Health Lawyers fulfills its Public Interest commitment through two types of activities:
- Nonpartisan Public Policy Forums and Resources, such as our public interest dialogue sessions; Conversations with Policymakers teleconference series, health policy and public interest related sessions at AHLA conferences, and periodic issue briefings for policy analysts and the media.
- AHLA's Public Information Series, a growing collection of consumer-friendly resources AHLA members address issues and share their expertise in an easy-to-understand manner with healthcare professionals, healthcare executives, public health agencies, pro bono attorneys, consumer groups, and the general public.
AHLA is dedicated to bettering the community. Our ongoing communication and health education efforts allow our members and the healthcare community to better understand healthcare issues and prepare for difficult situations, ultimately leading to better care and planning for patients and their communities.
Pledge Your Support!
Public interest activities are supported by contributions from Health Lawyers' members and their firms, healthcare associations, and businesses. Contribute to Health Lawyers' public interest activities online! See a list of contributors on the Individual Honor Roll and Industry Honor Roll.
Read Health Lawyers' public interest newsletter Your Public Interest Donations at Work, which provides an overview of all that AHLA has accomplished because of your generous donations.
The Public Information Series
Since its inception in 2004, AHLA’s Public Information Series has produced a number of informative, user-friendly guidebooks and other resources that can be downloaded from the Association’s website at no charge. Hard copies are also frequently requested by members for themselves and/or for their clients.
The Public Interest Committee recently published two new guidebooks discussing legal considerations for individuals with disabilities and the rights and responsibilities of clincal trial participants. AHLA also released an educational video about the importance of advance healthcare planning.
NEW! Medical Research: A Consumer’s Guide for Participation explains the difference between the various types of medical research, the protective measures that are available to research participants, rights and responsibilities, payment issues, and questions that a potential research volunteer may want to ask before starting treatment.
NEW! WITH AUDIO Considerations for People with Disabilities and Their Families addresses a wide range of issues concerning, for example, early intervention programs for infants and toddlers, K-12 education, employment, access to public accommodations, government benefits, asset planning, family law issues, health coverage issues, and housing/living arrangements. Click here to listen to the audio recording of Considerations for People with Disabilities and Their Families.
NEW! Loving Conversations: One Family's Story About the Importance of Advance Healthcare Planning is an educational video emphasizing the benefits of advance directives. It follows one family through their difficult process of making healthcare decisions for a loved one who does not have an advance directive. The video also answers some common questions about executing an advance directive.To receive a copy of Loving Conversations please contact Andrew Hartman. Preview the DVD.