AnonymousSource: Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness Commission
The Behavioral Wellness Commission of Santa Barbara County is reaching out to our transitional aged youth (TAY ages 16-25) and emerging adults to encourage their involvement in raising awareness of behavioral health support services and destigmatizing mental health issues. The commission currently has five vacancies: one in 1st district, two in 4th district and two in 5th district. Any county resident over 18 years of age can apply to become a Commissioner here. We are hoping to increase the diversity of the commission to fully represent our county’s population and want to encourage residents from west and north county to take part.
We are also recruiting a non-voting youth commissioner to be a voice for youth in the areas of mental health and substance use. Commissioners make an impact by communicating with behavioral health stakeholders such as service providers, service consumers and first responders. They ask questions based on their own experiences and those of their peers or family members, then report any unmet needs to decision-makers and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. There is currently a state Assembly bill (AB-573) in process to establish youth mental health commissions in every county as well as a state youth mental health board.
Commission Chair Victoria King Kondos said, “Empowering our youth to become proactive advocates for their own and their peers’ wellbeing is vital to our county’s future health and prosperity. Youth voices and people of color are underrepresented in the conversation about mental health and substance use, we want that to change. Welcoming more diverse commissioners will add important perspectives that will enrich the knowledge base and bring our communities closer together.”
To learn more about the Commission visit:
https://www.countyofsb.org/behavioral-wellness/bwc-home.sbc
The agenda for each meeting, instructions for participation and any documents to be discussed are posted 72 hours before the meeting. You can view the agendas and minutes of meetings here. Prospective applicants with questions can contact Commissioner Jan Winter at wintercal@cox.net .
Applications can be submitted at any time. There are four seats on the commission for each Supervisorial district and the standard term of service is three years. The participation of people with lived experience as either consumers of mental health and/or substance use treatment services or family members/caregivers of consumers is not only encouraged but essential to our mission. View our digital flyer here.
