Micronesians Building Healthier Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Micronesian communities in Hawai'i have a long history of mobilizing to address challenges they encounter as the most recent and fastest growing Pacific Islander immigrant population in the state. In particular, community leaders navigate a slew of obstacles specific to systemic racism and health care access. These hurdles have become exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting a range of Micronesian-led responses to the health crisis including strategic adaptations to existing networks and roles to address essential public health functions.

Building a Patient-Centered Medical-Legal Home in Hawaii's Kalihi Valley.

The Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai'i (MLPC) has worked to address the social determinants of health for low-income patient-families since 2009. Focused on identifying health-harming legal needs, doctors and lawyers work together to assist families with family law, housing, public benefits, education, employment, civil rights, and other concerns. Providing free, direct legal service in the medical setting allows the medical-legal partnership (MLP) team to identify community-wide concerns such as language access violations, racial discrimination, and unfair policies.