MHSA Advisory Committee (MAC)

About the MHSA Advisory Committee

Membership of the Advisory Committee is determined by the requirements of the Mental Health Services Act and is meant to be a broad representative group of Stanislaus County stakeholders.

The core responsibility of the MAC is to provide guidance to Stanislaus County in establishing initial priorities for the component plans of MHSA. It is crucial to keep in mind the importance of what is being asked of the MAC. Each time an initial plan is being developed a variety of methods are used to engage broad community input and there is always more needs identified than can be addressed in the initial three-year plan. As a result, there is a need to make tough decisions about where to start. By utilizing a consensus model with the MAC, BHRS staff can develop a plan that accurately reflects community priorities, DMH Plan Guidelines, and BHRS’ capacity to implement and sustain the plan developed. All plans are subject to 30-day public review and comment prior to submission to the State Department of Mental Health for approval.

Because participation in this Advisory Committee is so crucial to the overall community stakeholder process, each committee member has the opportunity to identify an “alternate” to attend meetings in their unavoidable absence. In designating an alternate, a number of considerations are important:

1. The alternate must also represent the community’s interests/priorities;
2. The alternate must be identified prior to scheduled meetings to allow communication and education on the issues;
3. The alternate must be empowered to fully participate in the process.

For more information about the MAC, please contact the MHSA Planning Office at (209) 525-6247

Meeting Information