02 - Medical Legal Partnerships: The F.I.R.S.T. Clinic

Adam Ballout is a founding partner at ABC Law Group and in 2019 helped co-found the FIRST Clinic, a medical-legal partnership with the Academy of Pediatrics. Drawn to the practice of law as a result of childhood trauma, Adam’s work aims to help change the child welfare system by a reimagining of prevention work that helps break generational trauma and cycles of systemic abuse.

Taila is a graduate of Seattle University School of Law. She has been a parents’ representation attorney since 2009 and currently the Director of the FIRST Legal Clinic. Her private practice focuses mainly on representation of parents and children in dependency litigation, administrative law, and family law. She also has experience in tribal representation and has worked as a guardian ad litem. She is passionate about social justice and increasing equitable access to resources for her clients, their families, and the community, which is why her work with FIRST has been so important to her. Taila has worked remote from her home in California ever since moving from Washington a few years ago. This arrangement works well for her number one boy and majestic golden retriever, Dug.

Gina Wassemiller is the Parent Ally for the FIRST Legal Clinic. Gina is also a Contracted Social Service Specialist with the Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Program. She has many years of experience working with families involved in the child welfare system. Gina helps parents overcome obstacles and reach a positive outcome. Gina has been a member of the Snohomish County Table of Ten. She also was the facilitator and member for Snohomish County Parent Ally Committee. She also facilitated the Life During CPS support group. Gina has been a voting member of the Washington State Parent Ally Committee. She has also participated in the Birth Parent National network. Gina has been the Coordinator for the Parent for Parent program at the YWCA. Gina brings true passion and hope to the work she does with families. Gina was one of the parents she works with today in December 2006. Her case ended in a relinquishment of her parental rights by choice. In September 2009 she became involved again in a voluntary case. She continues to advocate for the parents for the best outcome. Gina believes a positive outcome is one, a parent can live with forever. She knows this from her own experience. She is a survivor of Domestic Violence and a recovering addict. Gina meets parents where they are at and instills hope into each parent she works with. Gina is living proof that People Change and Families Reunite.

Dr. Hill (she/her) utilizes neuroscience and her broad Early Childhood experience, to maximize community capacity to cultivate stable, nurturing environments supporting optimal health & well-being in young children and their caregivers. She believes building resiliency is essential for mitigating the negative impacts of trauma and toxic stress on health & well-being, and advancing equity. She also believes change must confront institutionalized racism and empower disenfranchised communities by grounding in community engagement, voice, & shared leadership with families. Dr. Hill’s time at Woodland Park Zoo (Sr. Mgr. Early Childhood), expanded her focus to include building resiliency via relationships with nature, mindfulness, & advancing equity with outdoor opportunities.

Dr. Hill is an: Infant Mental Health Mentor E® (Policy); Founding Member, Academy of ZERO TO THREE Fellows; Faculty, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Child Abuse & Neglect Institutes; and former Faculty Lead on Policy for the Barnard Center on Infant Mental Health & Development in the University of WA School of Nursing. She is a highly regarded trainer locally, nationally and internationally. She has a: Post-Graduate Certificate in Infant Mental Health from UW SON; PhD in Developmental Psychology from UW; MEd in Speech-Language Pathology from University of VA. She is an actively certified Speech- Language Pathologist having provided clinical services across the lifespan including home visiting early intervention services for Washington State.