Mission Moment: Home Supports for Joseph* and Alex*
Three-year old Joseph and four-month old Alex are lively brothers who live with their mother and father, and their family friend, “Auntie Kay.” Joseph has cystic fibrosis and Alex has breathing difficulties. Last year, Kay moved her adopted dog into the home without checking first with the boys’ parents. The dog was a health risk for the boys and violated the terms of their rental agreement. This created tension between the family and Kay. The relationship soured when she refused to remove the dog.
The family needed to terminate their rental agreement and move out, but their landlord would not agree. The parents were extremely worried about their sons’ health; yet, they could not afford to move out and still pay their $1,250 portion of the rent through the end of their lease. MLP advised the clients and determined that they were entitled to terminate the rental agreement under a statute that allows for early termination due to domestic violence or unlawful harassment. With a letter from MLP, the landlord accepted the early termination and returned the deposit and last month’s rent to the clients. The clients were greatly relieved to be able to relocate to their own apartment ensuring a healthier environment for their children.
Following their move, the client emailed MLP:
You have been such an enormous help and rock of calm through all of this. We cannot say thank you enough. Thank you so much for everything!
*Not their real names.
MLP Attorney Spotlight: Jodi Sullivan
Jodi is the newest MLP attorney to join our team. She has been with Northwest Justice Project since 2007, previously working in the Port Angeles and Everett field offices, and on the Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral (CLEAR) intake line, a toll-free legal hotline for people with low incomes. Jodi’s advocacy at NJP has focused on securing and maintaining public benefits for her clients. Jodi serves on the Board of Directors of Northwest Health Law Advocates. We are so excited to have her with MLP. Welcome Jodi!
Systemic Advocacy Spotlight!
Easing the path for those with Autism to qualify for DDA
The Seattle Children’s Autism Center identified a systemic problem with the way WA’s Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) determined eligibility for essential supportive services for individuals with autism. Although DDA eligibility rules allowed individuals to prove eligibility in two ways, DDA staff often refused to allow people to submit evidence of eligibility under the secondary pathway. As a result, individuals who could have been deemed eligible for services were not deemed eligible.
MLP, along with Autism Center providers, met with agency and state officials and outlined legal and practical concerns with DDA eligibility policy and implementation. As a result, DDA agreed to change its policies and notifications to families. These changes will likely benefit hundreds of families each year! This would not have happened without the advocacy of Washington’s Medical-Legal Partnership.
Our Partners
MLP improves the health and well-being of vulnerable populations by identifying and addressing health-harming legal needs and removing barriers to better health. MLP is a collaboration between our legal partner, Northwest Justice Project (NJP), and the following medical and behavioral health providers:
