by Glenn Minnis | February 12, 2018 l MadisonRecord . com
PEORIA – The Lawyers' Assistance Program (LAP) is slated to hold its annual Joseph R. Bartylak Dinner at The Waterhouse in Peoria on Thursday, April 5, with this year’s event featuring the Honorable Judge Lisa Wilson as keynote speaker.
Founded nearly four decades ago in 1980, LAP prides itself on aiding colleagues impaired or hampered by substance abuse or other mental health issues. Headquartered in downtown Chicago, the group has now expanded to include four satellite offices, all of them staffed with peer support volunteers dedicated to serving and advising attorneys, judges and law students in their quests to achieve and maintain balance and well-being.
“Peer support volunteers (PSV) are LAP-trained individuals who have received specialized training on mental health and substance abuse disorders,” Shelley Sandoval, LAP’s Legal Community Liaison, told the Madison - St. Clair Record. “The PSV’s maintain the same level of confidentiality as all LAP staff. All interactions are 100 percent confidential.”
Sandoval added peer support is offered for many different life situations, including a new parent returning back to work after maternity/paternity leave, a new law student adapting to the competitive nature of law school, job transitions/retirement, someone new to recovery and the social and political struggles of a new judge to the bench.
“Our PSVs are there to listen, support the client and show that they are not alone in those struggles by example,” Sandoval said.
Renowned as a “force for change” according to the LAP, Wilson is known for bringing a new approach to dealing with the defendants put before her, including creating four criminal problem solving courts in Peoria County. She was appointed an associate judge in the 10th Judicial Circuit in December of 2009 and now presides over Peoria County's DUI Court as well as the four criminal Problem Solving courts she created in the county that include the Mental Health Court, Veterans Court, Drug Court and DUI Court.
Over the years, Wilson has... [ CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]
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[CURATED CONTENT: Written by Glenn Minnis, February 12, 2018 - originally published on the Madison - St. Clair Record: https://madisonrecord.com]
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