Covington & Burling LLP
Elizabeth Shackleford
In April 2007, I traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi, with another Covington associate, Stefanie Doebler, for a project with the Mississippi Center for Justice. The focus of our trip was to help facilitate and improve enrollment of children in the Medicaid program. Our trip was investigatory, and a larger team of associates is using what we learned to formulate a much-needed outreach program.
Jason Pollan, Pfizer fellow for MCJ, joined us on the trip. We visited Medicaid offices and outstations throughout southern Mississippi, interviewing Medicaid workers to better understand obstacles facing applicants today.
The devastation still plaguing the coast was apparent on sight, and our experiences revealed just how deeply people continue to be affected by Katrina. Our project addresses only one issue affecting the coast today, and we hope it will benefit the state as a whole. However, we are grateful for any chance to be part of the recovery efforts, and as a Mississippian, I particularly appreciate the opportunity to be involved.