“SAMHSA’s expectation is that CCBHCs will value that the lived and living experience perspective is a critical perspective, and they will take the steps they need to gain value from that perspective, as they would with any other board member.” – Mary Blake, SAMHSA
Why an Advisory Council?
Mental health and substance use disorders are uniquely personal experiences for individuals and family members, and often the
people who best understand are individuals who have their own stories.
The purpose of the CCBHC governance criteria is not to check a box; it is to ensure that CCBHCs are truly representative of
the communities they serve and to elevate the roles of peers and families at the top of the system design down to the service
delivery.
A CCBHC advisory committee must be involved in decision-making and have a close working relationship with the board.
Recommendations or feedback from the committee must be diligently deliberated by leadership, with a process for appeals.
The CCBHC criteria outlines that those who choose an alternative approach to meeting the governance requirements must:
- Establish protocols for incorporating input from individuals with lived experience and family members.
- Share board meeting summaries with those participating in the alternate arrangement and recommendations from the
alternate arrangement shall be entered into the formal board record. - A member or members of the arrangement established under option 2 must be invited to board meetings; and representatives
of the alternate arrangement must have the opportunity to regularly address the board directly, share recommendations
directly with the board, and have their comments and recommendations recorded in the board minutes.
The Iroquois Center for Human Development has established an Advisory Council to incorporate meaningful participation of clients, family members, advocates, and passionate community members.
The Advisory Council will meet quarterly to evaluate programs and services and provide feedback from the perspective of adult clients with mental illness or substance use disorder, adults in recovery from, family members of clients, advocates for mental health, and other community members passionate about mental health.
The Advisory Council will assist the Governing Board and Executive Director in the delivery of services, programs, policies, and procedures to meet
the needs of individuals, families, and communities served by Iroquois Center for Human Development.
If you are interested in serving on the Advisory Council, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!