The Health Justice Project engages in “preventative lawyering” through direct legal representation, advocacy, and public policy reform. We work with community health clinics and community members to employ a holistic and multifaceted approach to a client-patient’s health problem. We train doctors, residents, social workers, and frontline medical staff to identify social determinants of health that could be resolved through legal intervention. Students and lawyers may be involved in a variety of cases that involve legal matters ranging from public benefits, housing, utilities, and education. When appropriate, the Health Justice Project advocates for improved health outcomes for low-income individuals and families through public policy reform.

Health Justice Project student, Melanie Younger (2011), visits Capitol Hill to discuss the work of the Health Justice Project with Illinois Congressmen.

The Health Justice Project collaborates with doctors, lawyers, social workers, health advocates, epidemiologists, public health specialists, low-income individuals and families, clients/patients, pro bono attorneys, law students, medical students and residents, community organizers and other members of the community in an interdisciplinary, community effort to achieve our goals.