Mental Health & Substance Abuse CLE Guidelines
The following guidelines were developed by the Commission on Professionalism for CLE providers and administrators who wish to apply for PR CLE credit in the area of mental health and substance abuse (MH&SA).
In planning any PR CLE, including MH&SA, please refer to the General Guidelines for all Professional Responsibility CLE.
When considering topics for MH&SA CLE, we recommend providers consider whether the qualifications and experience of the presenters are appropriate to not only deliver the content but also to position the presenter as an expert in the field.
This is particularly important with regard to topics such as suicide, substance abuse, trauma, and depression, which are areas that require specialized expertise and are best facilitated by engaging an appropriately qualified medical professional on a substantive level.
For these areas of specialized expertise, it is ideal that courses be co-presented by an expert in the legal field and an expert in the mental health field.
We recognize that may not be possible. If a mental health professional presenter doesn’t have academic or practical experience in the legal field, we strongly recommend that an attorney is also engaged in the design and delivery of the course to ensure compliance with Rules 795(a)(1) and 795(a)(2) regarding the focus on the legal profession.
Topics that focus on well-being and adopting positive behaviors, such as time management, maintaining good mental health, stress management, etc. are encouraged.
Courses that consider the mental health of clients and how to identify and manage clients that are exhibiting mental health behaviors are also encouraged as tools for lawyers to better serve the public.
Personal stories and practical experience from the presenter can be powerful educational tools; however, extrapolating personal experience into guidance to the profession as a whole should be avoided.
Providers should also include resources and links to the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) as well as mental health support organizations appropriate to the topic so that participants can reference them at a later date if needed.
Examples of MH&SA topics and courses that have been approved in the past are:
- Balancing personal and professional priorities
- Maintaining emotional and mental health
- Stress management
- Recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance abuse in colleagues and clients
- The effects of lawyer impairment on our profession
- Destigmatizing mental health and substance abuse
Titles of courses that had been previously approved for PR credit under this topic area include:
- How to Maintain Your Summer Mindset for a Healthier Practice
- Well-Being + Mindfulness for Lawyers
- Attorney Well-being
- How to Boost Your Wellness During the Winter Home Stretch
- A New Path Forward: How Lawyers Can Foster Wellness and Competency
- Prevention, Detection & Treatment of Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession
- Lawyering During a Pandemic: Self-Care for Attorneys During a Pandemic
- Ten Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Substance Use
- Time and Stress Management: Practical Tools
Below are examples of professional degrees and roles held by mental health professionals who have been involved in courses that the Commission on Professionalism has approved in the past:
- Doctor of Psychology
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)
- Licensed Social Worker (LCSW)
- Professor of Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychiatrist
- Professor of Behavioral Sciences
- Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
On occasion, demonstrable experience and a valid body of work in the field of mental health in the legal profession has been accepted in lieu of the formal qualifications listed above.
For information and advice regarding MH&SA topics in the legal profession, or to speak with someone about presenting, contact the Commission on Professionalism at mail@2civility.org or visit Illinois LAP.
For more information or to learn about the different types of mental health professionals, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.