52 RI Bar J., No. 4, Pg. 27 (January, 2004). Assisting Attorneys With Personal Concerns.

• Author: Judith G. Hoffman, LICSW, CEAP

Rhode Island Bar Journal

Volume 52.

52 RI Bar J., No. 4, Pg. 27 (January, 2004).

Assisting Attorneys With Personal Concerns

Assisting Attorneys With Personal ConcernsJudith G. Hoffman, LICSW, CEAPJudith G. Hoffman is Executive Director, Employee Assistance Services for Resource International Employee Assistance Services (RIEAS).RIEAS is a contracted service provider for Rhode Island Bar Association members.All Rhode Island Bar Association members and their dependents may receive free and confidential assistance regarding a wide range of personal concerns through the Bar Association's contract with Resource International Employee Assistance Services (RIEAS) and through the members of the Rhode Island Bar Association's Confidential Assistance Committee.

At RIEAS, we recognize that individuals contacting us are sometimes uncomfortable about seeking assistance, and our first priority is to put callers at ease. We often reassure these people that they are not the first, nor likely the last, to seek consultation and support. In fact, over the past 15 years, we have assisted almost 100 Rhode Island Bar Association attorneys through clinical assessments, treatment planning, resource research and crisis support. We also work with thousands of people - from high-functioning individuals to those in a serious, disabling crisis - through our contracts with over 140 employers both within and outside of Rhode Island.

RIEAS' broad experience helps us understand our clients' issues, and makes us deeply sensitive to privacy concerns, particularly in relation to those who play visible roles in our community, such as teachers, health care professionals and attorneys. We follow all relevant confidentiality laws, and we work closely with our clients to find the best and most discreet treatment services available.

We encourage Rhode Island Bar Association members and their families to view RIEAS as a source of information, advocacy and support. And we are ready and willing to assist with family matters, mental health issues, substance dependence, career dilemmas and other concerns.

Like other bar associations' peer assistance programs and corporate employee assistance programs, the Rhode Island program has expanded beyond the original focus on alcohol and other drug dependency to a much broader mission. Today, fewer...