dave’s techtips There are many resources available to assist lawyers, their family members and their staff to deal with personal, drug, alcohol and other issues. Here is a sampling: uuu LAWYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (“LAP”) (lapbc.com) LAPBC is an independent organization of members of the BC legal community (lawyers, judges, families and support staff) for members of the legal community. LAP provides peer support, resources and referral services to help people deal with personal problems — including alcohol and drug dependence, mental health issues, stress and anxiety, relationships issues, including familial issues, professional concerns, depression and other issues. They are available 24/7. Call 604-6852171 or 1-888-685-2171 or email info@lapbc.com. uuu MOOD DISORDERS SOCIETY OF CANADA (mdsc.ca) Mental health resources.
LAW SOCIETY OF BC uuu LIFEWORKS CANADA The Law Society funds LifeWorks Canada’s personal counselling and referral services. Services are confidential and available at no cost to individual BC lawyers, articled students and their immediate families. LifeWorks can “help with life’s questions, issues and concerns — handling stress, maintaining
relationships, challenges at work, parenting and childcare, managing money, caring for an older relative or health issues.” Contact LifeWorks 24/7: Calling the toll-free number: 1-888-307-0590 for a confidential in-person call. Log in to login.lifeworks.com to learn more about the services Lifeworks provides, including website materials and access to a confidential online chat or in-person call: Username: lawsocietybc Password: healthy Download the free app on Android or IOS — simply search for “Lifeworks.” Once downloaded, open the app, click on “log in” and enter your Username and Password: lawsocietybc/healthy
DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESOURCES
uuu MATERNITY LEAVE BENEFITS PROGRAM The LSBC offers a maternity leave benefit loan program to assist self-employed women lawyers who do not have access to maternity and parental financial benefits other than government programs remain in practice. To be eligible for the loan, you have to meet all of the requirements listed here. The program provides a loan of $2,000 per month for four months to help with overhead costs during a maternity leave.
uuu ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION REFERRAL SERVICE It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7. Call 1-800-663-1441 or 604660-9382 in the Lower Mainland.
uuu EQUITY OMBUDSMAN Claire Marchant is the Equity Ombudsman at the LSBC. She can assist with resolving concerns about discrimination and discriminatory harassment. Lawyers, articled students, law students and support staff of legal employers are all free to contact the Equity Ombudsperson. The service is voluntary, confidential and free to participants. Contact Claire: equity@lsbc. org or call 604-605-5303.
Watching a spouse, child or other family member deal with drug, alcohol or mental health issues can present you with one of the most challenging life situations you can ever face. There are many resources available to assist you in this journey. uuu HEALTHLINKBC lists many resources, including how to reach out for help for: suicide, mental health, kids help, alcohol and drug resources and other information. It also lists resources such as how to talk to teens, how to talk to adult children and what your health authority can offer by way of assistance. healthlinkbc.ca/ substance-use/parenting-articles.
uuu GAMBLING SUPPORT LINE 1-888-795-6111 uuu DEPRESSION AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES (cmha.bc.ca) uuu HERETOHELP.BC.CA lists a number of resources available to help deal with depression, mood disorders and more. There are many other resources available in the province, some of which are specific to communities. For example, call or text 211 to access free information and referral to a full range of community, social, and government services, 24/7 in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Squamish-Lillooet and Sunshine Coast Regional Districts.
© 2020 David J. Bilinsky
APRIL 2020 / BARTALK
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