Behavioral Health Treatment Law^℠

Lee Blumen and Terri Tauro are cofounders of Behavioral Health Treatment Law^℠, a firm dedicated to helping families and individuals when mental illness, emotional challenges, and/or substance abuse issues cause conflict, crisis, legal problems, or safety concerns.

Our firm accepts a wide array of mental and emotional health, and substance abuse matters, ranging from:

• Working with Families and Friends ( Family Clients) of mentally ill adults as they explore treatment options for loved ones, who are either unwilling or unable to access or accept needed treatment. We advise Family Clients of their legal rights, and what they can and cannot do in trying to obtain treatment for their loved ones.
• Representing Patients and/or Families in and out of court-- at facilities, meetings, mediations, interventions, hearings, or wherever a voice is needed for our clients.
• Litigating Court Cases involving treatment programs both in Mental Health (LPS) Court & Criminal Court, including: LPS Conservatorships, CARE Court, Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), other LPS-related matters, and in Criminal cases ranging from mental health diversion, WIT court, opportunity court, recovery court, veterans court, and other collaborative/specialty courts and programs.
• Representing Families in Criminal Cases where police arrest and sometimes jail our loved ones in need of treatment, instead of taking them to a hospital or psychiatric facility. Criminal charges — such as assault, battery, threats, theft, and property damage — often are filed and family members frequently are named as victims. Even when the family does NOT support prosecution, the prosecutor may go forward. What can a family seeking treatment do? Family victims have an absolute right to be heard in the criminal court. Families can greatly benefit from an experienced Behavioral Health Treatment Law^℠ attorney advocating on their behalf for their loved one to receive treatment in lieu of punishment.
• Advising and representing physicians and facilities in the mental health and substance abuse fields.

Four factors make my practice unique:

1. Coordinated legal strategy: We work closely with our clients and a dedicated treatment team of mental health professionals, pertinent governmental agencies, involved courts, facilities, law enforcement, mental health interventionists, and other needed professionals to develop and execute a tailored Treatment Plan, addressing both the need for treatment and underlying causes. There is no one-size-fits all strategy.
2. More than 30 years’ experience protecting rights and advocating treatment options in Criminal and Non-Criminal matters: There are many excellent attorneys practicing criminal defense and civil law, but few have significant knowledge and expertise regarding mental health and co-occurring treatment options outside of their area of practice. Behavioral Health Treatment Law^℠ is not a single area of practice but covers a wide range of legal services regarding treatment options both in and out of the court systems. Our focus is always on getting people the help they need, not limited to a particular area of law or just getting a deal on a case.
3. Mental Health Planning & Crisis Response & Management: The best Plan is one that is developed and executed before a crisis. Mental Health Planning focuses on formulating a Treatment Plan to avoid worrisome conflicts or legal problems, before they escalate into a full-blown crisis. In the event of a crisis, proper planning provides clients with a step-by-step approach to address and respond to a crisis. However, at times, a crisis is unavoidable. Our firm is available to accept a limited number of Crisis Case clients at a time, where the attorney will provide immediate and ongoing availability for Crisis Response and Management.
4. Concierge Legal Service: Comprehensive client-directed representation based on the client’s needs. Some clients need only one or two consultations to assist them, such as requesting a legal opinion on their rights and available treatment options for their loved ones. Others seek our firm to provide Mental Health Planning services, or to offer a limited-time representation on a court case, hearing, meeting, etc. In such matters that are not ongoing, our firm’s services may be retained on a billable hour basis, or for a flat fee for an agreed upon legal service. Conversely, some clients require Crisis Response & Management services, which require immediate and ongoing advocacy and representation of that Crisis Case client for the duration of the crisis (the Crisis Period). The Crisis Period varies depending on the situation. Because the attorney must reschedule or turn down non-crisis matters to accommodate the urgent needs of the Crisis Case client, a non-refundable fee called a true retainer is required to retain the attorney for the Crisis Period. Our firm can only take a very limited number of Crisis Cases at any one time.