St. Louis County LAC Application

Thank you for your interest in serving on the St. Louis County Local Mental Health Advisory Council (LAC).  A Local Advisory Council is intended to bring together diverse perspectives on mental health in order to identify resources, changes, additions and improvements to local mental health services for children and adults. In order to be effective in this important work, the LAC needs to meet throughout the year and be very intentional about including diverse perspectives.

Those who are invited to join the LAC need to commit to foster an environment that is focused on these:

• Hope: The sense that positive change is possible and needed should be the foundation of our work.
• Prevention: Mindful nurturing of children’s well-being and trauma sensitivity will improve their mental health throughout their lives.
• Wisdom: Each person’s wisdom has value and requires consideration.
• Recovery: Achieving a state of recovery for each person who needs mental health support is vital.
• Dignity: Dignity is essential to our work together so each person can deserve and expect to be treated with respect and honor.
• Inclusion: Inclusion is critical to ensure our mental health services and perspectives are relevant, inclusive and responsive to the many ways our country is diverse.

Each meeting will include time for discussion on issues related to children and adult mental health. Since there will be a lot to discuss and share, the LAC will need to meet many times throughout the year. We anticipate that there will be 9 monthly meetings throughout the year and plan to have them at places which are accessible by public transportation (in Duluth) and accessible to persons with physical disabilities. It is important that members of the LAC make most of the meetings. The meetings will likely last for 1.5 hours and there will always be food served when the meetings are in person.

We do not want transportation or expenses to be a barrier to participation. We will offer a financial stipend to LAC members who are non-professionals. If transportation support is needed, we are happy to discuss that with you.

Meetings are the 3^rd Thursday of every month from 4:30 – 6 pm.