Recovery Legal Care: a program to help firearm-injury patients through legal support
Official title: Health Impact of the "Recovery Legal Care" Medical-Legal Partnership
Run by University of Chicago · NCT07764458 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests a medical-legal partnership that connects legal help with hospital-based violence recovery to address social and economic risks for patients treated for firearm or other violent injuries.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 14 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Chicago Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 11, 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07764458 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Patients treated for interpersonal violent injuries at the University of Chicago Trauma Center, aged 14 years or older (consent/assent as applicable) and residing in Illinois.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients unable to consent or assent, non-English speakers, or those already receiving legal services within the past year may be less likely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study partners HVIPs with legal services to address patients’ social and economic needs that contribute to violence and stress. It will identify common health-harming legal issues among patients and test a model for delivering legal support alongside injury care at an urban trauma center. The biphasic plan first characterizes legal needs by sociodemographic and geographic factors, then implements an HVIP-MLP model to improve holistic care and potentially reduce firearm-related injuries. The project involves the University of Chicago and NICHD collaboration to assess feasibility and preliminary impact in a real-world setting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive integrated legal help that reduces stress and addresses root causes of violence, potentially lowering repeat injuries.
How similar studies have gone: This approach is novel for trauma patients; HVIPs have shown limited evidence for behavior-focused strategies, while medical-legal partnerships have demonstrated health benefits in other settings.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Treatment for an interpersonal violent injury at the University of Chicago Trauma Center (e.g., gunshot, stab wound, assault) * Ages 14+ years * Able to provide informed consent (18 years and older) or assent (14-17 years) Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to provide informed consent due to mental status or severe mental illness * Prior receipt of legal services at UCMC within the past year * Currently imprisoned or incarcerated * Residing at a non-Illinois address * Non-English speakers
Where it's running
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University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Tanya L Zakrison, MD, MPH
- Email: tzakrison@bsd.uchicago.edu
- Phone: 786-266-2228
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.