Medical-Legal-Community Partnership

Health Center 3 in West Philadelphia

The Medical-Legal-Community Partnership (MLCP) is part of a collaboration between Philadelphia Legal Assistance and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to provide free legal assistance on-site at community health centers.  Through MLCP, law students from area law schools, supervised by PLA lawyers, provide advice and referrals to patients on-site at Health Center 3 and Health Center 4 in West Philadelphia. The goal of the partnership is for health center staff to work together with legal staff to improve patients' physical, social, emotional, and legal well-being.

The Medical-Legal Partnership model is being increasingly adopted across the country as a way to address the “social determinants of health.” There are many barriers to effective medical treatment: social, economic, and legal, and others.  Health care providers cannot address these barriers directly, but they can partner with social workers and lawyers and together help patients overcome those barriers.  Legal advocates and social workers, working in concert with healthcare providers, can address the issues that make patients’ lives chaotic: domestic violence, unsafe living conditions, child custody, debt, evictions, mortgage foreclosure, and loss of benefits.

In September 2014, the MLCP received a two-year grant from the Legal Services Corporation's 2014 Pro Bono Innovation Fund. In December 2014, the MLCP received a one-year grant from the First Hospital Foundation.

For more information, you can read an overview of the MLCP:
The Medical-Legal-Community Partnership and Its Role in Philadelphia's Public Health System

Donate to the MLCP

The MLCP is raising funds to expand and improve our services. You can help us!

Any amount of support that you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Locations and Hours

Health Center 3

Health Center 3 is located near the intersection of Chester Avenue (one block south of Baltimore Ave.) and 43rd Street in West Philadelphia, across from Clark Park.

555 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

It is accessible via SEPTA routes 11, 13, 30, 34, 36, and 42.

HC3 walk-in intake hours:

• Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Health Center 4

Health Center 4 is located on Haverford Avenue near 44th Street in West Philadelphia:

4400 Haverford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104

It is accessible via SEPTA routes 10, 30, 40, 64, and the Market-Frankford El (46th & Market).

HC4 walk-in intake hours:

• Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.