Health Law Advocates

05/21/2026

Yesterday, HLA's School Discipline Advocacy Fellow Elaine Marshall presented at the Pathways for Children 26th Annual Youth at Risk Conference! 👏

Elaine presented alongside Isabel Redman, Research Project Coordinator at BUSPH, on the School Discipline Advocacy Program (SDAP) within HLA's Mental Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) for Kids. They explained the school discipline process and how the SDAP intervenes to improve educational and mental health outcomes for youth. They also highlighted emerging trends from the 2024-2025 school year on students facing school discipline. Way to go, Elaine and Izzie!

Members of our MHAP for Kids team had a wonderful time at the conference supporting Elaine and connecting with attendees about the work of MHAP for Kids.

Learn more about the SDAP here: mhapforkids.org

05/21/2026

Join us on Friday, November 20, for the 31st Annual Benefit Breakfast!

We are honored to announce Steve Tringale, President of Mass General Brigham Health Plan, and Doug Brown, Partner at Manatt, as the co-chairs of the 31st Annual Benefit Breakfast.

For more than three decades, hundreds of lawyers, health care providers, community partners, and supporters have gathered at Health Law Advocates' Annual Benefit Breakfast to support the fight for health care justice. Funds contributed through the Benefit Breakfast have enabled HLA to break down barriers to health care for tens of thousands of low-income residents. Your support is critical to our continued advocacy, especially during this extraordinarily challenging time.

Learn more about the Benefit Breakfast here: healthlawadvocates.org/get-involved/the-benefit-breakfast/

We hope to see you on November 20th!

05/20/2026

We are thrilled to announce Lisa Morrow has been appointed the Director of HLA's Mental Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) for Kids! 🎉

As the Director of MHAP for Kids, Lisa will ensure the program continues to provide exceptional legal services to our clients, nurture MHAP for Kids' numerous partnerships, guide the program's outstanding team members, advocate for funding for MHAP for Kids, oversee program evaluation, and serve as a member of HLA's Senior Management Team.

Read the full announcement here: https://conta.cc/4wAWNdY

05/07/2026

In recognition of Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, take a look back at "A MHAP Story: Rachel and Michael," which showcases the impactful work of the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids (MHAP for Kids).

"A MHAP Story" highlights MHAP for Kids Senior Supervising Attorney Toni Kokenis' legal advocacy for her client Michael to receive appropriate mental health and educational services in place of further court involvement. The video premiered at HLA's 30th Annual Benefit Breakfast.

MHAP for Kids improves the mental health of youth and their families across the Commonwealth by ensuring access to essential mental health services in schools and communities, while also working to divert youth from the juvenile justice system. Learn more about MHAP for Kids at mhapforkids.org.

05/05/2026

Breaking news: Funds for HLA's Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids included in MA Senate Ways & Means budget! 🎉

Thank you to Chairman Rodrigues, Senate President Karen E. Spilka, Senator Friedman, and our advocates in the Massachusetts State Senate for their continued support of the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids. This funding allows MHAP for Kids to maintain their statewide legal advocacy, statewide intake line, and program evaluation in partnership with the Boston University School of Public Health.

We are so grateful for the Senate's investment in the mental health and wellbeing of Massachusetts families.

05/04/2026

Thank you to Chairman State Representative John Lawn for sponsoring budget Amendment #660 to fund the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids, to our community who called their representatives to advocate for our program, and to the 68 state representatives who co-sponsored Amendment #660. We are so grateful for your efforts to support funding for a program that helps youth across the Commonwealth access the mental health services they need.

04/27/2026

We are honored to announce HLA's Deputy Director Marisol Garcia has been appointed as the next Director of the Commonwealth's Office of the Child Advocate!

"All of us at Health Law Advocates (HLA) enthusiastically applaud the appointment of Marisol Garcia as the next Director of the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA). Marisol has dedicated more than thirty years to advocating on behalf of children across our Commonwealth. Her experience, coupled with her tenacity and compassion, will be an instrumental force at the OCA, as it has during her time at HLA.

"We thank Marisol for leading with determination, humor, and grit, and are excited for her to take on this next role. We know that her impact at HLA will be reflected on an even larger scale at the OCA. Congratulations to Marisol, a champion of children's rights." -Health Law Advocates' Executive Director Matt Selig & Board President Josh Greenberg.

Read the full press statement here: https://healthlawadvocates.org/news-item/press-statement-deputy-director-marisol-garcia-appointed-next-director-of-the-office-of-the-child-advocate/

04/24/2026

Last week, our medical debt team facilitated trainings at the Medical Debt Convening hosted by the Atrius Health Equity Foundation!

Attorney Mindi Greenberg and Advocate Alex Rhoades provided two engaging trainings for our partners and community-based organizations. They shared advice on speaking with providers about medical bills, walked participants through hypothetical client case studies, and debuted a medical debt toolkit with resources to help advocates support their clients in navigating and eliminating medical debt.

is a pervasive barrier to health care and a cause of financial hardship for people across Massachusetts. HLA aims to alleviate the impact of medical debt by representing individual clients and equipping community-based organizations with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate improper medical billing and medical debt.

We are grateful to the Atrius Health Equity Foundation for supporting our Medical Debt Initiative and organizing a fantastic Medical Debt Convening!

04/22/2026

CALL TO ACTION: Support funding for the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids! 🗣

Reach out to your State Representative and urge them to co-sponsor Chairman Lawn's Amendment #660 to allocate level funding to sustain MHAP for Kids, a statewide program that continues to improve the mental health of children and their families.

Not sure who your State Representative is? You can find your Rep. here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

MHAP for Kids improves overall mental health and family functioning and reduces involvement with the juvenile court. You can read more about MHAP for Kids here: https://healthlawadvocates.org/initiatives/mhapforkids/

Thank you for your advocacy!

04/21/2026

On May 20th, MHAP for Kids School Discipline Advocacy Fellow Elaine Marshall will present alongside Boston University School of Public Health Research Project Coordinator Isabel Redman at the Pathways for Children 26th Annual Youth at Risk Conference! 👏

They will present on MHAP for Kids' School Discipline Advocacy Program (SDAP), which aims to curb the school-to-prison pipeline and improve youth mental health by providing parents and guardians with prompt, no-cost representation in school discipline matters. They will share insights and emerging trends from the 2024-2025 school year on students facing school discipline.

Learn more about the presentation and register here:

Online registration for YAR Conference 2026 starts on February 16th 2026. Online registration ends May 20th 2026.

04/15/2026

This week, we welcomed new staff attorney Tailayah Macklin! 🎉 We are thrilled to have Tailayah on our team helping families in Norfolk county access mental health services in their schools and communities.

Yesterday, Deputy Director Marisol Garcia and Senior Supervising Attorney David Satin joined Tailayah at the Quincy Family Resource Center. We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with the QFRC, and we're excited to continue our collaboration.