711 for Washington Relay Service (TTY).
- See information on a range of subjects.
Free legal help for immigration issues

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project provides legal help with immigration issues to low-income residents of Washington state.
Free legal help to represent yourself

Other resources for legal help can be found at WashingtonLawHelp, a website maintained by MLP’s legal partner, Northwest Justice Project. WashingtonLawHelp includes do-it-yourself forms on many legal topics (Spanish forms). The website creates completed forms by asking you questions.