Our programs
We operate or support over twenty programs that address patients' health-related social needs, including housing, food access, legal services and employment opportunities. See below for a sample of these programs.
The VCU Health Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) program offers free legal advice and representation to those in need. Our services help patients prevent evictions, secure government benefits, advocate for children's rights in school, help patients develop advanced care plans, provide employment advice, handle immigration matters, and address family law and domestic violence issues. We work to ensure access to justice on almost every civil legal issue that affects patients' health and access to health care.
Who We Help
The MLP program offers free legal advice and representation to seven patient populations:
- Children and families treated at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU Children's Pavilion
- Cancer patients treated at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Patients living with HIV treated by us and participating in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program
- Patients living with five or more chronic health conditions treated in the Complex Care Clinic
- Children and families experiencing mental health issues treated at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children
- Children who need long-term care treated at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Brook Road Campus
- Patients living with sickle cell disease treated in our Sickle Cell Program
Free Onsite Services
In collaboration with the Richmond Health and Wellness Program (RHWP), the MLP program also provides free onsite legal services in the Richmond community at two locations:
- VCU's Health Hub at 25th
- Health Hub at 25thDominion Place Apartments
How to Access Our Services
The best way to access MLP services is to talk to your VCU Health provider, nurse, or social worker. They will refer you to MLP if you meet the criteria. Once the referral is made, a team member will contact you.
For more information about the program, email MLP@vcuhealth.org.
We participate in a federal pilot program that tests whether identifying and connecting patients who have health-related social needs and often visit the Emergency Department with appropriate community resources can improve their health. Our providers and staff have screened over 8,000 patients and have connected nearly 2,000 of these patients to community resources. A federal evaluation found a 9% reduction in Emergency Department visits among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries who were screened as part of the model. (Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). Learn more about the Accountable Health Communities and how participants are addressing social determinants of health.
The VCU Health Hub at 25th is a joint VCU and VCU Health community-based health education and wellness facility in the Richmond's East End. It is a home for various programs that address needs identified by community residents and stakeholders. It also includes a partnership with Richmond City Health District (RCHD) and the Jenkin's Foundation to support a Community Health Worker (CHW) and Registered Nurse Case Manager to assist community members with care coordination and health education.
We partner with several community based organizations to address the needs of individuals with housing instability or who are homeless. One example is the partnership with Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) to provide housing and support services to patients with complex medical conditions, including individuals with sickle cell disease. Our collaboration provides medical and non-medical services to improve patients' health and helps to avoid preventable Emergency Department visits and hospital admissions.
We partners with Senior Connections and Daily Planet to promote safe hospital discharges. The Senior Connections partnership provides inpatient and post-discharge care coordination, help with medication adherence and connections to community resources, all in an effort to avoid preventable hospital readmissions. The Daily Planet partnership provides beds to homeless individuals and those with unstable housing who require care after being discharged from the hospital. Certified Nurse Assistants help patients with everyday activities, nutrition education and reaching their health goals.
We support a host of Workforce Development programs to introduce individuals to careers in health care and opportunities for employment. The Pathways to Healthcare Workforce Development program is a partnership between VCU Health and VCU that seeks to improve the health of the community they serve by employing individuals at the health system or one of its community partners. The program includes career development opportunities and assistance in achieving educational goals.
We also support several healthcare workforce programs including From Jump Rope to Stethoscope, future Nurse Leaders and Explorers partnership with Boy Scouts of America.
We partner with Feed More to combat food insecurity and health disparities. Providers make referrals to Feed More's Hunger Hotline and connect patients who screen positive for food insecurity with heart-healthy food boxes upon discharge.
