BarCARES is Here to Help
May is widely known as mental health awareness month. As such, the board of directors of BarCARES is continuing to foster education, counseling and support for attorneys, paralegals, law students and their spouses in dealing with problems that might be causing distress including personal issues, anxiety, substance use, financial concerns, family matters, work issues, professional stressors, and provide help with case-related stress among other things. The mission of BarCARES includes:
- To encourage and enhance the conditions that enable attorneys to successfully practice law in their increasingly complex and competitive profession and achieve personal satisfaction in their professional and personal lives.
- To study, explore, make recommendations, and implement programs designed to increase attorneys’ effectiveness in their profession and personal life.
- To contract with providers to render services to attorneys designed to increase their effectiveness in their profession, and to oversee and administer those contracts.
- To provide counseling and lawyer assistance services and make available career re-evaluation services to attorneys.
When BarCARES is contacted, you can expect:
- Supported entry to mental health services to make it easier to seek help including providers matched to client preference [gender, experience], presenting concerns and preferred service delivery [in person, telehealth].
- 24/7 access.
- No diagnostic labeling as the BarCARES providers do not have to assign a diagnosis code to BarCARES covered services.
- Privacy: BarCARES providers are bound by HIPAA privacy compliance regulations.
- Encouragement toward selfcare by endorsing regular ‘check-ups’ to support professionals in a stressful profession.
Our profession can no longer ignore the real life impacts of practicing law on attorneys and those in our orbit. BarCARES is here to help. We are available at 919-929-1227, or 1-800-640-0735. To learn more about BarCARES visit https://www.ncbar.org/members/barcares/.
