MHSA Advisory Council

Mental Health Services Act

The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) provides additional funding to community public mental health with the mandate that these MHSA funded services and supports to promote wellness, recovery and resilience, be consumer and family driven, culturally competent, provide an integrated service experience, and provide a process by which mental health clients, their families, and other community members and organizations work together to share information and resources to fulfill shared goals. The community public mental health system includes services provided by community-based organizations and those provided by the county. Contra Costa Mental Health (CCMH) has established the MHSA Advisory Council in order to ensure that local stakeholders are an integral part of all planning and evaluation of MHSA funded services and supports.

Purpose

Advisory Council members are appointed by the Mental Health Director, and represent stakeholders who receive or provide services, or who are otherwise involved in public mental health services in Contra Costa County. Advisory Council 1) assists in the ongoing development and evaluation of the programs and plan elements that comprise the MHSA Three Year Program and Expenditure plan, and subsequent yearly plan Updates, 2) advises on the integration of the values and principles inherent in MHSA into the larger public mental health system, and 3) promotes transparency of effort by sharing information with the stakeholder community.

Advisory Council Committees

Advisory Council meets the first Thursday of every month to discuss and advise on areas of topical interest, and to receive reports from the following Advisory Council sponsored sub-committees:

• Steering. Develops the Advisory Council Committee meeting agenda, and represents Advisory Council on selected issues.
• Membership. Recommends prospective applicants to the CCBHS Director for membership.
• Innovation. Recommends new Innovation Projects and monitors and evaluates existing projects.
• Systems of Care. Considers MHSA funded programs and plan elements that impact the entire public mental health system of care.
  Members of the community are encouraged to attend and participate in the above meetings as well as the following CCBHS sponsored stakeholder meetings.
• Social Inclusion. Oversees mental health stigma and discrimination reduction initiatives.
• Housing. Plans and advises on new and existing housing and homeless services.
• Age-related Committees. Children's, Transition Age Youth, Adult, and Aging/Older Adult sub-committees advise on planning and evaluation of services and supports specific to the age groups served by CCBH.

Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services is continuously seeking applications from interested mental health consumers, providers and community members to participate on its MHSA Advisory Council.