Montana legal program helps address social determinants of health

In 2020, Providence Montana and Montana Legal Services Association partnered to form the state’s first hospital-based medical-legal partnership. Providence St. Patrick Hospital and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center caregivers in Missoula and Polson who work with patients to improve social determinants of health, such as housing and food access, can now connect patients to legal …

What Montana’s mass Medicaid reviews mean for you (Montana Free Press)

For the first time in three years, since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, federal health officials are allowing Montana and other states to reevaluate residents’ Medicaid eligibility and remove ineligible people from the public health insurance program. The process — which began in April and is slated to end in January 2024 — is …

Program ‘Incubates’ New Lawyers and Rural Montanans (Public News Service)

The Montana Legal Services Association has started a program to help young attorneys get started on a path to success – becoming community leaders, run socially conscious law firms, and maintain sustainable businesses. The Rural Incubator Program for Lawyers creates a way for new attorneys to start their careers by helping connect them to rural …

New course makes legal help more accessible to tribal members (Missoulian)

When Danielle Vazquez’s auntie texted in a group chat about a new program that would make legal services more accessible to tribal members, Vazquez jumped on the opportunity. Vazquez, Chippewa Cree, knew the tribal court on the Rocky Boy Reservation — like tribal courts statewide — was overworked, understaffed and lacked resources.

Retired MT Attorneys Provide Pro Bono Legal Advice (Public News Service)

For their next act in life, retired attorneys in Montana are providing free legal advice on civil matters over the phone. The Second Act Justice Project from the Montana Legal Services Association recruits emeritus volunteers – that is, lawyers who are retired but have active attorney status – so they can provide pro bono advice …

The Montana Eviction Intervention Project: Legal Relief for Montana Tenants in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic (MIE Journal)

MLSA’s Emily McLean, Brittney Mada, and Bill Hooks published a Special Feature in the Management Information Exchange (MIE) Journal. Their work is titled “The Montana Eviction Intervention Project: Legal Relief for Montana Tenants in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The article outlines how MLSA partnered with the Montana Department of Commerce to begin the …

MLSA Staff Honored at State Bar Meeting

Current and former MLSA staff members were honored at the annual Montana State Bar meeting in Helena on September 22 for their contributions to the legal and justice communities.Tribal Law Attorney Kathryn Seaton was awarded the Frank I. Haswell Award for best contribution to the Montana Lawyer for her series of articles on Indian Law, …