CHOC Children’s has been named the Public Law Center’s Community Partner of the Year, a recognition of the two organizations’ medical-legal partnership that supports Orange County families in need.
Through Family Legal Assistance at CHOC Children’s, the hospital and PLC work together to help patients and their families obtain guardianships, conservatorships and wills. Under the program, CHOC identifies patients in need of such services and provides space and support services. PLC attorneys, who visit the hospital twice monthly, provide their time and expertise.
“The Public Law Center has helped CHOC develop another creative way to further our mission to nurture, advance and protect the health and well-being of children,” said Sheniece Smith, CHOC’s associate legal counsel. “We are so proud to be a community partner.”
The joint program was launched in January 2014, acknowledging that patients and their families many times need physicians and attorneys to work together to resolve issues. Since its inception just months ago, Family Legal Assistance at CHOC Children’s has already helped more than 70 families.
The Community Partner of the Year award was bestowed at PLC’s 2014 Volunteers for Justice Dinner on June 16.
“To be the best advocate for children and their families in Orange County, we have to partner with the best, so we are fortunate to work side-by-side with CHOC Children’s in serving our community,” said Darren O. Aitken, co-chair of PLC’s 2014 dinner committee.
As Orange County’s largest non-profit pro bono law firm, PLC provides access to justice for low-income residents. For more than 30 years, PLC has worked with 1,500 Orange County lawyers, paralegals, law students and others who volunteer their time and expertise to assist low-income and vulnerable Orange County residents.
Learn more about the Public Law Center: www.publiclawcenter.org
