press release: Local Hospitals Benefit from Innovative Medical-Legal Partnership
Buffalo, NY — August 28, 2026 — Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ), a local nonprofit providing free civil legal services and community support programs, continues to advance its mission of improving the quality of life for Western New Yorkers.
One of the organization's most innovative initiatives, the MedLaw Partnership of WNY, has made a meaningful impact in hospitals across the region by integrating legal services directly into healthcare settings. Established in 2016, the program provides patients with no-cost legal assistance from attorneys and paralegals, along with supportive navigation services, helping address the legal and social challenges that can affect health, housing, income, and overall well-being. Services are available to patients receiving care at partner healthcare facilities, with referrals made directly by healthcare professionals.
“We started the MedLaw Partnership of WNY because we recognized that the provision of legal services is an available tool to address the social determinants of health such as economic insecurity, housing instability, and violence,” said Karen Nicolson, CEO of Center for Elder Law & Justice, host organization of the MedLaw Partnership of WNY.
By embedding legal professionals within person-centered care teams, the MedLaw Partnership of WNY enables attorneys to work alongside physicians, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare providers to identify and resolve issues that may otherwise delay treatment or create barriers to safe discharge and emergency planning. The program also equips hospital staff with the knowledge to recognize common legal concerns and connect patients with timely assistance.
“The medical-legal partnership model was a new concept at the time, and we were one of the first to offer it in Western New York with its launch in the palliative department of ECMC. It is well-documented that patients have better health outcomes when stressful non-medical conditions in the environment are resolved, and one way to resolve them is through the legal system. The attorneys in MedLaw use their skills to stop a home from going into foreclosure, keep a tenant in their apartment, or obtain an order of protection to stop family violence. At the same time, our social workers and paralegals provide crucial community support services that prevent the cycle of hospitalization, discharge and re-hospitalization,” Nicolson continued.
Since its inception, the MedLaw Partnership of WNY has steadily expanded to include Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo General Medical Center, Gates Vascular Institute, HighPointe on Michigan, and Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo. As of June 2026, the program has expanded once again to now include Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, further increasing access to services for patients across the region.
“What began with a limited program at one hospital many years ago has now grown to include four hospital systems and the entire range of available civil legal services. We are excited to add Millard Filmore Suburban Hospital to our partnership and look forward to working together to improve patient health,” said Nicolson.
“The strength of the MedLaw Partnership lies in its ability to meet patients where they are. By bringing legal professionals, social workers, and healthcare providers together, we can address the non-medical issues that often impact a person's health and well-being,” said Rachel Baldassaro, Managing Attorney at Center for Elder Law and Justice. “This collaborative approach helps ensure patients receive the comprehensive support they need both inside and outside the hospital setting. By connecting individuals with legal and supportive services where they already receive medical care, we can help prevent crises, reduce stress, and create more stable outcomes for patients and their families long after they leave the hospital.”
“Thanks to the generous support of the Kaleida Health Foundation, patients at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital – as well as several of our other acute care and long-term care facilities – will greatly benefit from the MedLaw Partnership of WNY initiative. This program gives patients direct access to free civil legal services that reduce health-related legal barriers, promote wellbeing and improve health outcomes for those we serve,” said Don Boyd, President and CEO of Kaleida Health.
In addition to its continued growth, the MedLaw Partnership of WNY celebrates a significant milestone with the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care Program through their receipt of the prestigious American Hospital Association (AHA) Circle of Life Award. The national award recognizes hospital and palliative care programs that demonstrate excellence in delivering compassionate, patient-centered care while expanding equitable access through innovative models of service. The MedLaw Partnership of WNY was recognized as a key component of ECMC's strategy, demonstrating a powerful, forward-thinking approach to addressing complex patient needs through integrated legal and clinical collaboration. This model translates innovation into meaningful, measurable improvements in care delivery.
“Palliative medicine and supportive care focus on relieving pain, easing suffering, and enhancing the quality of life for people living with a serious illness. Through our medical-legal partnership (MLP), we have helped hundreds of patients address legal and social challenges that negatively affect their health and well-being,” said Sandra Lauer, Director, Continuum of Care, Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care at ECMC. “Unresolved financial and legal issues can create significant stress and by helping to resolve these burdens, we create space for patients to focus on what matters most to them - their goals, values, and quality of life. Many thanks to Center for Elder Law and Justice for their continued partnership and congratulations on expanding your services.”
To learn more about the MedLaw Partnership of WNY, visit www.elderjusticeny.org/medlaw-partnership-of-wny.
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About Center for Elder Law & Justice
Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, the Center for Elder Law & Justice advocates for justice at every stage of life, empowering individuals to live independently and with dignity. Since 1978, our team of attorneys, paralegals, and social workers has provided free, comprehensive civil legal and social services to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and financially eligible residents throughout Western New York. With satellite offices in Niagara and Chautauqua counties, we work to break cycles of poverty, protect vulnerable populations, and advance justice across the region. For more information, visit www.elderjusticeny.org.
Kaleida Health
Kaleida Health is the largest healthcare provider in Western New York, serving the area's eight counties with state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive healthcare services. More than one million sick or injured patients choose a Kaleida Health facility annually, including Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, DeGraff Medical Park, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Bradford Medical Park and Olean General Hospital.
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital is a 265-bed, acute care hospital located in Amherst, NY. The hospital provides inpatient and outpatient care, diagnostic testing and multiple sub-specialty services often seen in big city medical centers while maintaining the comfort and conveniences of a community hospital. For more information, visit www.millardfillmoresuburban.org and www.kaleidahealth.org.
About the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation
The ECMC Corporation was established as a New York State Public Benefit Corporation and since 2004 has included an advanced academic medical center with 573 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility. ECMC is Western New York’s only Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, as well as a regional center for burn care, behavioral health services, transplantation, medical oncology and head & neck cancer care, rehabilitation, and a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo. Most ECMC physicians, dentists and pharmacists are dedicated faculty members of the university and/or members of a private practice plan. More Western New York residents are choosing ECMC for exceptional patient care and patient experience. For more information, visit www.ecmc.edu.
About the American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.