Addressing Legal Needs as Violence Prevention: A National Survey of Legal Services Offered through Hospital- based Violence Intervention Programs

Hospital -based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) provide comprehensive services to survivors of community violence to address social determinants of health (SDOH) as risks factors for future violence. Medical -legal partnerships (MLPs) integrate lawyers into health care teams to address SDOH through the application of the law. Despite shared purposes, it is unknown if HVIP- MLPs exist. We sought to quantify the existing landscape of legal services provided by HVIPs, identify HVIP- MLPs, and characterize barriers to formation. Surveys and interviews were conducted in 2020 with 35 HVIPs of the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) concerning civil legal services. Most HVIPs screened for civil legal needs though none had an offi cial MLP. Common civil legal needs included housing, mental health, and education. Barriers included no memorandum of understanding, legal confusion, funding, and overwhelming need. In 2021, no HVIP- MLP partnerships existed within HAVI. Establishing HVIP- MLPs may further support survivors of violence and address health inequity.