Iowa Legal Aid recently received a $15,000 grant from the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation for its Health and Law Project in Des Moines. These funds will be used to improve the health and well-being of low-income people in the greater Des Moines area through the provision of free civil legal assistance. There are over 50,000 Polk County residents living below the federal poverty level. Many of them will seek treatment for a health problem without realizing there is an associated legal problem or they simply may not have the resources to address the problem. Low-income families often face substandard housing, domestic violence, lack of utility service, inadequate nutrition and inappropriately denied public services and benefits. If their legal problems are not addressed, chances are their health situation cannot improve. The Health and Law Project can help mitigate the personal and environmental conditions preventing low-income patients from achieving health outcomes.