NYC eviction legal aid linked to lower ER visits in high-risk areas

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine indicates that New York City’s right-to-counsel program, which provides free lawyers to low-income tenants facing eviction, is associated with a reduction in emergency department visits in high-risk neighborhoods.

Researchers from UCLA Health analyzed over 8.2 million emergency room visits by Medicaid or uninsured residents between January 2016 and February 2020. The findings showed that in the initial 10 ZIP codes targeted for the program—selected due to high eviction and homelessness rates—there were approximately 26 fewer ER visits per 10,000 residents. Among children in these areas, visits decreased by about 32 per 10,000 residents.

However, the study noted that the impact was not observed citywide across all covered ZIP codes. Additionally, researchers observed an unexpected increase in emergency department visits related to mental health and substance use disorders following the program's implementation. The program, which launched in 2016, eventually expanded citywide in March 2020.