Digest of COVID-19 resources for medical-legal partnerships
Monday, March 30, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating health and economic disparities. As urgent health and legal needs intersect during this crisis, medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) are uniquely positioned to respond. Below are resources organized by issue area to help MLPs in their response. This list will be updated continually, and was last updated on June 15, 2020.
MLP OPERATIONS
- Tip Sheet: “8 Things Every MLP Can Do Right Now to Address COVID-19”
By the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
View the tip sheet
- Webinar Recording: “Operating a Medical-Legal Partnership During COVID-19, A Town Hall” (March 30, 2020)
By the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
View the recording - Sample Fact Sheet: “COVID-19 Rights and Protections”
By the Medical-Legal Community Partnership Los Angeles
View the fact sheet - Sample Patient Flyer re: MLP COVID-19 Services
By the Medical-Legal Community Partnership Los Angeles
View the flyer - Sample Wellness Prescription Pad
By the Medical-Legal Community Partnership Los Angeles
View the Rx pad
GENERAL COVID-19 LEGAL RESOURCES
- Article: “Health Justice Strategies To Combat COVID-19: Protecting Vulnerable Communities During A Pandemic” (March 19, 2020)
By Emily Benfer and Lindsay Wiley; Health Affairs Blog
View the article - Form for Attorneys to Request Pro Bono Support from Law Students
View the form - Emergency Legal Preparedness Primer
By the Network for Public Health Law
View the primer - National Health Law Program COVID-19 Resources
View the website - Report of the LSC Disaster Taskforce
By the Legal Services Corporation
*While this report is not specific to COVID-19, it can be helpful to think of the legal work associated with the pandemic similarly to the framework/stages of disaster legal services.
View the report - The ABA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force
By the American Bar Association
View the website
REMOTE LEGAL WORK
- Webinar Recording: “Delivering Telelegal Services During COVID-19, A Town Hall” (April 30, 2020)
By the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
View the recording - Resources and Mailing List to Assist with Legal Telework
By Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project
View the website - Best Practices for Providing Legal Aid and Working Remotely
By the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project
View the document - Guide: “Remote Legal Support: A Guide for Nonprofit and Pro Bono Innovation”
By ProBonoNet & Immigration Advocates Network
View the guide - Training on Using External Forms in LegalServer Case Management System
By LegalServer
View the training
TELEHEALTH
- COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit
By National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
View the toolkit - Webinar Recording: “Telehealth and COVID-19” (March 19, 2020)
By National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
View the recording - Through the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, the Federal Communications Commission will distribute $200 million to help health care providers provide telehealth services to patients at their homes or mobile locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the FAQs.
EVICTIONS / HOUSING
- State-by-state COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard
By the Eviction Lab and Emily Benfer
View the website - Tip Sheet: “3 Ways to Help Patients with Evictions & Foreclosures During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
By the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
View the tip sheet
- Memo: “Coronavirus Eviction Moratoria: Considerations and Best Practices”
By the National Housing Law Project
View the memo - Article: “What an Effective Eviction Moratorium Must Include”
By Emily Benfer, Eric Dunn, Norrinda Brown Hayat, and Rachel Blake; Shelterforce
Read the article - Chart: “COVID-19 Eviction Moratoria by State, Commonwealth and Territory“
By Emily Benfer
View the chart -
National Housing Preservation Database
View the website - Resources for Protecting Renter and Homeowner Rights During Our National Health Crisis
By the National Housing Law Project
View the website - Memo: “Specific Considerations for Public Health Authorities to Limit Infection Risk Among People Experiencing Homelessness”
By the Department of Housing and Urban Development
View the memo - Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
By the Centers for Disease Control
View the guidance - Issue brief: “COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group”
By the National Health Care for the Homeless Council
Download the report
ADVANCE CARE PLANNING / GUARDIANSHIPS
- Tool to help individuals prepare advance directives, and scripts to help health care providers engage patients in the planning process
By Prepare for Your Care
View the website - Webinar Recording: “Advance Care Planning During COVID-19, A Town Hall” (April 16, 2020)
By the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
View the recording and download the slides - NY Executive Order Expanding Standby Guardianship During COVID-19
Press release from LegalHealth, a division of the New York Legal Assistance Group
View the press release
PERSONAL SAFETY PLANNING
- Safety Planning During COVID-19: Tips From Survivors For Survivors
By Sanctuary for Families
View the webpage
EMPLOYMENT / INCOME
- Physician Letter Template for Supporting a Patient’s Request for Reasonable Accommodations at Work
*Geared toward diabetes and COVID-19
By the American Diabetes Association
View the letter template - Some states are creating new rules about eligibility for unemployment insurance, state disability insurance, and paid family leave. Look at your state’s website to find out what the rules are in your area. Here’s an example from California.
COMMUNICATIONS
- Toolkit: “Coronavirus Crisis Communications Triage Kit”
By The Communications Network
View the resources