Pediatric behavioral health medical-legal partnerships: a novel approach to child and adolescent psychiatric care.

The state of pediatric mental health in the United States remains an ongoing challenge. Contributing to this challenge is the biopsychosocial nature of mental health - an interconnected system of biological, psychological, social, and legal factors. Consequently, addressing pediatric mental health requires interdisciplinary collaboration.

How bioethics can enrich medical-legal collaborations.

Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) - collaborative endeavors between health care clinicians and lawyers to more effectively address issues impacting health care - have proliferated over the past decade. The goal of this interdisciplinary approach is to improve the health outcomes and quality of life of patients and families, recognizing the many non-medical influences on health care and thus the value of an interdisciplinary team to enhance health. This article examines the unique, interrelated ethical issues that confront the clinical and legal partners involved in MLPs.