Variety.com – The Recovery Issue
Prominent entertainment figures offer insights on navigating a sober life in Hollywood
Redefining Addiction. Reimagining Solutions.
By Paul Earley, MD and Yngvild Olsen, MD, MPH
Words matter. When it comes to addiction medicine, stigmatizing language and misunderstood terminology may keep some people from seeking effective care, leave families poorly equipped to support their loved ones, and drive policymakers to make counterproductive, even harmful, policy.
In 2011, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) — the nation’s largest organization representing medical professionals who specialize in addiction prevention and treatment — set out to revise the society’s definition of addiction. This task was not easy given the complexity and stigma surrounding substance use and the term itself. At a time when the public had limited understanding and acceptance of addiction as a chronic brain disease, ASAM’s revised definition focused heavily on brain circuitry.
Over the past decade, however, more families, policymakers, and members of the media have come to understand that addiction is a chronic, treatable brain disease with the possibility of remission and recovery. There is also a growing recognition that evidence-based prevention, mutual and recovery peer support, and harm reduction services can play important roles in the full spectrum of addiction care.
Click here to continue reading
JLAP Welcomes ABA Young Lawyers to the Big Easy
The ABA Young Lawyers Division presented the 2019 Fall Conference: Your Practice, Your Future, October 3 – 5, 2019 at the Sheraton in New Orleans. This conference brought people together from across the legal community to offer outstanding training on advancing justice.
JLAP’s Executive Director, Buddy Stockwell, spoke on Wellness and Well-Being in the Legal Profession, noting that it will be the Young Lawyers that will change the culture, making the practice of law more healthy.
Donna Nesbit, ABA Director, Operations and Meetings – Early Career Strategy and Buddy Stockwell, JLAP Executive Director
Christopher L. Brown, J. Logan Murphy & Buddy Stockwell
October 10th is National Law Students’ Mental Health Day
Law is a challenging discipline that involves the ability to analyze, reason, and communicate. The study and practice of law is rigorous and often stressful, however, a law degree can open many doors to a rewarding career in business, practice, government, teaching and public service.
For those law students struggling with issues of depression, anxiety, drug addiction or alcoholism or other mental issues, the JLAP is here to help. We offer a full range of resources and solutions to help you manage your issues in the short and long term. Every service provided through the JLAP is 100% confidential and 100% free.
With Mental Health Day coming up on October 10, JLAP wants to help raise awareness of mental health by helping people realize that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength.
Visit our Law Students section under our Who We Help tab for many great resources.
Click here for the ABA ‘s Mental Health Toolkit for Law School Students
September is National Recovery Month
National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with mental and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives. This observance celebrates the millions of Americans who are in recovery from mental and substance use disorders, reminding us that treatment is effective and that people can and do recover. It also serves to help reduce the stigma and misconceptions that cloud public understanding of mental and substance use disorders, potentially discouraging others from seeking help.
To learn more, click here.
How opioids reshape your brain, and what scientists are learning about addiction
None of us has the brain we were born with. Brains grow and adapt. This process, called neuroplasticity, doesn’t end when you step out of the classroom. Even habits—reaching for cookies when stressed out, keeping your head down during staff meetings—cut “trails” in the brain throughout life that can be hard to overcome.
To read Ian Haydon’s complete article from Medical Xpress, click here.
NEW! You Can Now Make a Donation to JLAP Online
Did you know you can donate to JLAP online now?
You can now conveniently pay online via PayPal and Visa/Mastercard/Discover.
Simply go to our donation page to donate.
You will receive a letter from JLAP acknowledging your tax deductible donation.
The Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and donations are tax deductible as allowed by the IRS. Your donation will help support the life-saving work of JLAP and further its mission to save lives and careers in the legal profession.
All proceeds will be dedicated to providing direct assistance to lawyers and judges in need of JLAP’s services. Thank you for your support!
Register for Camp JLAP 2019
June 28 – June 30
Solomon Conference Center in Loranger
We will return to the beautiful Solomon Conference Center in Loranger for a weekend filled with fellowship, fun and fantastic CLE’s, including ethics and professionalism.
First year was great, but the second will be even better! Afternoon yoga, fishing, and raffle prizes too!
All meals and CLE’s are included with your $100 registration.
Overnight accommodations are available, on a limited, first-come first-serve basis, for an additional fee. If interested in sharing a room, please call JLAP directly.
Click HERE to register.
Click for enlarged agenda in PDF format.
JLAP Clinical Case Manager at Tulane University Law Center’s Wellness Day
Jessica Duplantis visiting Tulane Law Center promoting Law School Student Health and Wellness.
ABA Journal – Your Voice – “Top Stories of the Week”
An open letter to potential law students: Know the truth
POSTED
Nicole Black.
With the recent news that some BigLaw starting salaries are rising to $190,000, it’s no wonder that law school continues to be a top destination for recent college graduates. However, the truth behind those starting salaries—and given the volatility of the legal job market and the effects of globalization and technology on the business of law—should give one pause before taking out $200,000 in school loans.
So the question remains: Should you go to law school? The answer, according to two legal industry experts: It depends.
Nicole Black and Heather Morse are two leading voices in the legal industry when it comes to discussing business of law trends, from the intersection of technology and the practice of law to the inner workings of successful law firms. Both are frequently asked for their advice by potential students considering law school. Here’s what they have to say about the wisdom of attending law school in 2018.
Nicole: I recently received an email from a young man who was considering attending law school, and was seeking my opinion on the advisability of doing so. He told me he’d approached other lawyers for their input on the value of a law degree in 2018 and had received “mixed signals.”
Heather: Given the financial investment to attend law school, with no guarantees of a high-paying job at the end of three years, I’m not surprised to hear that. To be honest, I’m often shocked by the lack of due diligence by the students. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a 1L who is attending an Ivy League law school. “What type of law are you looking to practice?” I asked her. “BigLaw,” she replied. This led to me to immediately jump on my Legal Watercooler soap box about the current state of the business of law, especially where law school students are concerned.