Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Carole Groom
Supervisor Dave Pine
Subject: Reappointments to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery Commission
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for the reappointments of the following members to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery Commission:
A) Patricia Way, as a family member of a consumer of mental health services pursuant to Section 3(c)(1) of Board Resolution No, 071051 dated September 28, 2010, for a second term ending September 30, 2021; and
B) Cherry Leung, as a member of the public pursuant to Section 3(c)(3) of Board Resolution No, 071051 dated September 28, 2010, for a first full term ending September 30, 2022.
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BACKGROUND:
The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery Commission (the “Commission”) reviews and evaluates the County’s mental health and substance abuse needs, services, facilities and special problems. The Commission advises the Board of Supervisors and the County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Director on all aspects of the County’s mental health program, reviews and approves procedures used to ensure citizen and professional involvement at all stages of the planning process, and submits an annual report to the Board of Supervisors on the needs and performance of the County's mental health system.
DISCUSSION:
Patricia Way has served on the Commission since 2015 and is being recommended to serve a second full term. Her first term ended in 2018, making this reappointment for a term ending in 2021. She is a parent of someone with serious mental illness who wasn’t properly diagnosed until adulthood. Because she and her husband were determined to educate themselves as thoroughly as possible on Mental Illness, they completed the NAMI Family to Family Education course and realized there was much work to be done to help others while helping their own family. Patricia quickly became involved by joining the NAMI San Mateo County Board of Directors (and her husband followed soon after). Over the years of involvement with NAMI SMC, she has served as Board President and was able to help bring several other NAMI National education courses to San Mateo County, including the NAMI Provider Education Course and The Parents and Teachers as Allies In-service course. Patricia continues her work with NAMI SMC by Facilitating a NAMI Support Group and serving on the NAMI Advisory Board. Most recently, she has served as Chairperson of the San Mateo County Mental Health and Substance Recovery Commission.
Cherry Leung has served on the commission since her initial partial term began in December 2016 and is being recommended for reappointment for her first full term on the commission. She is the Assistant Professor at the Department of Community Health Systems of University of California San Francisco’s School of Nursing. Her past civic activities include Helpers for Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong and Las Isabelas Breast Cancer Patient Counseling Service in San Jose. Cherry joined the Mental Health & Substance Abuse Recovery Commission to give input and be part of the planning process to ensure access to quality services and programs geared towards behavioral health.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.