Vets Receiving Help with Legal Issues Have Improved Mental Health, Less Homelessness

"Veterans receiving care at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center who also accessed legal help for civil issues they were facing experienced improvements in mental health and fewer days of homelessness, according to a recent study of medical-legal partnerships at VA facilities in Connecticut and New York.

The executive director of the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, which provides free legal help to homeless and at-risk veterans facing civil issues such as credit card debt or eviction, said proposed legislation in Congress would allow the VA to further study the broader impact of these partnerships.

“It’s possible that legal help could be a low-cost way to reduce homelessness and improve mental health,” said Margaret Middleton, a co-author of the study and executive director of the center..."

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