Providence Inland Northwest Washington partners with the Northwest Justice Project (NJP), to help address legal issues that directly affect patient health and well-being. In 2025, Providence provided $150,000 in grant funding to support NJP’s Health Justice Initiative (HJI).
The Northwest Justice Project is Washington State’s largest publicly funded civil legal aid organization, providing free legal assistance to low‑income individuals and families to help secure basic needs such as housing, health care, income stability, education and family safety.
Through its partnership with health care providers, NJP operates the HJI, a medical-legal partnership that integrates civil legal services directly into health care settings. The HJI allows medical teams to identify legal issues — such as unsafe housing or loss of benefits — that negatively impact patient health and refer patients to NJP attorneys for legal intervention. Together, NJP and HJI address the root causes of poor health, helping improve outcomes for vulnerable patients across Washington.
“Everyone deserves access to the health care they need. Through our partnership with Providence, the Northwest Justice Project works alongside health care providers to remove legal and social barriers to care — helping patients obtain insurance coverage for doctor-ordered treatments, complete critical documents and address challenges they often first share with their medical teams,” said Kriste Draper, Health Justice Initiative staff attorney. “By resolving underlying issues such as access to health care, education, food and stable housing, we help families stay housed, secure needed educational supports for their children, and make informed health decisions in partnership with Providence staff.”
According to Draper, this holistic approach improves long-term health outcomes while reducing strain on the emergency health care system, particularly for low-income and marginalized communities.
