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Military & Veterans Affairs Committee Chairs : Alexandra Srsic – Bay Area Legal Services , Inc . & David Veenstra - Hunter Law , P . A .
innovative collaboration brings additional services to local veterans .
Bay Area Legal Services ( BALS ) has seen how the struggle with legal problems can significantly affect a client ’ s physical and mental health . When people join the armed forces , one promise that they rely on is that if their service results in an honorable discharge or in a disability , they will receive a lifetime of health care and assistance .
Even with this benefit , veterans can be particularly vulnerable to the stress and instability caused by unresolved legal issues . And a disability can further affect a veteran ’ s capacity to find and maintain gainful employment . As a result , disabled veterans are among the most impoverished groups in our communities .
Low-income or homeless veterans face legal challenges unique to their status . Many fail to obtain permanent housing because they cannot meet lending requirements or have poor or no credit . This is in addition to other challenges they share with many low-income individuals seeking housing in a poor economy . Those challenges , which often involve legal issues pertaining to housing , family law , and consumer issues , cannot be properly addressed without the assistance of an attorney — and they are an obstacle to a veteran ’ s health , housing status , stability , and productivity .
Legal assistance , through innovative projects such as a medical-legal partnership , can alleviate many of the factors that negatively affect a veteran ’ s health and his or her ability to become self-sufficient . Medical Legal Partnerships ( MLPs ) are designed to address the unmet legal needs of veterans by integrating civil legal aid services into existing health care services for veterans . In recognition of this important need , and in furtherance of BALS ’ s Veterans Initiative , BALS worked diligently for months with the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and the Stetson University College of Law Veterans Law Institute to develop a medical legal partnership to serve veterans receiving their health care services at the Bay Pines Regional Health Center . Bay Pines is one of the country ’ s largest regional VA Medical Centers and serves veterans from Pinellas , Manatee , and Sarasota Counties .
In February 2017 , after months of planning , the Bay Pines VA Medical Legal Partnership was established to provide veterans access to legal services at the Bay Pines Regional Health Center . BALS was pleased to partner with Bay Pines and Stetson College of Law to bring these critical legal services to the veterans . This innovative , collaborative approach has enabled BALS to address the unmet legal needs of our veterans by providing services directly at the facility where veterans receive their health care .
Our innovative legal services delivery system has established an important partnership between health and legal providers to better assist veterans in need and encourage a more holistic approach to their overall well-being , thereby improving their quality of life . Since February 2017 , the Bay Pines MLP has served approximately 600 veterans using the expertise of BALS staff attorney Julie Embler and Equal Justice Works Fellow Cherilyn Hansen . The MLP also uses the assistance of Stetson law students and volunteer attorneys .
In 2018 , BALS is looking forward to expanding the Bay Pines MLP to serve veterans in Sarasota and Manatee counties , with the help of pro bono attorneys , in addition to our staff attorneys . This project and other veteran-focused initiatives through the Major General Ernest A . and Marilyn Bedke Veterans Law Center will enable BALS to better serve these deserving members of our community — our veterans .
Author : Lisa L . Brody – Bay Area Legal Services
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