Message from the President, November 2026

Knowing Where We Can Turn—and Reminding Ourselves that We Can

As lawyers, we are trained to solve other people’s problems. We are not always as quick to recognize when stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, family strain, career uncertainty, or another challenge is affecting us. I want to ensure that every Greensboro Bar Association member, and every North Carolina judge, lawyer, law student and paralegal, knows that we have two valuable resources available to us for these times: BarCARES and the North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program (NCLAP).

I think of these programs as two welcoming doors leading toward the same goal: confidential, cost-free help before a personal concern becomes a professional crisis. They work cooperatively and may refer participants to one another, but they have different sponsors, eligibility rules, service models, and strengths. Knowing those differences can help us choose a useful starting point—and help us support a colleague who may be struggling.

BarCARES: Short-term counseling access

When someone asks me where to begin for counseling, BarCARES is often an excellent answer. It is a confidential, short-term intervention program administered through HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, P.A. and its subcontractors across the state. It serves members of participating judicial district bars (including ours!), voluntary bar associations, and law schools. NCBA members in non-covered areas may qualify through the NCBA BarCARES Initiative.

Eligible users receive three no-cost counseling sessions, regardless of your health insurance coverage. A coordinator helps arrange the first appointment with a provider, either locally or outside the user’s area if preferred. Depending on the sponsoring bar group’s plan, immediate family members may be able to use one or more sessions; the NCBA Initiative itself is for attorneys only.

NCLAP: Assessment, support, and follow-through

When the situation feels complicated—or when someone is unsure what kind of help would be most useful—I encourage a call to NCLAP. It is a free, confidential, non-disciplinary program of the North Carolina State Bar for North Carolina lawyers, judges, and law students. Its licensed counselors provide assessment, limited direct counseling, referrals, consultation, and ongoing follow-up.

NCLAP can also connect us with trained lawyer or judge volunteers, confidential peer groups, treatment resources, interventions, mentoring, and—in appropriate situations—monitoring or longer-term case management. That combination of clinical guidance and lawyers-helping-lawyers support can be especially meaningful.

Common ground

Confidential, free, and built for our legal community

What reassures me most is how much the programs share. Both assist with concerns such as stress and burnout, depression and anxiety, substance use, relationship or family problems, career questions, and other pressures that can affect our well-being or work. Both are free to eligible participants, protect confidentiality, and understand the particular demands of legal practice.

Neither program is a silo. BarCARES can connect us efficiently with a counselor, while NCLAP can assess broader needs and add peer, recovery, or longer-term support. With appropriate authorization, they can coordinate and cross-refer so that a lawyer receives the combination of services that fits the situation.

How to use these services

Choose a door—you do not have to diagnose the problem first

• If you want to start with BarCARES: Call the confidential assistance line at 1-800-640-0735 or 919-929-1227. Urgent calls are received 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I suggest asking the coordinator to confirm your eligibility, family coverage if relevant, and provider options.
• If you want to start with NCLAP: Contact the counselor serving your area through the NCLAP contact page. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; in-person consultations are by appointment. You do not have to know what kind of assistance you need before calling.
• If you are worried about someone else: NCLAP consults confidentially with colleagues, friends, partners, judges, and family members. You may make a referral without having your name revealed.
• If one program is not the complete answer: Ask about coordination or a referral to the other program. Using both may provide counseling together with the peer and longer-term support that recovery or sustained change sometimes requires.

My message is simple: Please do not wait for a crisis. You do not need to know exactly what kind of help you need before making the call – just make the call.

In an immediate crisis: Please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988.

I hope each of us will save these numbers, share these resources, and remember that seeking help is a sign of good judgment—not weakness.

Learn more

BarCARES: www.barcares.org

• BarCARES overview and eligibility — Program description, participating groups, and access information.
• BarCARES frequently asked questions — Details about sessions, family access, funding, and coordination with NCLAP.
• North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program — Services, who NCLAP helps, and how to make contact.
• NCLAP frequently asked questions — Confidentiality, services, referrals, and separation from the State Bar’s disciplinary function.
• BarCARES and LAP—Working in Harmony — How the programs complement and cross-refer to one another.

Abigail E. Peoples
President, Greensboro Bar Association
and the 24th Judicial District Bar