North Penn Legal Services (NPLS) and River Valley Health & Dental are excited to announce a Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) serving Lycoming County. This partnership will provide life- changing free legal services to low income people.

Thanks to generous grants from the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board and from the Williamsport Lycoming Community Fund at the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, North Penn Legal Services will be able to provide free legal services directly within the River Valley Health and Dental center, providing direct representation, community education, and consults with medical providers.

“The goal of the Medical Legal Partnership is to identify and address the health-harming legal needs of medical patients, thereby improving their ability to maintain access to their communities, employment, transportation, and health care,” said NPLS Executive Director Lori A. Molloy. “We are grateful for the hard work of all our staff, and especially Danna Rich-Collins, NPLS’ Paralegal/Office Manager. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with River Valley Health & Dental on this important project.”

“River Valley Health & Dental is pleased that we are able to partner with North Penn Legal Services to help our patients with critical legal assistance and information to aid them in meeting today’s challenges and reducing the barriers and complexities that face them,” stated James

Yoxtheimer, President and CEO. “The accessibility of these legal services offered on-site is just one more way for us to be a “Center for Care” to our community and the patients we serve.”

The Lycoming County MLP officially started accepting cases in December 2019 once the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the partners. The new MLP office officially opened within the River Valley Health & Dental center, located in Williamsport, PA, on February 3, 2020, and operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Low income individuals and families can apply for free services at NPLS by calling 877-953-4250 or applying online at www.northpennlegal.org/get-help.

 

North Penn Legal Services, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, provides free civil legal assistance to low-income families, individuals, and groups in Northeastern Pennsylvania and promotes equal access to justice for all. Services include individual representation (ranging from document preparation to litigation), information, referral and advice through a telephone helpline, community legal education, and support for those clients who will be taking responsibility for handling some or all aspects of their own problem.

 

River Valley Health & Dental is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a non-profit community-based health organization. Independently managed by a community board of directors, the Center is part of a network of other similar FQHC centers forming the largest primary care network in the nation.

 

PA IOLTA Board – The core mission of the Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Board is to support the provision of civil legal services to the Commonwealth’s poor and disadvantaged. The IOLTA Board is a not-for-profit organization operating under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

 

First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania works to improve the quality of life in north central Pennsylvania through community leadership, the promotion of philanthropy, the strengthening of nonprofit impact and the perpetual stewardship of charitable assets. FCFP strives to create powerful communities through passionate giving. For more information visit www.FCFPpartnership.org.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Sean W. Morrow
Grants and Communications Manager
North Penn Legal Services
559 Main Street, Suite 200, Bethlehem, PA 18018
www.northpennlegal.org

 

 

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