Legal professionals working in the not-for-profit world face significant stressors on their mental health. The legal system is often a high-stress environment, and non-profit workers face the additional challenges of assisting an ever-increasing number of people who are often dealing with multiple traumas in their lives. These combined pressures underscore the critical need for mental health supports for legal professionals, so that we may all continue to offer the best possible legal help to British Columbians.

The Law Foundation of BC has helped strengthen the availability of these resources by creating a Mental Health Supports program for the community legal service providers whose services it funds. Those eligible may include community legal advocates, staff lawyers, support workers and articling students. Through the Mental Health Supports program, eligible individuals who step into these Law Foundation-funded roles may access up to $2,500 each year to fund eligible mental health supports that assist them in carrying out their important work.

Although the Law Foundation recognizes that people have diverse needs and values the diversity of ways that people engage with mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, at this time, reimbursement through the program is available for expenses related to mental health professional support services such as those provided by a counsellor or social worker. In recognition of the importance of traditional ways of healing based on cultural practices, expenses for seeking guidance and support from Elders or other community-knowledge keepers may also be eligible for this program. Questions about eligibility of an expense or participation in the program can be directed to counselling@lawfoundationbc.org.

In 2023, nearly 30% of qualifying individuals accessed the program. The Law Foundation is very happy to be able to provide this additional resource for the dedicated professionals who carry out vital access to justice work for people in B.C.