Monthly Attorney Orientation
For Lawyers who are New to Indigent Defense
Beginning August 1, IDS staff will provide orientation for new attorneys on the first Friday of each month from 1-2 p.m.
Topics will include a guided tour of the IDS website, information on training and CLE opportunities, access to wellness resources and more. You will also be able to connect with other defense attorneys for future collaboration!
2026 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
IDS and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office provide regular continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists who attend the IDS Forensic Science Education Series.
In 2026, we will offer monthly 90-minute webinars on various aspects of forensic evidence. These webinars will take place typically at 12:30 pm on the first Thursday of each month. Click here to view the 2026 Schedule.
The first six sessions of 2026 will focus on understanding and advocating for neurodivergent clients.
- This event has passed.
Adult Mental Health First Aid
Indigent Defense Services in collaboration with Alliance Health
Adult Mental Health First Aid
Friday, October 6th, 9:00 am-2:30pm via Zoom
*Approximately 2 hours out-of-training curriculum must be completed 48 hours prior to live date*
*This course is limited to 30 participants*
Schedule: 9:00am-2:30pm (Live, virtual Zoom)
Adult Mental Health First Aid: Adult Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.
This training will provide attorneys and indigent defense staff with valuable knowledge to recognize when a client’s capacity to make adequately considered decisions in connection with representation is diminished due to a mental health crises or substance use. Steps to take to preserve the attorney-client relationship and attorney-client communication will be covered. The program will also cover actions necessary to preserve the client’s or another’s safety, in accordance with the NC Rules of Professional Conduct.
This virtual learning experience includes two hours of self-paced learning followed by four hours of virtual live instruction. The pre-work must be completed 48 hours before the class begins to be granted access to the course by MHFA USA.
Presenter:
James Osborn is a Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist with over 30 years of experience. He has worked in a wide variety of settings in various roles – inpatient, outpatient, crisis and assessment, vocational rehabilitation, and administration. He is the Director of Community Education and Outreach with Alliance Health, the local management entity and management care organization (LME/MCO) for Cumberland, Durham, Johnston, Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake County. He leads a regional team providing education and outreach to improve the health and well-being of the people Alliance serves by ensuring highly effective, community-based support and care.
Participants: This webinar is open to public defenders, private attorneys who do indigent criminal defense work, and their staff.
Registration: Please register at the following link: https://nccourts.webex.com/weblink/register/rea1d8955eb8d3ee89682e010502a2f2f
The actual training link will be a Zoom link, provided to registrants at a later date.
Fee: There is no registration fee for participants. Those interested in earning 5 CLEs (1 MH Hour/4 General Hours) will be billed by the State Bar for the cost of CLE at $3.50 per hour. To receive CLE credit, all participants must pre-register individually.
For More Information or Questions: Contact Carla Huff, Recruitment and Training Coordinator at [email protected] . If you have a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Carla Huff, [email protected], 919-354-7207.
