March 2010 . . . Virginia MLP Champions Take National Stage at MLP Summit

Virginia MLP network members were well-represented at the recent MLP Summit held in Washington D.C., with over 20 members from Charlottesville, Norfolk, Richmond, Fairfax, and Lynchburg in attendance. Our Charlottesville MLP partnership was involved extensively in the curriculum. More than 300 physicians, attorneys, students, and advocates from across the nation met to share their work. Presentations by VA MLP members included:

• Carolyn Pointer, Esq., and pediatrician Dr. Diane Pappas participated in a panel presentation "Meeting Them Where They Are: Incorporating the Medical Voice for Systemic Change at the Local Level" (Charlottesville)
• Greg Nelsen, pediatric social worker, was a panelist for "Medical Championing Forum" (Charlottesville)
• Alex Gulotta, Director of the Charlottesville Legal Aid Justice Center, spoke on "Legal Services Corporation in 2010: New Vision New Opportunities"
• Greg Nelsen, Carolyn Pointer, and Diane Pappas presented "Too Many Cooks Make a Great Broth," exploring the overlapping roles and opportunities for collaboration between the members of a medical-legal partnership (Charlottesville)
• Dr. Pappas was faculty in a role-playing exercise exploring "Strategies for Interdisciplinary Training" (Charlottesville)

• Dr. Sean McKenna and Margaret Bacigal, Esq., presented a session with their law and medical students on "The Role of Students in MLPs: More Than Just Free Labor" (Richmond)

March 2010 . . . Greg Nelsen and Diane Pappas Appointed to National Medical-Legal Partnership Medical Advisory Board

Greg Nelsen, pediatric social worker, and Diane Pappas, pediatrician, have been appointed to a 1-year term on the National Medical-Legal Partnership Medical Advisory Board. Both are founding members of the Betty Sams Christian Child Health Advocacy Program at the University of Virginia.  They will work with the board to promote the growth and development of medical-legal partnerships across the country.

January 2010 . . . New Law & Medicine Group Forms

A new interdisciplinary law and medicine group has formed to explore the areas where the two disciplines intersect and ways they can work together. Sessions this past year included a presentation on health disparities and another on how to meet with your legislator. Students had the opportunity to go to Richmond and meet with their legislators as part of the 2010 Pediatric Day at the General Assembly. The group plans to reconvene in the fall. All law students, medical students, residents, and others are welcome to participate. For more information, contact Diane Pappas, M.D., J.D., at dep6b@virginia.edu.

January 2010 . . . Pediatric Day at the 2010 Virginia General Assembly

Over 50 pediatricians, pediatric residents, students, and child advocates came together to focus attention on children's health while the General Assembly was in session. Participants heard first-hand from policy makers including the Virginia Commissioner of Health and the VA Secretary of Health and Human Resources . . . Read more »