What is a Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP)?
According to the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership, MLPs unite the medical community and the legal community under a common mission to address and prevent health-harming social conditions for patients and for communities. An MLP embeds attorneys and paralegals in a health care settings to work with and alongside other members of the health care team. Together they screen for and treat health-harming legal needs – related to insurance, public benefits, housing, education, employment, legal status, and safety – to improve health and well-being, and reduce health care utilization.
About the Partnering for Native Health MLP Network
In 2016, a multi-state grant from AmeriCorps created 14 one-year AmeriCorps member positions to facilitate the MLP program serving American Indians and Alaskan Natives through 6 Host Agencies including:
- Alaska Legal Services Corporation
- Community Legal Services (Phoenix)
- DNA-People’s Legal Services
- Legal Aid of Nebraska
- New Mexico Legal Aid
- Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma
In Alaska, ALSC currently partners with six MLP site locations to embed an attorney within their healthcare facility:
- Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage
- Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks
- Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium in Sitka
- Dena’ina Wellness Center in Kenai
- Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome
- Kodiak Area Native Association in Kodiak
Make a Difference – Apply to be an AmeriCorps Member MLP Attorney!
For information about how to apply to become an AmeriCorps member MLP attorney in locations across the nation, please visit the AmeriCorps Position Description Page
If you are interested in serving as an AmeriCorps member MLP attorney in Alaska, we accept ongoing applications. Positions that have immediate openings will be posted on ALSC’s job opportunities board, but applicants are encouraged to apply for any of the positions at any time.
Position Description
The AmeriCorps member will offer trainings for health providers and comprehensive legal assistance for low-income patients at the partnering hospital or health clinic serving primarily Alaska Native and Native American individuals. By focusing on cases that promote income growth, housing stability, and personal safety, the MLP uses legal advocacy as a tool to address social determinants of health.
The AmeriCorps Member will provide direct legal assistance to low-income patients at the hospital or health clinic. Areas of legal advocacy include public benefits, housing, special education, domestic violence, elder law, family law, and consumer law. The AmeriCorps Member will be an attorney authorized to practice in state and/or tribal court, and before administrative agencies. The AmeriCorps Member will be responsible for providing periodic trainings and presentations to providers at medical facilities, as well as for regularly consulting with medical providers.
Although AmeriCorps members will work independently at their local location, member the will be part of a national collaborative network of members to improve social determinants of health for American Indians and Alaskan Natives. All 14 members will attend the week-long MLP Boot Camp in Albuquerque, NM. The MLP Boot camp will train each member on vision of the project and arm each member with the tools to nurture each new attorney-hospital partnership. Each member will have a local litigation supervisor for day-to-day activities. Project support will be provided by the MLP Project Director, including monthly conference calls, and AmeriCorps updates.
Qualifications
- Alaska bar membership or eligibility for Rule 43 waiver
- Legal experience assisting persons with low incomes (may include student legal clinics, internships)
- Knowledge of the legal issues impacting persons with low incomes
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively in a variety of contexts
- Prior experience in managing independent projects or assignments
- Computer Proficiency
- Ability to travel throughout the surrounding region
- Those with experience regarding Indian Law strongly encouraged to apply
Salary
The AmeriCorps Member will receive annual living allowance. Additionally, members will receive a Segal Education Award, health insurance, and other benefits.
Other Benefits Provided:
- Health and dental insurance provided
- Parking provided
- Position related travel reimbursement
- Travel to initial Boot Camp for week long training in Albuquerque, NM
How to Apply
Interested candidates should email a cover letter, resume, and list of three professional references to Nikole Nelson at nnelson@alsc-law.org with the subject line: AmeriCorps Fellowship – [Your Last Name].
The letter of interest should clearly refer to the AmeriCorps MLP Fellowship position and identify which location you are interested in. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted.
