Blythedale Children’s Hospital/New York Legal Assistance Group Partner to Provide Patient Families with Legal Services On-Site

Blythedale is pleased to announce that it is now partnering with LegalHealth, a division of the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), to provide an on-site legal clinic for the benefit of the Hospital’s most vulnerable patient families. LegalHealth has 18 years of experience advocating on behalf of and providing high-quality free legal services to low-income patients and families.

LegalHealth currently works with medical professionals at 37 New York hospitals and medical facilities. Blythedale will be its first children’s hospital clinic. Through the establishment of this first-of-its kind medical legal partnership, Blythedale’s social workers, case managers and doctors will be trained to screen cases and refer patients/families who require legal assistance with matters that impact their health and wellbeing.

“This is a much-needed resource for our hospitalized and Health Home patients, 74% of whom are covered by Medicaid,” said President & CEO Larry Levine. “At Blythedale, NYLAG’s LegalHealth attorneys will assist our struggling families with matters such as, securing government benefits (e.g. Medicaid), addressing housing problems, handling immigration concerns, solving insurance disputes, and advocating for appropriate school resources.”

“We are very excited about partnering with Blythedale, while we have many other partners, this will be our first opportunity to lend our expertise to a site that serves only children. The needs of these patients are so complex, and we are thrilled to be able to provide some comfort to them and their families by lifting their legal burdens,” said Randye Retkin, founder and director of NYLAG’s LegalHealth Division.

About Blythedale Children’s Hospital
Blythedale is New York State’s only independent, specialty children’s hospital and one of only 14 pediatric specialty hospitals in the United States. Serving patients from birth through age 19, Blythedale has the combined staff, expertise and resources – including the largest pediatric therapy department in New York State – to provide exceptional comprehensive care for medically complex children and support for their families.  

About NYLAG and it’s LegalHealth Division
Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families that are experiencing poverty or have low-income. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, a medical-legal partnership model, and community education and partnerships.
LegalHealth, a division of NYLAG, is the nation’s largest medical-legal partnership. It was founded in 2001, complementing healthcare with legal care – providing free legal services in medical facilities and training healthcare professionals to understand the legal issues their patients face.