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.
Suicide Prevention
Part of the 2025 IDS Mental Health and Education Series
60 minutes of General Education CLE Credit
Suicide Prevention
Presented by Dr. Mike Crum
Schedule: The webinar will be held on Thursday, September 18th from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test your connection. The webinar includes a visual presentation, live audio, and interactive Q & A.
Course Sign Up: here
Fee: There is no registration fee for participants.
Description: This 1-hour training covers the basics of recognizing and managing the impact of suicide, trauma and building best practices to recognize the signs of suicide and how to develop a meaningful conversation. Participants will be able to learn how to become more suicide aware and discuss how suicide develops from stress, life events, trauma and other risk factors. Becoming more suicide aware will be discussed as well as why we may miss, dismiss and avoid the conversation about suicide.
Attendees will learn how to be more confident, take action to talk about suicide and resources available if they find themselves in a position to identify suicide risk.
Participants: This webinar is open to public defenders, private attorneys who do indigent criminal defense work, and staff.
Dr. Mike Crum: Mike Crum is a former Marine with a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate in Social Work. For the last 10 years Mike has worked in Suicide Prevention at a community and macro level educating about the needs of service members and veterans. Mikes work within the Army National Guard has led to training thousands of Soldiers in Resilience and Suicide Prevention Education. Mike currently works to address protective and risk factors for the Army National Guard and informs leadership how to curb trends on topics like suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse and neglect. For the past 10 years Mike has worked in the world of Suicide Prevention, training, education, and working to make more suicide safer communities.
Mike currently lives in Florida with his wife who works for the Public Health Department in Maternity/Infant Healthcare. They have two cats, Mr. Twiggers and Mr. Milo. They both love sunshine and the beach!
