2/14/2018. Rounding the Bases: Hitting a Home Run on Lawyer Wellness. Presented by: What is Addiction?

Transcription

1 Rounding the Bases: Hitting a Home Run on Lawyer Wellness PENNSYLVANIA BAR ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE OF COUNTY BAR LEADERS FEBRUARY 22-24, 2018 LANCASTER, PA Presented by: Michele S. Haggerty, JD Legal Community Specialist Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centers Brian S. Quinn, JD Education and Outreach Coordinator Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc. Link Christin, JD, MA, LADC Executive Director of Legal Professionals Program Caron Treatment Centers What is Addiction? Primary, chronic, and progressive disease of the brain s reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry Symptoms are primarily behavioral, in contrast to other chronic diseases Symptoms are also typically negative behavior Cannot be cured, but treated and managed 1

2 Addiction Characteristics Uncontrolled use Continued use despite adverse consequences Tolerance Withdrawal Chronicity and relapse Denial The Study: arch/colap_hazelden_lawyer_study.html February 2016 study funded by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs: The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys Sample of 12,825 licensed, employed attorneys from 19 states assessing alcohol use, drug use, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress THE FINDINGS ARE SOBERING 36.4% positive for hazardous drinking based on first three AUDIT questions (frequency and quantity) 20.6% positive for hazardous drinking based on all 10 AUDIT questions Average for broad, highly-educated non-attorney workforce: 11.8% Current levels of: Depression 28% (during career 46%) Stress 23% Anxiety 19% (during career 61%) The highest rate of addiction in the legal profession can be found in law firms. The highest rate of addiction at law firms occurs with attorneys doing their first ten years of practice. 2

3 So we ve discovered the Problem What s next? TREATMENT OPTIONS: Private pay programs/options In-network insurance programs Out of network insurance programs Levels of care: Residential Treatment Partial Hospitalization Program Intensive Outpatient Outpatient Sober living houses THE REPORT IS IN: NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING Creating a Movement To Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession August 14, 2017 TEAM SOLUTIONS The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change: 44 recommendations for legal stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of the legal profession ssistance/task_force_report.html 3

4 HYPOTHETICAL # 1 Jimmy Walker was a great guy, the life of the party and a pretty good lawyer, when he showed up. He was recently made partner in the small family law boutique firm in town, Whiskey & Rye, and continues to mentor the young lawyers. He volunteered for the lawyer referral program and took on several pro bono cases. He never missed a Bar event, first to arrive and last to leave. Sometimes Jimmy might appear to be wearing the same suit he left the party in when he showed up for early morning support conferences or motions court; He had a bad habit of forgetting his file and more often than not, seeking last minute continuances. There were a couple of calls from some disgruntled clients which Jimmy represented through the various Bar programs. He was subject of many a joke of the younger lawyers, who nicknamed him Red for the often noticed color of his eyes and chided Jimmy for his slurred advice given at the open bar at the Bar meetings. A younger associate at Whiskey & Rye confided that she was pretty sure that Jimmy was sleeping many a night in his office. There were whispers about client and Jimmy arguments in the hall, about Jimmy smelling like he just left the brewery. A couple of judges voiced their concerns and thought someone needs to do something about Jimmy The problem lands in your office. What to do? The Bar Exec? The Bar leader Hypothetical #2 Jimmy has been in a number of treatment programs and has had visible periods of sobriety. But now Jimmy is back clearly drinking again and missing hearings. Lots of folks are complaining about his behavior and his appearance and his lack of preparation for court, etc. He keeps coming to your office begging for last minute favors or use of the computer-you know things are bad for Jimmy and anyone he is representing. What to do? The Bar Exec? The Bar leader? Hypothetical #3 Jimmy just isn t showing up. There are no visible signs of drinking or drug use. When you see him he is well kept, neatly dressed. He doesn t really attend events anymore. He s missing hearings and not answering phone calls. Several members are complaining and you have received phone calls from disgruntled clients What to do? The Bar Exec? The Bar leader? 4

5 Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania Confidential Helpline hrs./day, 7 days/week, 365 days/year Free information and literature Free evaluation by a healthcare professional Free assistance with interventions Peer support Lawyer/Judge/Law Student-only support group meetings LCL staff support Our services are free, confidential, non-judgmental and nonobligatory. Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc. (LCL) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation Our mission: To provide a caring peer assistance program to save the lives and restore the health and professional competence of Pennsylvania s judges and lawyers, members of their families, and law students who are at risk as a result of alcohol and drug use, gambling, depression, or other serious mental illness. We carry out this mission through a combination of confidential helpline services. LCL WE CAN HELP CONFIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL What LCL IS: -A provider of FREE non- clinical services to Pennsylvania lawyers, judges, their family members and law students -An organization that in 2017 offered nearly 300 LCL funded mental health and substance abuse evaluation by 141 independent healthcare providers. -A source for Interventions. LCL performed over 160 interventions in 2017, an increase of 40% over A paid staff of 6 and 328 unpaid peer volunteers who provide encouragement and support to PA lawyers, judges, their family members and law students in a safe, non -judgmental environment 5

6 2/14/2018 WHAT LCL IS - An independent, non profit corporation helping lawyers since An Educational source that reached over 20,000 lawyers, judges and law students in A 24 hour, CONFIDENTIAL, no strings attached Helpline and peer assistance program. LCL received nearly 500 calls in 2017, 62% of which were self -referrals. WHAT LCL IS NOT: - a health care provider - contracted with or affiliated with any medical facilities or health care providers - involved in preparing treatment or after-care plans, making diagnoses, or providing Therapeutic counseling services or treatment - a service that pays for treatment, although we may assist lawyers who can t afford treatment find private or public funding sources - a service that performs substance use or mental health assessments or treatment - a reporting agency or in any way connected to the Disciplinary Board or part of a recovery monitoring program as Lawyers Assistance Programs that exist in other states - NOT Judgmental we don t care about anything you ve done or you think you are LCL does not provide legal advice but should someone be inclined to do so, if they call LCL, LCL can provide them with the name of 3 attorneys handling ethics issues that can assist them with how to handle a situation according to the RPC. FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS: 1. Acknowledge the problem and take responsibility 2. Use this report as a launchpad for a profession-wide actin plan 3. Demonstrate a personal commitment for well-being 4. Facilitate, destigmatize and encourage help seeking behaviors 5. Build relationships with lawyer well being experts 1. Partner wit LAP s 2. Consult lawyer well-being committees and other types of well-being experts 6. Foster Collegiality and respectful engagement throughout the profession 7. Enhance lawyer s sense of control 8. Provide high quality educational programs and materials about lawyer well-being 9. Guide and support the transition of older attorneys 10. De-emphasize alcohol at social events 11. Use monitoring to support recovery 12. Talk about suicide prevention 13. Support a lawyer well-being index to measure the profession s progress NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING Creating a Movement To Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession August 14,

7 FOR BAR ASSOCIATIONS: NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING Creating a Movement To Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession August 14, 2017 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BAR ASSOCIATIONS: 1. ENCOURAGE EDUCATION ON WELLBEING TOPICS IN COORDINATION AND IN ASSOCIATION WITH LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. 1.1 Sponsor High-Quality CLE Programming on Well-Being-Related Topics. 1.2 Create Educational Materials to Support Individual Well-Being and Best Practices for Legal Organizations. 1.3 Train Staff to Be Aware of Lawyer Assistance Program Resources and Refer Members. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING Creating a Movement To Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession August 14, 2017 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BAR ASSOCIATIONS (cont.): 2. SPONSOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON LAWYER WELL-BEING AS PART OF ANNUAL MEMBER SURVEYS. 3. LAUNCH A LAWYER WELL-BEING COMMITTEE 4. SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE OF BEST PRACTICES RELATING TO LAWYER WELL-BEING AT BAR ASSOCIATION EVENTS. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA SO WHAT DO YOU DO? Simple suggestions: Educate yourselves Have resources immediately available Don t Judge Change the Environment Set Boundaries Peer committees Adjust the Programs 7

8 CONCLUSIONS THIS IS A TEAM SOLUTION. TOGETHER WE CAN KEEP OUR PLAYERS HEALTHY 8