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.
QPR Training: Supporting Individuals Who Are Suicidal/In Crisis
FREE WEBINAR: Thursday, June 18th at 12:30 p.m.
One Hour of Professional Well-Being CLE Credit
QPR: Question, Persuade and Refer
Supporting Individuals Who Are Suicidal/In Crisis
Description of Presentation: Talking about suicide is both difficult and lifesaving. We may not know what to say when someone expresses a threat; it is devastating when we lose someone by suicide and replay in our minds the threats, both direct and indirect, that she/he made prior to ending her/his life. Yet, we are only responsible to do what we know to do at the time it needs doing, not for the things that we learn to do later. QPR was created to be a universal intervention for anyone experiencing emotional distress. This training will provide information on data/statistics, risk and warning signs, how to ask questions to gain clarity, persuading someone to get help and referring someone to get help.
Carla Huff, MEd, MSW, LCSW: Carla currently works at IDS as the Recruitment and Training Coordinator. This position is focused on both recruitment and retention of defense staff. Carla began her career in the United States Army and, after leaving the military worked as a juvenile court counselor for the Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention in Wake County (Department of Public Safety-Juvenile Services). Carla also has experience working in Wake County Public Schools, providing support for children and adolescents diagnosed with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). She later transitioned to working with Alliance Health, a local managed care organization. Here, she covered multiple counties and was part of two pilot programs; one providing support to caregivers of children with complex health needs, the other supporting community inclusion for individuals transitioning out of long-term care, housing and incarceration. Carla is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has interests in the impact of trauma and brain development, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in civilians and military personnel, and social determinants/drivers of health.
The webinar includes a visual presentation, live audio, and interactive Q & A.
Participants: This webinar is open to all staff who are part of the indigent defense team.
Registration link for this presentation:
https://nccourts.webex.com/weblink/register/re890266d5f8c21c41f41bc0d4740a6b1
Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test your connection.
Registration link for the series:
Fee, Registration and Credit: There is no registration fee for participants. To receive CLE credit, all participants must pre-register individually. To receive full CLE credit, attendees must attend for the full training time.
For more information or if you need an accommodation to participate in this program,
please contact Carla Huff, [email protected], 919-354-7207.
