WyLAP Report, 1015 GABJ, Vol. 39 No. 5. 12
Author | Jack Speight Director, Wyoming Lawyer Assistance Program (WyLAP) Cheyenne, Wyoming |
Position | Vol. 39 5 Pg. 12 |
Jack Speight Director, Wyoming Lawyer Assistance Program (WyLAP) Cheyenne, Wyoming
WyLAP Gains Momentum
The Wyoming Lawyer Assistance Program (WyLAP) was launched in 2014 in response to a growing need to assist members of the Wyoming State Bar struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. • The ABA estimates that 15-20% of all U.S. lawyers suffer from alcoholism or substance abuse.
• According to an often-cited Johns Hopkins University study of more than 100 occupations, lawyers lead the nation with the highest incidence of depression.
• According to the American Psychological Association, depression is the most likely trigger for suicide, and lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than non-lawyers.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control, lawyers rank 4th in suicides among all professions.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen more than our share in Wyoming.
It has been my privilege to serve as WyLAP s Director since the programs inception. I carry a dedicated cell phone with me and take WyLAP calls 24/7. In the last year, I have worked with 22 individuals who have reached out in search of help for themselves, but more often for colleagues.
Approximately half of the calls I receive are from judges who want to steer help toward a lawyer facing challenges with substance abuse, anxiety, depression or burn-out. Several of the calls came from opposing counsel concerned about a colleague. I also have a statewide network of 45 volunteers, Lawyers Helping Lawyers, available to call upon a colleague in trouble on a moments notice. Our volunteers have been vital, instant helpers.
The Wyoming State Bar has contracted with the Wyoming Professional Assistance Program (WPAP), a Casper-based program with paid staff who can perform an initial assessment and steer a struggling lawyer in the appropriate...
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