Where Health and Justice Meet: Expanding the Impact of the Medical-Legal Partnership

Across the United States, millions of families face challenges that threaten both their health and well-being. Around 13.3% of South Carolina’s population live in poverty, including 18.3% of children under the age of 18 and 12.2% of adults over the age of 65. Many of these underserved populations face obstacles that extend far beyond the doctor’s office. Housing instability, denial of benefits, unsafe living conditions and other civil legal issues often shape health outcomes in profound ways.

Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) help solve these problems by bringing together healthcare providers and legal professionals to help patients whose health is being harmed by civil legal problems. Launched in 2016 as the inaugural MLP in South Carolina, the Upstate Medical-Legal Partnership formally connects Furman University’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health (IACH), Prisma Health, and South Carolina Legal Services to improve health by addressing legal and social barriers.

“It’s providing that service to people who don’t have the means to do it,” said Melissa Fair, IACH director of community action. “Those civil legal needs have repercussions, not just for the families experiencing them, but for the entire health system.”

Expanding the Vision

Building on a decade of progress, the partnership is now focused on expanding both reach and impact.

In July 2025, IACH received a two-year grant from the South Carolina Bar Foundation to support three areas of growth: expanding community access, strengthening evaluation efforts and measuring the broader value of the work.

This grant will allow the UMLP to evolve while supporting long-term sustainability.

Meeting Communities Where They Are

While many patients are referred to the Upstate Medical-Legal Partnership through a healthcare setting, there is a need to connect with people outside of that locale who may still need services. The addition of a Community Justice Worker in Greenwood will expand the reach of the UMLP by working directly with community partners and residents to connect them to resources.

Building a Shared Data Infrastructure

Another priority is strengthening how medical-legal partnerships across the state are measuring impact.

As the first medical-legal partnership in South Carolina, the UMLP set the standard for integrating legal services into healthcare, inspiring the creation of five other medical-legal partnerships across the state. Each MLP has historically collected data differently, making it difficult to fully demonstrate the broader impact the programs create.

IACH is leading the endeavor to develop a shared data system to allow MLPs across South Carolina the ability to measure outcomes more consistently with better data collection and evaluation efforts to track trends and assess impact. This effort will better show the proven impact MLPs have in saving healthcare dollars through preventative services.

Measuring Return on Value

IACH is determining the real monetary impact of the program on clients and the system. A key focus is understanding the financial and health benefits of helping senior adults establish durable and healthcare powers of attorney.

These insights will help shape the future direction of the program while demonstrating the broader impact of medical-legal partnerships.

Partnership as a Path Forward

The Upstate Medical-Legal Partnership reflects a fundamental shift in how communities think about health. Rather than treating illness in isolation, this innovative model recognizes that well-being is shaped by the systems people must navigate every day.

As the program continues to grow into its second decade, they’re shaping a future that will improve health equity and justice for all clients, creating stronger outcomes for everyone.