Defending Clients in...

Defending Clients in Mental Health Crisis:  Advocacy and Tools to Improve Outcomes: A Regional Program Offered in Skagit County
Two million people living with mental illness are booked into jails each year in the U.S. Throughout the country, and in Washington State, close to 15% of men and 30% of women booked into jails have serious mental health conditions, compared to just 5% of the general population (National Alliance on Mental Health-NAMI 2019). Every day defenders in all areas of practice in Washington represent clients who are living with mental illness, yet very few lawyers have had any formal education or relevant prior work experience to prepare them for serving this population. This full day CLE is designed for defenders across practice areas, to raise awareness about the prevalence of individuals living with mental disabilities, how to identify and support these clients, effective ways to communicate with these clients, and important factors to consider when counseling clients for success after their cases are over. This CLE is also intended to raise awareness of suicide risk and tools for prevention.

Topics include:

  • Forensic Navigators and More: The Trueblood Update
  • Moving On: Counseling and Preparing Your Client for When Their Case is Over ( NGRI, ITA or DOC)
  • Saving Lives: Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Legal Professionals and Their Clients
  • Expert Tips from the Expert, Dr. Ron Roesch Working with Youth/Young Adult Clients with Mental Health Conditions
  • Working With an Expert: Investigating and Presenting Mental Health Evidence
  • Communicating with Clients with Mental Illness -Using Motivational Interviewing as a Tool to Improve Effective Communication

6.25 total credits have been requested (2.75 Law and Legal, 2.0 Ethics, 1.5 Professional Development). For a complete schedule, please click here.

To register for this event, email wda@defensenet.org with “Skagit” in the subject line.