All contact with TLAP is confidential as a matter of law pursuant to T.C.A. 23-4-105:

“The records, proceedings and all communications of any lawyers’ assistance program shall be deemed confidential and shall not be available for court subpoena.”

Regardless of how or why a person or entity contacts TLAP, all such communications are strictly confidential and only the person or entity calling can waive confidentiality. You do not have to give your name or identify yourself and can call TLAP, if you so desire, anonymously.

TLAP receives direct, confidential self-help calls from people who are in distress and want TLAP’s help. TLAP also receives calls from other people such as family members, peers, law partners, judges, who have become concerned about a person’s mental health wellness and ability to practice law.

In all of these cases of confidential contact, TLAP’s response is simple: a full discussion ensues so that TLAP’s professional staff can collect all available information that is clinically relevant and would support either assisting the person directly calling TLAP or else identifying from a concerned party as to whether or not there may be a productive way to approach the person who may need help.

TLAP never requires a person concerned about someone else to become involved. It is always the person or entity’s unilateral and confidential choice to decide, after a full discussion with TLAP, whether or not they wish to be involved in any effort or intervention to reach out to the person and help facilitate TLAP’s help.

As such, there is no downside to placing a confidential call to TLAP. The person calling remains protected by confidentiality and retains full control of whether or not they ultimately decide to participate in TLAP’s efforts.