Opioid Crisis Response Program Fellowship Grant

The Opioid Crisis Response Program Fellowship, offered by Equal Justice Works, addresses the opioid epidemic by mobilizing public interest lawyers to provide vital civil legal aid to underserved communities affected by Opioid Use Disorder. This two-year fellowship enables attorney fellows to advocate for clients' rights, reduce barriers to treatment, and enhance community education about legal impacts. Through collaboration with various stakeholders, the program aims to improve health outcomes and foster systemic change in the fight against this public health crisis.

NOTE: Applications being accepted on a rolling basis.
The federal government has declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency. It is well recognized that the Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) epidemic cannot be addressed without multi-disciplinary interventions, and lawyers play a critical role in the fight to overcome this public health emergency. Lawyers can decrease barriers to treatment and recovery and improve health outcomes by advocating for the rights of clients to have stable housing, receive financial and medical benefits they are entitled to, and to help keep families safe and together. Lawyers can also collaborate with and educate the community, the justice system, administrative agencies, and social services about cross-system legal impacts to mitigate legal barriers to successful recovery and while leading the charge to systemic change.
The Equal Justice Works Opioid Crisis Response Program mobilizes lawyers (Attorney Fellows) to provide education and direct civil legal services to OUD-affected communities in need of legal services. This program focuses on removing legal barriers and providing access to wraparound services and treatment for OUD clients in underserved communities.
Fellows will serve for two years, with projects ending no later than 24 months from the agreed upon start date.
Fellowship Overview & Benefits
Attorney Fellows earn a salary over the course of their two-year Fellowship term Build capacity at legal service organizations responding to the opioid crisis Build capacity at legal service organizations responding to the opioid crisis Equal Justice Works Leadership Development Training in Washington, D.C.

Eligibility

Attorney Fellows are public interest lawyers working on-the-ground providing free civil legal aid to OUD clients in underserved communities.