Our Work and Impact
The Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) Clinic is committed to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations through three objectives:
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Joint medical-legal advocacy
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The professional preparation of those who will serve the legal and health needs of others
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The discovery of knowledge that will benefit all
Currently, the Clinic focuses on direct representation of individuals in public benefits and limited immigration matters. The Clinic may also engage in policy and institutional projects that arise from our collaborations with medical partners.
Health Provider Partners
Learning Objectives/Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will have:
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Conducted a thorough intake interview
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Assessed a client’s eligibility for various public benefits and/or immigration benefits
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Advised a client regarding eligibility for public benefits, immigration benefits, and/or immigration implications of accessing public benefits
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Prepared an application for public benefits on behalf of a noncitizen client, including a cover letter brief explaining the client’s eligibility for benefits and all supporting evidence
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Negotiated an agreement with a representative of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on behalf of a client who has applied for public benefits
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Maintained a case file for a client
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Worked in collaboration and partnership while engaging in direct representation and/or completing projects
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Collaborated with health care providers to advocate for a client’s access to public benefits or immigration benefits
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Begun to construct their professional identity through ethical service and advocacy for a client
Faculty Supervision
Medha D. Makhlouf is a professor of law and the founding director of the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic at Penn State Dickinson Law. She is also an assistant professor (by courtesy) in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. The Clinic is aligned with Professor Makhlouf’s Guiding Principles, which are the foundation of her work to advance health equity through law and policy. These principles are: being deliberate, intentional, and clear; seeking combination and commonality in seemingly siloed disciplines, experiences, and perspectives; being passionate about removing barriers to potential; and believing that everyone has the ability to create a life of positive impact.
Her research interests lie at the intersection of health law, immigrants’ rights, and poverty law and policy. Her current work focuses on immigrant access to health care and the many ways in which immigration status functions as a social determinant of health. Professor Makhlouf’s scholarship has been published or is forthcoming in the New York University Law Review, the Boston University Law Review, California Law Review Online, the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics, and several other academic journals.