The Medical-Legal Partnership will help patients at Maryville address legal issues that pose barriers to better health and recovery.

CAMDEN, NJ, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Camden Coalition announced the expansion of its Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP), adding Maryville Integrated Care to the program. The MLP will help patients at Maryville address legal issues that pose barriers to better health and recovery as they seek treatment for substance use and mental health disorders.

The MLP program began in 2017, with Camden Coalition partnering with Rutgers Law School to better address the health-related social needs of community members by integrating attorneys into the complex care team. That MLP expanded to partner with Cooper Center for Healing in 2022, and now, Maryville Integrated Care.

MLPs embedded in behavioral health programs are rare and Camden Coalition’s partnerships with Maryville and Cooper are among the few that provide support and representation for criminal matters as well as civil ones. The vast majority of participants’ criminal cases involve relatively low-level issues like drug possession and petty theft, but without the MLP, these minor offenses could present a significant impediment to successful treatment.

“When someone is facing legal challenges like a threatened eviction, a benefits denial, a fine they can’t pay, or a utility shut-off, they’re not focusing on their health and recovery,” said Kathleen Noonan, President and CEO of Camden Coalition. “They’re worried about finding a place to sleep. They need someone who knows the legal system and will help them navigate it, while they attend to their own well-being.”

“Integrating legal services with healthcare, social services, and care coordination is an invaluable partnership model,” said Jeremy Spiegel, Camden Coalition’s Medical-Legal Partnership Supervising Attorney. “Our legal advocacy is stronger because we’re working together with therapists, community health workers, and social workers who already have well established relationships with the patients. The complex care team is better able to do their jobs, because their patients’ legal barriers are being addressed. And our attorneys receive the same kind of training the complex care team does, which means patients feel more comfortable when we talk to them about their legal challenges.”

“Joining Camden Coalition’s Medical-Legal Partnership program will fill a tremendous need for our patients grappling with the legal system,” said Kendria McWilliams, Maryville Chief Executive Officer. “Addressing and overcoming those legal challenges is an integral part of securing their long-term recovery. They need counsel and people who understand what they’re going through and can meet them where they are.”

About Camden Coalition
The Camden Coalition works to improve care for people with complex health and social needs in Camden, NJ, and across the country. The organization implements person-centered programs and pilots new models that address chronic illness and social barriers to health and well-being. Supported by a robust data infrastructure, cross-sector convening, and shared learning, its community-based programs improve outcomes for some of society’s most vulnerable individuals. The Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs connects complex care practitioners with each other and with data, tools, and other resources. For more information, visit www.camdenhealth.org.

About Maryville
Maryville is the longest operating nonprofit addiction agency in the state of New Jersey and is recognized as a leader in the treatment of substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. For 75 years, it has implemented holistic, evidence-based treatment approaches to helping those suffering from opioid, alcohol and other addictive substances as well as mental health disorders.

Maryville is licensed by the state of New Jersey, accredited by CARF International, and a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. Its treatment programs make sustainable recovery possible through individualized treatment plans and ongoing support services. For more information, visit https://www.maryvillenj.org/about/.
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Teri Willard
Camden Coalition
+1 856-381-6333
twillard@camdenhealth.org

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