North Carolina BarCARES

Confidential Attorney Resource and Enrichment Services

BarCARES began as a result of a 1991 Quality of Life Survey conducted by the North Carolina Bar Association’s Quality of Life Committee. Findings from this survey led to the formation of the first BarCARES program in 1995, which was a joint pilot project of the NC Bar Association’s Lawyer Effectiveness & Quality of Life Committee and the Wake County Bar Association. HRC was proud to join them in the development of the program at that time. Since then the program has spread across the state to 10 different Judicial Districts or Bar Associations, as well as to five law schools.

BarCARES is a confidential, short-term intervention program provided cost-free to members of participating bar groups. BarCARES accomplishes its goals by addressing the well-known problems of work and personal stress, clinical depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, as well as work-related issues such as conflict mediation, performance concerns, and career dissatisfaction among the licensed Bar of this state. This is done primarily through direct consultation and career reassessment services rendered by HRC Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, PA and their subcontractors across the state.

BarCARES North Carolina (BCNC) and HRC are currently developing the BarCARES Plus program. This would allow law firms and other bar-related groups to offer similar services to their non-attorney staff members.

If you would like additional information about the program and/or its availability in your area, please contact the BarCARES coordinator at (919) 929-1227 or (800) 640-0735