Dinsmore Commits to ABA Well-Being Pledge to Address Mental Health and Substance Abuse Concerns in the Legal Profession

Dinsmore has signed the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Well-Being Pledge as part of its ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of its attorneys.

ABA’s Well-Being Pledge is a campaign consisting of a seven-point framework to foster substantial improvements regarding the current state of attorneys’ mental health and to address substance use issues. An emphasis is placed on helping legal employers support healthy work environments. By raising awareness, the program hopes to reduce the number of problematic substance-use incidents and improve overall well-being in the profession. 

The program includes measures such as enhanced education, challenging the expectation events should include alcohol, partnerships with outside resources, confidential access to health experts, policies that support treatment and support for well-being programs. Adoption of the program can also act as a means of attracting and retaining lawyers.

The pledge itself states:

Recognizing that high levels of problematic substance use and mental health distress present a significant challenge for the legal profession, and acknowledging that more can and should be done to improve the health and well-being of lawyers, we, the attorneys of Dinsmore and Shohl LLP, hereby pledge our support for this innovative campaign and will work to adopt and prioritize its seven-point framework for building a better future.