Medical Legal Partnership

At Partnership Health Center we are building a multi-disciplinary health care team that better addresses health-harming social needs. A health harming legal need is a social problem that adversely affects a person’s health or access to healthcare. Housing inadequacies, immigration concerns, food insecurity, public benefit needs, and family law issues often negatively affect health and must be address by involvement of lawyers to work collaboratively with the healthcare team. Such problems are better remedied by incorporating lawyers. Currently at PHC our patients will receive legal services as part of healthcare.

What is a Medical Legal Partnership (MLP)?
Medical-legal partnerships include the unique expertise of lawyers as a vital part of the health care team to help clinicians, case managers, and social workers to address root problems that lead to health inequity.
Our MLP strives to empower the patient as an agent of their own well-being.

Our care team (lawyers, paralegal, case managers, physicians, social workers, mental health professionals) work with the patient to remove barriers to good health.

MLP’s incorporate good legal care as a vital part of medical care. Legal professionals work with the patient alongside doctors, social workers, and other medical staff to identify and address civil legal issue to improve health and well-being.

What can PHC's MLP assist you with?

Navigation of legal forms
- https://courts.mt.gov/forms and MontanaLawHelp.org
Support in filling out legal forms
Finding free legal advice clinics
Providing other resources and referrals in our community
Connecting you with our network of Pro bono attorneys
Assistance in applying for Montana Legal Services Association services

Learn more about MLP at PHC!
We would love to connect with you about our Medical Legal Partnership. Please contact our Director of Innovations:

Phone: (406) 258-4278
Email: goer@phc.missoula.mt.us

Eviction 101: Renters' Rights and Resources
A Panel Discussion with Local Housing Experts

Jump to the section you're most interested in!
00:02:00 - Renting 101 with Alex Ramsing of Homeword
00:09:00 – Eviction Law 101- Basics of your rights and what to do when facing eviction. Featuring:

Moses Okeyo, Consulting Attorney for PHC’s Medical Legal Partnership
Rachel Turnbow, Disaster and Montana Eviction Intervention Program Coordinator for the Montana Legal Services Association
Megan Dishong, Staff Attorney for the Montana Legal Services Association

00:46:30 – You’ve Lost Your Housing, Now What? Resources and Support are Available with Lisa Sirois, Housing Navigator for Partnership Health Center
00:50:00 – Full Panel Addresses Live Audience Questions about Housing, Renting & Eviction

Links and Resources from Eviction 101:
Renter's Rights and Resources

Top Four Resources for Renters

Presented by Alex Ramsing, Landlord Liason, Homeword

211
- https://montana211.org/about.php
549-HOPE (549-4673)
- https://www.hopemontana.org/
The Salvation Army
- https://missoula.salvationarmy.org/missoula_corps/
Montana Emergency Rental Assistance
- https://housing.mt.gov/Rental-Housing/Montana-Emergency-Rental-Assistance-Program

5 Steps to take when served with Eviction Court Papers in Montana

Presented by Rachel Turnbow, MEIP Disaster Project Coordinator, MLSA and Moses Okeyo, Medical Legal Partnership Consulting Attorney

This link will provide you on the steps to take once you have been served with eviction court papers:
- https://www.montanalawhelp.org/resource/5-steps-to-take-when-served-with-eviction-papers-in-montana
Landlord Rights and Duties
- This link provides helpful articles and court forms on landlord’s rights and duties.
  - https://www.montanalawhelp.org/issues/housing/landlord-information
Renter’s Protection because of Covid-19
- This link provides information on protections for renters that exist because of the pandemic.
  - https://www.montanalawhelp.org/resource/what-protections-for-renters-exist-in-montana-because-of-the-pandemic
Representing yourself in Court
- This video gives you valuable tips on how to represent yourself in court:
  - (218) How To Represent Yourself In Court | Cómo representarse a sí mismo ante el tribunal - YouTube
Legal Resources
- Montana Legal Services Association, gives free civil, non-criminal legal help to eligible clients. You can apply for help and find free self-help forms:
  - https://www.montanalawhelp.org/
- The State Bar Lawyer Referral Service may give you contact information for attorneys who provide, for a fee, the type of assistance you are seeking. You can contact the State Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (406) 449-6577 or at:
  - montanabar.org.

Information on the Missoula Coordinated Entry System:

Presented by Lisa Sirois, Housing Navigator at PHC

These links provide further information on the Missoula Coordinated Entry System.