National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
VHA Community Partnership Challenge
Indiana VA partnership addresses civil legal needs in response to COVID-19
The partnership between the Veterans Health Indiana/Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and the Indiana Legal Services/Military Assistance Project (ILS/MAP) and the Indianapolis Bar Association (Indy Bar) ensured Veterans had access to civil legal services not only prior to the pandemic but also as the community was shutting down. With the ability to pivot quickly, the partners found a safe way to serve Veterans and their families.
Before the pandemic, Veterans could attend a free walk-in legal clinic once a month, meeting face-to-face with attorneys for legal matters, such as eviction/foreclosures, discharge upgrades, child support, and restoring driver's licenses. In response to COVID-19 restrictions, ILS/MAP created a virtual legal clinic that is operational three days per week.
At the same time, Indy Bar continued its free wills clinics during COVID-19 restrictions, partnering with Veterans Health Indiana to provide virtual clinics.
“This work is important because while civil legal resources have been around for a long time, the formalized partnership has established a process thereby minimizing potential gaps in the referral process,” said Judi A. Green, licensed clinical social worker at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. “Veterans better understand how to access these civil legal resources and staff better understand the value of the resource and how to connect Veterans. Together it has resulted in positive health outcomes.”
In some cases, the partnership addressed very sensitive needs of Veterans. For example, during the holiday season of 2020, a hospitalized Veteran asked to complete a complicated will. Within minutes, an ILS/MAP attorney responded and spoke directly with an inpatient social worker. Together, they were able to obtain the necessary documents, secure a notary, and complete the will. The Veteran died a few days later.
“Without this existing partnership, this never would have been possible,” said Green. “This is a clear demonstration of how this partnership is Veteran centered, authentic, transparent, accountable, and consistent.”
The partnership has been life changing for Veterans, said Green.
“Looking toward the future, I am hopeful that Veterans and VA staff recognize this partnership as a strategic resource to their overall health care plan,” she said. “I look forward to a time when this community partnership is second nature for VA staff and Veterans to reach out to in addressing civil legal issues.”
The Veterans Health Indiana/Richard L. Roudebush VAMC shared this amazing partnership during the 2021 VHA National Community Partnership Challenge (CPC). The CPC is an annual event recognizing outstanding partnerships that help Veterans and their communities. The competition is managed by the VHA’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) for the Office of the Under Secretary for Health and facilitates partnerships advancing the health and well-being of Veterans.
This team’s work fit the CPC’s theme this year, which was “Adaptability in a Changing World.” Partnerships that were submitted to the CPC focused their work on helping diverse populations of Veterans, especially in times of uncertainty, such as during the coronavirus pandemic.
For more information on HAP’s partnership work and CPC, including this year's top-three winners, please visit: https://www.va.gov/HEALTHPARTNERSHIPS/updates.asp and click on the “2021 National VHA Community Partnership Challenge” tab.
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Posted September 27, 2021
