tennessee lawyers assistance program 2011 annual...

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TENNESSEE LAWYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

2011

Annual Report

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Laura McClendon , MA, CEAP

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Ted Rice, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, CEAP

CLINICAL OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Jessica Copeland, M.Ed., NCC

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Emily Lacey

200 4th

Ave. N., Suite 810

Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615-741-3238 or 877-424-8527

www.tlap.org

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THE MISSION OF TLAP IS

THREEFOLD:

to protect the interests of clients, litigants and the

general public from harm caused by impaired

lawyers or judges;

to assist impaired members of the legal profession

to begin and continue recovery; and

to educate the bench and bar to the causes of and

remedies for impairments affecting members of the

legal profession.

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INTRODUCTION

The Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program ("TLAP") was established by order of the

Tennessee Supreme Court (the "Court") in 1999. The mission and general structure of

TLAP are set forth in Rule 33 of the Tennessee Supreme Court Rules. This report is

submitted to the Commission, pursuant to Tenn. S. Ct. R. 33.02, for the purpose of

reporting the activities and accomplishments of TLAP during 2011.

I

STATISTICAL DATA FOR 2011

The Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program is a free, confidential assistance program

providing consultation, referral, intervention, and crisis counseling for lawyers, judges,

bar applicants and law students who are struggling with substance abuse, stress and/or

emotional health issues. TLAP’s work contributes to the protection of the public and the

improvement of the integrity and reputation of the legal profession. Statistics support that

assistance to an affected lawyer often prevents future ethical violations, thereby reducing

the number of disciplinary actions. Since inception, TLAP has provided educational

services to over thirteen thousand (13,000) members of the legal profession.

TLAP maintains statistical

information regarding inquiries and

referrals by individuals. In 2011,

fifty-one percent (51%) of intake

calls pertained to issues of chemical

dependency. The other forty-nine

percent (49%) of intake calls

presented with something other than substance abuse, including but not limited to

depression, bipolar disorder, other mood disorders, marital conflict, financial distress,

performance productivity, cognitive impairment, stress, eating disorder, domestic abuse,

dual diagnosis and compulsive behaviors.

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TLAP tracks the source of the inquiries and referrals based on geographical regions.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of new

referrals were from the Middle

Tennessee area, twenty-one percent

(21%) from East Tennessee, twenty-

one percent (21%) from West

Tennessee, and five percent (5%)

from out of state.

TLAP has had a total of four hundred twenty-seven (427) lawyers, judges, bar applicants,

and law students sign a monitoring agreement since opening its doors in 1999. Currently,

TLAP has four hundred and nineteen (419) active files. In 2011, sixty-seven percent

(67%) of referrals were male, and

thirty-three percent (33%) were

female, a significant increase from

twenty-six percent (26%) in 2010.

Forty percent (40%) of referrals to

TLAP were from concerned third

parties (such as friends, family or

firm members), twenty-four percent (24%) were self-referrals, twenty-six percent (26%)

were from law schools and/or the BLE, eight percent (8%) were from the Board of

Professional Responsibility (BPR), and two percent (2%) were judicial referrals.

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Abbreviations used:

ABA: American Bar Association

AG: Attorney General

AOC: Administrative Office of the Courts

AOS: Affinity Online Solutions (UDS service)

BLE: Board of Law Examiners

BPR: Board of Professional Responsibility

CLE: Continuing Legal Education

COJ: Court of Judiciary

CoLAP: ABA’s Commission on Lawyer

Assistance Programs

EAPA: Employee Assisttance Professionals

LAP: Lawyer Assistance Program

LIR: Lawyers in Recovery meeting

MBA: Memphis Bar Association

NBA: Nashville Bar Association

QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer: suicide

prevention training

UDS Urine Drug Screens

TBA: Tennessee Bar Association

TLAP: Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program

WWG: Wednesday Women’s Group

BPR REFERRALS

Informal (phone) referrals received 4 (14.8%)

Formal (written) referrals to TLAP, respondent not notified: 16 (59.3%)

Formal (written) referrals to TLAP, respondent also notified: 6 (22.2%)

Total number of referrals from the BPR: 27

5 before May 1st, 2011

22 after May 1st, 2011 (following Justice Holder’s dissent in the Mingledorff

case)

Of the twenty-seven (27) BPR referrals, six (6) were already involved with TLAP and/or

had a history with TLAP of which the BPR was aware. Therefore, twenty-one (21) of the

BPR referrals were new TLAP referrals. In March of 2011, the BPR began to insert

TLAP brochures in the certified notice of potential 4.3 suspension when failure to

respond is the issue. Over one-hundred respondents received a brochure, but only one (1)

respondent contacted TLAP as a result of receiving the brochure.

TLAP submits monthly statistical reports to the TLAP Commission. These reports

include items such as number of phone calls, number of presentations, and number of

trips throughout the state. A summary of the year 2011 is provided below:

TLAP Report: Statistical Information for

January 2011 through December 2011

Contacts with volunteers = 1,137

or an average of 94.75 per month Contacts with commissioners = 568

or an average of 47.33 per month Contacts with clients = 2660 or an

average of 221.66 per month Contacts with new clients = 170 or

an average of 14.16 per month Contacts with reopened clients =

37 or an average of 3.08 per month Contacts with treatment centers =

813 or an average of 67.75 per

month Contacts with law students = 525

or an average of 43.75 per month

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Contacts with judges = 310 or an average of 25.80 per month Contacts with others (BPR, BLE, other LAP’s, etc.) = 1,180 or 98.33 per

month BPR hearings = 12 or an average of 1.00 per month BLE hearings = 8 or an average of .67 per month Meetings held at TLAP = 140 or an average of 11.66 per month Educational presentations = 29 or an average of 2.41 per month

Numbers above only reflect direct one-on-one contacts, and do not include the number of audience

members in each presentation.

2011 Travel History

January 2011

Nashville: Lunch w/Elements Behavorial Health

Nashville: NSL presentation

Tullahoma: Meeting with TLAP clients

Manchester: Meeting with TLAP commissioner

Memphis: BPR hearing

Nashville: Site Visit by Louisiana LAP

Nashville: Dave Shearon retirement party

Nunnelly: Site Visit to the Ranch Recovery Center

Nashville: CoLAP conference call

Nashville: Marketing lunch with La Paloma

Nashville: Commission meeting to review weekend agenda

Nashville: TLAP Commission Retreat

Nashville: Joint meetings with BLE, BPR, COJ, TLAP commissioners

Nashville: First Judicial Assistance Group (JAG) meeting

Memphis: Meeting with TLAP clients & volunteers

February 2011

Alabama: Presentation with BLE at Cumberland Law School

Nashville: Lunch with BLE & BPR

Nashville: Presentation to TN State School Board Attorneys

Nashville: NSL presentation

Memphis: Exhibit at Wellness Conference, Memphis Law School

Tri-Cities: Meetings with TLAP Clients, Volunteers, and Commissioner

Knoxville: Meeting with TLAP Clients and Volunteers

Atlanta: ABA/CoLAP Quarterly Meeting

Manchester: Meeting with TLAP Clients and Commissioner

Brentwood: Meeting with the BPR

Knoxville: Debriefing at Court of Appeals

Nashville: NBA Health and Wellness Committee meeting

Knoxville: Meeting with TLAP Commissioner

Knoxville: Debriefing at University of Tennessee School of Law

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Nashville: Meeting with COJ

Nashville: Dinner with Knoxville College of Law professor

Nashville: Commission member meeting

Nashville: Site visit to Integrative Life Center

March 2011

Knoxville: TLAP client meetings

Knoxville: TLAP LIR meeting

Nashville: Vanderbilt presentation with BLE

Knoxville: BPR hearing

Nashville: NSL presentation with BLE

Memphis: University of Memphis presentation with BLE

Memphis: TLAP client meetings

Nashville: Meeting with psychologist Jim Walker

Nashville: Meeting at Nashville Psychotherapy Institute

Nashville: Meeting with TLAP commissioner

Nashville: Integrative Life Center continuing education seminar


Nashville: Meeting with SHARE

Nashville: TBA Attorney Well-Being Committee meeting

Nashville: Meeting with Foundations


Nashville: BPR hearing

April 2011

Dickson: CAMP TLAP

Nashville: Vanderbilt presentation

Nashville: Meeting with AOC


Nashville: Meeting with psychologist Jim Walker

Nunnelly: TLAP client meeting at The Ranch

Nashville: Meeting with Nashville Psychotherapy Institute

Malibu: Site visit at Promises Malibu

West Los Angeles: Site Visit at Promises West LA

Los Angeles: Meeting with local psychologists


Nashville: Integrative Life Center continuing education seminar


May 2011

Dickson: CoLAP Director’s Retreat at The Ranch

Nashville: Meeting with AOC and BLE


Nashville: Meeting with TBA


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Nashville: Presentation at the Attorney General’s office

Jackson: Presentation to the Appellate Court Clerks

Nashville: TBA Wellness Committee Meeting

Nashville: Meeting with Foundations

June 2011


Nashville: Mental Health First Aid Training

Memphis: Presentation at National Association for Professional Responsibility Lawyers

Memphis: TLAP Client Meetings



Chattanooga: Judicial Conference

Nashville: Presentation at NSL with BLE

Gallatin: Criminal court

July 2011



Knoxville: LIR meeting

Tri-Cities: TLAP client meetings

Greeneville: LIR meeting


Nashville: Meeting with women of Inns of Court

Nashville: Meeting with Mississippi LAP director

Nashville: BLE hearings

August 2011

Nashville: Meeting with women of Inns of Court

Nunnelly: TLAP client meetings at The Ranch

Nashville: Meeting with Work Life Connections EAP

Nashville: Belmont School of Law marketing meeting

Jackson: TLAP Client Meetings

Toronto: ABA Conference

Knoxville: Presentation at Duncan College of Law with BLE

Nashville: Presentation at NSL

Memphis: TLAP Client Meetings



Nashville: Inns of Court meeting


Memphis: LIR meeting

Memphis: TLAP volunteer dinner

Memphis: BPR hearing

Memphis: Meeting with Justice Holder

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Memphis: Marketing at University of Memphis School of Law

Memphis: Meeting with TLAP commissioner

Nashville: Marketing at Vanderbilt University School of Law

Tullahoma: TLAP Client/Commissioner Luncheon

Nashville: Fundraising meeting with volunteers

Nashville: Site visit at Parthenon Pavilion

Nashville: Roast for Judge Seth Norman


Dickson: TLAP Hootenanny

Nashville: Meeting with AOC, BLE & BPR

Knoxville: TLAP Client Meetings

Knoxville: KBA Dinner for TN Supreme Court

September 2011



Nashville: Inns of Court presentation


Tampa: CoLAP conference

Tampa: Presentation on conditional admission at CoLAP

Nashville: Marketing meeting with Integrative Life Center

Nashville: Meeting with Cvent marketing

Nashville: Inns of Court presentation

Knoxville: Presentation at University of Tennessee College of Law

Chattanooga: Site visit to Focus Healthcare

Chattanooga: Site visit to Parkridge Valley



October 2011

Memphis: BPR Hearing

Nashville: NBA/TLAP Healthy Bar Party

Nunnelly: TLAP Client meetings at The Ranch

Nashville: Substance abuse panel at Vanderbilt Law School

Nashville: Meeting with AOC, BLE & BPR

Nashville: Marketing meeting with Cumberland Heights

Nashville: Marketing meeting with Integrative Life Center

Franklin: TLAP Commission Meeting

Franklin: BLE, BPR, & TLAP Summit with TN Supreme Court

Franklin: Judicial Conference

Nashville: Presentation with BLE at Vanderbilt

Kingsport: Presentation at the public defender’s office

Nashville: Marketing meeting with The Meadows


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Nashville: TLAP Bowling Party

Nashville: Chili Luncheon with CLE & BLE

Nashville: Luncheon with AOC

November 2011


Franklin: Presentation with Judge Childers, Law Conference for TN Practitioners

Nashville: TLAP client meeting at Cumberland Heights

Nashville: Marketing meeting with Bradford Health Services


Gallatin: Presentation at Sumner County Bar Association

Knoxville: TLAP “Fall at the Farm” party


Kingsport: Meeting with TLAP commissioner


Jonesborough: LIR meeting


Nashville: Mental Health Law Presentation

Murfreesboro: TLAP client meeting

December 2011

Nashville: Meeting at Integrative Life Center

Knoxville: Lunch and learn presentation for Knoxville Bar Association





Memphis: Bradford Health Services site visit


Memphis: TLAP holiday party



Nashville: WWG holiday luncheon

Nashville: LIR holiday social & meeting

II

TLAP PERSONEL AND COMMISSION

Laura McClendon (Gatrell), MA, CEAP, is responsible for all matters related to the

operations of TLAP. Ms. McClendon began as Assistant Director for TLAP in 2001, and

assumed the position of Executive Director in March, 2006. In 2010, Ms. McClendon

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served as Chair for the 23rd National Conference for Lawyer Assistance Programs in

Indianapolis, Indiana. Ms. McClendon also serves on the Commission on Lawyer

Assistance Program’s (CoLAP) Evaluation Committee. She has authored numerous

articles in the field of substance abuse, stress, mood disorders, lawyer assistance

programs, treatment, and more. She regularly speaks at conferences throughout the

United States.

Ted Rice, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, CEAP, has served as Deputy Director since October,

2006. Mr. Rice’s role is to coordinate, monitor, facilitate, delegate, evaluate and assume

responsibility for TLAP’s clinical and organizational support. Mr. Rice travels

extensively throughout the state, provides direct client services in each region, oversees

law school education programs, and works extensively with both the Board of Law

Examiners and the Board of Professional Responsibility.

Emily Lacey was hired as the full-time Program Coordinator in January 2006. She is

responsible for conference planning, expenses and reimbursements, random urine drug

screening, and compliance management of TLAP Monitoring Agreements. She also

manages repayments for the Bill Cain Fund, and is on call after hours to answer TLAP

crisis calls.

In May, 2010, TLAP hired Jessica Copeland, M.Ed., NCC, as the Clinical Outreach

Coordinator. Jessica graduated with her Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) from Vanderbilt’s

Human Developmental Counseling program in 2010. She is working to become a

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Jessica works extensively with the law schools

and the Board of Law examiners, conducts assessments for new clients, and provides on-

going crisis stabilization services to those in need.

There were seven new members appointed to the TLAP Commission in 2011:

Honorable D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.

Honorable John Everett Williams

Honorable Thomas T. Woodall

http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/colap/conference.html

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Bethany Spiller, Ph.D.

Branch H. Henard, III

Drew McElroy

Randolph Sykes

Mark Vorder-Bruegge, Jr.

Teresa Jones continues to serve as Commission Chair. Stephenson Todd serves as Vice-

Chair and Mark Vorder-Breugge as Secretary/Treasurer. (Exhibit A)

III

FINANCIAL

TLAP is a part of the Judicial Branch of State Government and is entirely funded by

attorney annual registration fees, of which TLAP receives $20.00 per licensed attorney.

TLAP operates on a fiscal year: July 1st through June 30th. The TLAP budget for the

2010-11 fiscal year was $415,900.00, of which TLAP spent $503,086.03 ($20,000.00 for

revolving loan recipients) and collected $446,091.31. The budget for the 2011-12 fiscal

year is $446,100.00. (Exhibit B)

TLAP operations have been consistently running over budget since hiring a fourth full-

time staff position. The position, originally created in 2007, was partially funded for two

years by a grant through the Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP). As a result,

TLAP statistics and outreach experienced exponential growth, creating the need to

maintain the position after the grant had ended. Following the recommendation of the

American Bar Association, TLAP solidified it as a permanent position in 2009.

Fortunately, TLAP has been able to temporarily rely upon reserve funds; however, it is

expected that the issue will need to be addressed within the next two years.

Revolving Loan, William B. Cain Fund

Impaired Tennessee attorneys who lack resources to directly pay for treatment services

may receive loan assistance through the William B. Cain Fund. The fund was named in

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memory of Judge Cain, who served on the Tennessee Court of Appeals from 1998 until

his death in 2007. Judge Cain had been a member of the Tennessee Judiciary since 1986

when he was appointed Circuit Court Judge for the 22nd Judicial District. He remained in

that position until his 1998 appointment to the Court of Appeals, where he later served as

presiding judge. He was an original member of the TLAP Commission.

William B. Cain Fund Financial Report

Blue Ribbon Commission Grant $ 103,597.00

Donations FY 009

$ 1,450.00

Expenditures FY 2009

$ (25,450.00)

Balance at 6/30/2009

$ 79,597.00

Donations FY 010

$ 700.00


$ (14,128.00)

Balance at 6/30/2010

$ 66,169.00

Donations

$ 4,755.00

Loan repayment

$ 3,060.00


$ (20,000.00)

Balance at 6/11

$ 53,984.00

Donations as of 1/2012

$ 8,010.00

Expenditures as of 1/2012

$ (1,520.00)

$ 60,474.00

As of December 31st, 2011, eighteen (18) loans have been given to members of the bar.

Thanks to the collection services of Mendelson Law Firm, the fund actually collected

more money than it loaned in 2011. Most fund recipients have been diligent about

repayment.

IV

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011

Law School Outreach

TLAP staff members and volunteers speak at each of the six Tennessee law schools at

least once during a calendar year. TLAP regularly speaks in new student orientations,

ethics and professionalism courses, and events sponsored by student organizations. TLAP

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also presents in conjunction with Adele Anderson, Executive Director of the Board of

Law Examiners, in order to address bar application and character and fitness issues.

Due to the education around the bar application process and conditional admission (Rule

7 § 10.5), law students are contacting TLAP earlier in the process, sometimes years

before the bar application is completed. Although there is a heightened awareness to

admission procedures, TLAP continues to see law students self-refer for issues unrelated

to the bar application.

Belmont University College of Law welcomed their charter class in August 2011. Deans

of the Belmont University College of Law are aware of TLAP and its services and have

already utilized TLAP’s monitoring as a condition for law school admission. TLAP looks

forward to assisting Belmont law students as they navigate law school and the many

stresses that law school entails.

Conditional Admission Rule 7, §10.05

Sec. 10.05. Conditional Admission. - An applicant whose previous conduct or behavior would or

might result in a denial of admission may be conditionally admitted to the practice of law upon a

showing of sufficient rehabilitation and/or mitigating circumstances. The Board of Law Examiners

shall recommend relevant conditions relative to the conduct or the cause of such conduct with

which the applicant must comply during the period of conditional admission.

Since the conditional admission rule was established in Tennessee in 2009, the BLE

continues to refer bar applicants with character and fitness issues to TLAP for

assessments. Rule 7 allows for bar applicants who have a pattern of issues or incidents

around mental health or substance abuse to be admitted to the practice of law based upon

the condition of compliance with a TLAP monitoring agreement. In 2011, seven (7) bar

applicants were conditionally admitted to the practice of law in Tennessee. TLAP looks

forward to further assisting bar applicants who, without the possibility of conditional

admission, might not otherwise be admitted to practice law.

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Presentations and Marketing

The Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program believes that intervention begins with

educating all segments of the bench, bar and law schools about addiction, mental health

issues, compulsive disorders and recovery from those conditions. TLAP’s efforts in this

area remain constant—through presentations at law school orientations, professional

responsibility classes, CLE seminars, county bar association, and more. In 2011, TLAP

presented to over three thousand (3000) lawyers and judges and over five hundred (500)

law students. (Exhibit C) TLAP staff travels the state for presentations, interventions,

TLAP sponsored social events, and to meet with clients and/or potential clients.

Numerous publications featured articles about TLAP this year, including but not limited

to the Knoxville Bar Journal, Nashville Bar Journal, Tennessee Bar Journal, Duquesne

Law Review, ABA’s Highlights Magazine, and the ABA’s Bar Leader. (Exhibit D) The

TLAP Newsletter is circulated both throughout the state and nationally. (Exhibit E) In

addition, TLAP hosted a six hour free CLE on “Mental Health First Aid” and once again

co-sponsored the Nashville Bar Association’s “Healthy Bar Party.” (Exhibit F) TLAP

continues to provide QPR (Question, Persuade & Refer) training, an effective suicide

prevention technique that anyone can learn.

TLAP is in the process of redoing all marketing material. In 2011, a new logo was

designed, resulting in new letterhead and business cards. A unique logo for Camp TLAP

was also created. All brochures will be revamped in 2012. TLAP also has a Facebook

page that posts information about TLAP events.

CAMP TLAP

The 6th annual CAMP TLAP was once again held at Montgomery Bell State Park in

April, 2011, with over one hundred and twenty (120) participants, almost double the

amount of attendees from the first Camp TLAP in 2006. This year’s event featured

headline speakers Michael Cohen, Executive Director of the Florida Lawyer Assistance

Program, Sandy Garrett, Deputy Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the Tennessee Board of

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Responsibility, Joan Furman from the Experiential Healing Center in Memphis, and

Jennifer Angier, Executive Director of Outpatient Services for Foundations in Atlanta.

(Exhibit G)

In 2011, TLAP's “Volunteer of the Year” award was officially renamed the “Stephenson

Todd Volunteer of the Year” award after W. Stephenson Todd, Jr. of Todd and Dossett,

P.C., Kingsport, Tenn. Todd was the first TLAP Commission Chair appointed by the

Supreme Court in 1999, and served as chair until 2005. He was again appointed to the

TLAP Commission in 2009. Todd was a member of the original Tennessee Supreme

Court Lawyers Assistance Program Committee appointed by the Supreme Court in 1998

to create a lawyer's assistance program for adoption in Tennessee. He is a pioneer and

leader not only for TLAP, but for the lawyer's assistance movement across the entire

United States.

The 2011 “Stephenson Todd Volunteer of the Year” award was given to Court of

Criminal Appeals Judge Thomas Woodall. Judge Woodall received the award for his

efforts in creating TLAP’s Judicial Assistance Group (JAG), which offers intervention

training to help judges across the state so they can best assist impaired lawyers that appear

in their courtrooms. The 26-member Judicial Assistance Group regularly speaks to bar

associations and law schools about the potential challenges of working in the legal

profession and also provides confidential assistance to judges who are struggling with

personal issues.

CAMP TLAP has been fortunate to have solid sponsorship support from treatment

centers to help cover event expenses. Many TLAP volunteers paid the registration fees for

participants who otherwise could not afford to attend.

CAMP TLAP has been extremely successful in bringing together TLAP clients,

volunteers, commissioners, and their families. The retreat draws participants from

surrounding states and across the country.

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TLAP Volunteers

Tennessee volunteers remain the cornerstone of TLAP. They provide peer support, serve

as speakers, plan and participate in interventions, visit lawyers in treatment centers, offer

rides to twelve-step meetings, help lawyers with family issues, and donate both time and

money. TLAP finds that individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction greatly

benefit from sober activities. The TLAP softball team continued to be a favorite in 2011.

In addition to the 3rd

Annual Hootenanny held in Dickson every year, TLAP also had a

farm festival in Knoxville, a winter holiday party in Memphis, and a bowling party in

Nashville. (Exhibit H) Due to the huge success of TLAP’s volunteer network, several

states have consulted with TLAP in an attempt to replicate many of these events.

TLAP volunteers also run the Lawyers in Recovery (LIR) meetings across the state.

Currently there are LIR meetings in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Manchester,

Jonesboro, and Greeneville. In addition to the regular LIR meeting, Nashville also has a

women’s meeting and a mental health support group.

Supreme Court Summit

In October, 2011, the Tennessee Supreme Court hosted a Summit to assist in harmonizing

the missions and enhancing the working relationships between the BLE, TLAP and the

BPR. Bill Leary, retired Executive Director of the Louisiana LAP, and Charles

Plattsmier, Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel,

attended the event to highlight how the agencies successfully interact in Louisiana.

This highly attended event has galvanized all three agencies to communicate more

efficiently and effectively. Following the Summit, the BLE and TLAP have agreed to bi-

annual meetings with TLAP staff and the BLE hearing panel to review potential

conditional admission applicants. They have also revised their TLAP referral letter to

include a request that the applicant contact TLAP within thirty (30) days of receipt.

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Following the directive of Chief Justice Clark, TLAP continues to attempt to schedule

face-to-face meetings with disciplinary counsel in order to educate the BPR about

addictions, mood disorders and other impairments affecting the legal profession, as well

as to consult on BPR referral cases. There has been a significant increase in BPR referrals

to TLAP since 2010.

TLAP referral process

Treatment Centers

TLAP works diligently to stay up-to-date with treatment centers both locally and

nationally. TLAP educates treatment centers on TLAP’s purpose, confidentiality, and

services so that if an attorney admits to the facility without TLAP assistance, the

treatment center can explain TLAP’s resources to the client and get him/her involved in

the TLAP program. Treatment centers regularly coordinate with TLAP regarding a

client’s admission to treatment, duration of stay, discharge, and aftercare plan.

When a client informs TLAP that he/she is interested in treatment, TLAP provides the

client with at least three (3) facilities that best meet the client’s needs, and the client

usually chooses a facility based upon those recommendations. The treatment centers that

TLAP utilized in 2011 are:

A Bridge to Recovery

Bradford Health Services (Intensive Outpatient and Residential)

Center for Professional Excellence

Center of Symmetry

Cocaine and Alcohol Awareness Program, Inc.

Cornerstone of Recovery

Crossroads Rescue Mission

Cumberland Heights

Discovery Place

Experiential Healing Center

Integrative Life Center

La Paloma

Lakeside Behavioral Health System

Onsite

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Peninsula Behavioral Health

Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services

Professional Boundaries, Inc.

Promises

Ridgeview Institute

Rimrock Foundations

Rolling Hills

Skyline Medical Center

Synergy Treatment Center

The Estuary

The Hanley Center

The Ranch

Vista Bay

An explanation of TLAP’s referral process –from initial phone call to discharge- can be

found in Exhibit I.

V

GOALS FOR 2012

1. Host the first TLAP Annual Dinner

2. Redesign all brochures, including a new brochure about conditional admission

3. Explore possibilities for new TLAP position designed specifically to assist solo

practice attorneys with office management issues

4. Explore opportunities for fundraising

5. Submit a site proposal to the ABA to host the CoLAP Conference in Nashville in

2014

6. Present at all judicial conferences across the state

7. Explore the idea of a JAG training/retreat

8. Education and training for BPR staff

9. Education and training BPR hearing panel members

10. Revise and combine all monitoring agreements into a single agreement

CONCLUSION

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TLAP grows and expands due to the unwavering support from the TLAP Commission,

Court, volunteers and participants. The staff is grateful for the opportunity to serve the

Tennessee legal community.

Respectfully submitted:

TLAP Commission

Laura McClendon, Executive Director

Ted Rice, Deputy Director

Jessica Copeland, Clinical Outreach Coordinator

Emily Lacey, Program Coordinator

The 2011 Annual Report was prepared by Laura McClendon, Ted Rice, Jessica Copeland & Emily Lacey

tennessee lawyers assistance program 2011 annual...

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