The Louisiana State Bar Association selected the Tulane Medicolegal Partnership as its 2023 Friend of Pro Bono Award winner. The partnership is led by Helen Pope, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Faculty Advisor for Student Health Clinics; Jessica DeBord, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics, Director of Foundations in Medicine and Director of the Tulane Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program; and Nicholas Tolat, MD, JD, Instructor of Medicine. It was founded by Drs. DeBord and Pope to help patients at Tulane University School of Medicine’s student-run clinics connect with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, a pro bono organization. Through this program, patients have had assistance applying for health insurance, disaster relief benefits, housing, employment, and receiving social security benefits for disabilities.
“The nomination was based on the work we have been doing with incorporating a legal needs screening into our homeless clinics,” said Pope. “We have been able to resolve minor legal issues that act as barriers to our patients accessing medical care and housing by partnering with Tulane Law School and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services.”