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    Wisconsin Lawyer
    March 01, 2000

    Wisconsin Lawyer March 2000: President's Message

     

    President's Perspective


    Encouraging the Public to Plan Ahead:
    Life Planning 2000

    By Leonard L. Loeb

    The word is out. Attorneys and health professionals in more than 25 counties have joined forces to volunteer their expertise for Life Planning 2000. The goal is to encourage the public to complete an advance medical directive in a time of noncrisis and to improve the way legal and health professionals participate in the process.

    LoebLife Planning 2000 takes place May 1 - 5 in conjunction with Law Day and leading up to National Hospitals Week (May 7 - 13). Local bar associations are teaming with hospitals and clinics in their areas to organize Life Planning activities. If you want to get involved, now is the time to act.

    The program provides two great ways to get involved: Attend a seminar on the team approach to advance care planning. By attending a seminar, you can increase your knowledge, improve your practice skills, and expand your network of health care contacts.

    The State Bar, along with our partners - the Wisconsin Health and Hospital Association, the State Medical Society, and Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center - is hosting five regional CLE seminars in April and May. An ethicist, an attorney, and a physician will discuss how the different disciplines contribute to the advance care planning process - from completing the documents and encouraging clients to discuss their wishes with their families to ensuring that clients' wishes are carried out.

    We've heard that many of you have concerns about the current process - miscommunications result in unwanted guardianship proceedings and protective placement hearings. Here's your chance to attend a CLE seminar geared for attorneys, physicians, nurses, hospital social workers, and hospital clergy to talk about these important issues. To encourage broad participation, the CLE seminars are only $25.

    Get the word out to the public during Life Planning Week. Attorneys and health professionals who want to volunteer in the campaign's public outreach component will receive "planning guides" in March to help them organize activities on a local level. Activities might be as simple as organizing a "Life Planning table" at the courthouse on Law Day or as involved as setting up a free "Life Planning workshop" at a library or community center to get the public started with the advance care planning process. This program provides a great opportunity for your local bar to be highly visible in a positive light in the community.

    Program volunteers also may receive print copies of the Gift to Your Family consumer guide for use as a teaching tool. Written by attorneys and health care professionals, the guide will be available free to the public via WisBar in April.

    You are welcome to participate in Life Planning 2000 at any level you can - improve your practice by attending a seminar or share your expertise with the public during Life Planning Week. Our colleagues in the health profession are looking forward to working with us, so please turn out!

    For more information, please contact Trina E. Haag at the State Bar of Wisconsin at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6025; attorney Jim Jaeger, project chair, at (608) 244-1354; or attorney Grant Birtch, local activities chair, at (920) 729-0303; or visit Life Planning 2000 online.

    As always, you can reach me by email.


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