AccessHealth Receives Texas Bar Foundation Grant to Expand Medical-Legal Partnership
FORT BEND COUNTY, TX – AccessHealth is proud to announce that it has received continued grant support from the Texas Bar Foundation to expand its Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP), increasing access to legal services that directly impact health and quality of life. This year’s grant will allow AccessHealth to aid with eligible patients seeking expunctions and orders of non-disclosure.
“Many of the challenges our patients face are not solely medical, they are rooted in circumstances that create barriers to health,” said Palak Jalan, Chief Executive Officer of AccessHealth. “By embedding legal expertise into our care teams, we are able to treat the whole person. This partnership helps our patients stabilize their lives so they can focus on their health, families, and futures.”
AccessHealth is the only Medical-Legal Partnership in Fort Bend County. With this grant, the organization will integrate record-clearing support into its MLP workflow. The MLP lawyer will screen patients for eligibility, guide them through the petition process, provide legal counsel, and host legal education sessions for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. This work aligns with the standards established by the Texas Medical-Legal Partnership Coalition and reflects AccessHealth’s mission of addressing the social, legal, and economic barriers that influence health outcomes.
“Legal challenges are often hidden but deeply impactful,” said Susan Soto, AccessHealth’s MLP staff attorney. “Having a lawyer embedded in a health center means patients can get help early, before a situation snowballs into crisis. This collaboration is life-changing for many families.”
Funding from the Texas Bar Foundation will help sustain the partial salary and continuing legal education of the MLP lawyer, ensuring AccessHealth can successfully carry out this work and provide life-changing support to patients who otherwise would not have access to legal representation.
Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $30 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation's largest charitably funded bar foundation.
AccessHealth remains dedicated to providing high-quality, equitable care for all, regardless of income or insurance status. The expansion of its Medical-Legal Partnership reinforces the organization’s longstanding belief that healthcare, stability, and opportunity are interconnected and that every individual deserves a fair chance to thrive.
About AccessHealth
AccessHealth is a private, not-for-profit organization and Federally Qualified Health Center. Since 1975, AccessHealth has opened its doors to all who wish to receive care without regard to income or circumstance. Today, AccessHealth has 6 Clinic locations and 11 WIC Centers all throughout the Fort Bend and Waller counties. AccessHealth continues growing and collaborating with patients, their families and other community organizations to address the physical, social, and psychological needs within their community with compassion, competence, and integrity. For more information, visit www.myaccesshealth.org