Caring for the Whole Health of Georgia

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The affordable housing crisis has greatly impacted Georgia families. With rising rent prices, many Atlanta families have resorted to unsafe or unstable living conditions. Knowing that poor living conditions often affect an individual's overall health, CareSource has partnered with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation -- Atlanta's largest provider of pro bono legal services to low-income tenants and survivors of intimate partner abuse that serves more than 5,000 low-income Atlantans every year. Partnering with AVLF allows CareSource to connect members with free legal services that will fight for their right to have access to safe housing.

Through this first-of-its-kind program, CareSource will connect members with community legal health workers that will provide support through home visits, mobile unit visits for members who are experiencing intimate partner abuse, and courthouse visits. The partnership will not only improve the living conditions of Atlanta families, but will document and combine data and outcomes collected from AVLF attorneys, clinical teams and CareSource to further address social determinants of health and health equity. CareSource will also use the data to provide members with comprehensive plans for improving their health.

“This unprecedented partnership between CareSource and AVLF is one way CareSource works to address the whole health of Georgians and provide wrap-around services to our members,” said Jason Anavitarte, CareSource Georgia director of Life Services and Health Equity. “We often hear from members about poor living conditions that adversely affect their health. For example, a member may contact us about mold in their home that triggers asthma and a landlord who refuses to rectify the situation. Through our partnership with AVLF, we are able to directly connect members to legal services to fight on their behalf for safe and healthy housing."

CareSource's donation will fund community legal health workers in Fulton County and help AVLF continue to advocate for safe and stable housing. The funds will also support AVLF's Housing Court Assistance Center for Atlanta tenants whose landlords are taking them to court as well as AVLF's eviction defense program that provides lawyers to those facing eviction.

“This partnership is one of the most impactful ways to address social determinants of health that I've seen in our state. CareSource shares our commitment to improving outcomes for individuals and families in Georgia, and we are grateful for the generous donation that will fund this program as we work together for the good of Georgians,” said Michael Lucas, AVLF executive director.