b'LIFE-CHANGING SUPPORT SERVICESHELP VETERANS MOVE FORWARDYears and even decades after returning to civilianThefederalandstateprivacyrulespertaining life, many of Americas 18 million veterans continuetohealthinformationarenumerousandtheLara Comptontoexperiencesignificantday-to-daychallengesregulatorylandscapeiscomplex.Forseveral related to their time in the military. Some face a hostyears, Ive helped the organization meet its legalhas helped Veterans ofinterconnectedissues,fromhealthconditionsobligations relating to the privacy and security ofVillage of San Diego such as traumatic brain injuries and post-traumaticits client data and navigate requests for access to stressdisorder(PTSD)tosubstanceabuse,client information, she said.With her help, VVSDmaintain compliance unemployment,andhomelessness.Accordingtois able to safeguard clients sensitive information and educate stafftheDepartmentofVeteransAffairs,22veteranswhich helps establish much needed trust betweenwith state and commit suicide in the United States every day. VVSD and its clients.MintzattorneysandstaffregularlyprovideproWorking with VVSD on privacy issues gives me afederal privacy bonolegalservicestononprofitandadvocacygreat opportunity to use my background as a healthlaws. She hasorganizations working to improve the lives of ourcare regulatory attorney to really make a differencealso helpednations veterans. for veterans, Lara said, and the people at VVSD areajoytoworkwithandtaketheirprivacyVVSD navigate VeteransVillageofSanDiego(VVSD)providesobligations very seriously.servicestohelpmorethan3,000veteranshealth information eachyearovercomehomelessnessandrelatedOn the East Coast, attorney Kevin Ainsworth hasrequests, ensuring challenges. To ensure its clients get the supportprovided pro bono legal services to the WarriorVVSD protects clients they need to rebuild their lives, the organizationRanchFoundation,anot-for-profitorganization takesacomprehensiveapproachthatcombinesinLongIsland,NewYorkthatprovidesequinesensitive information employment and training services, help with legaltherapy for military veterans and first responders which is highly issues, mental health and rehabilitation services,with PTSD. A study conducted at Tufts University andassistanceinsecuringhousing,dependinghasshownthatequine-assistedtherapyreducesvalued byon the needs of the client. Mintzs Lara ComptonPTSD symptoms.the clients.calls on her experience as a health care regulatoryWhile learning how to groom, feed, and exercise attorneytohelptheorganizationaddressissueshorses,programparticipantsbondwiththeSUSAN CHUNGthat could jeopardize their clients privacy and putDirector of CompliancetheorganizationatriskofnoncompliancewithanimalsandbenefitfromtheircompanionshipVeterans Village of state and federal privacy laws.loweringtheirownstresslevelsandbuildingSan Diegoconfidence as they learn to communicate with the OneareaIspecializeinishealthinformationhorses and help the animals overcome their fears. privacy, Lara said. VVSD often receives requestsWarrior Ranch also hopes to rescue horses from foraccesstotheirclientsinformation,whichneglectful owners or slaughterhouses, or after they insomecasescaninvolvehealthinformation,have retired from careers as race or show horses, includingsubstanceabusetreatmentormentaland to retrain them for adoption.healthinformation.TheserequestscomefromAlongwithdeliveringgeneralguidanceasa a wide range of third parties, ranging from othermember of the board, Kevin has reviewed contracts entities assisting veterans and government entitiesfor the organization. In addition, Mintz attorneys providing funding for such assistance to attorneysBrieKluytenaarandCorbinCarterhavehelped whohaveissuedcivilandcriminalsubpoenas. TRANSCENDING // Mintz Pro Bono Journal 37'