Apply for a seat on the Behavioral Health Commission

About Membership

The Behavioral Health Commission is a mental health board that is made up of 12 members, each of which qualifies under one of the following categories:

• Consumer
• Family member
• Mental health professional
• Board of Supervisors

Any seats not dedicated to one of the other categories may be filled by persons with experience and knowledge of the mental health system who represent the public interest.

In addition, the Commission must also meet the following floating requirements, among members:

• At least one member must be a Transitional Age Youth (TAY) representative (age 16-25), either as a consumer or a family member
• At least one member must qualify as a child advocate
• At least one member must qualify as an older adult advocate
• At least one member must qualify as a veteran advocate
• At least one member must be an employee of a local education agency

Review the list of seats and related qualifications. We encourage you to apply even if there are no current vacancies listed, as openings may arise in the future and your qualifications may be considered for other available seats as appropriate.

Requirements

To be eligible to hold a seat on the Behavioral Health Commission, the following requirements must be met:

• Meet at least ONE category of membership: A consumer, family member, mental health professional, or a person with experience and knowledge of the mental health system.
• Residency Requirement: Applicants must be residents of the City and County of San Francisco.
• Time Commitment:
• Attend monthly Commission meetings (typically 2-3 hours).
• Participate in committee meetings or site visits, as needed.
• Review materials and reports in advance of meetings.
• Turn in reports from site visits in a timely manner
• Support in writing resolutions, commendations for the Annual Report
• Term Length: Commissioners are appointed for a fixed term of 3 years, with the option to reapply for a second term.
• Volunteer Role: This is an unpaid, volunteer position focused on public service and community advocacy.
• Advocacy & Policy Engagement: Commissioners are expected to engage in discussions on behavioral health policy, funding, and service delivery.
• Public Meetings: Meetings are subject to the Brown Act and are open to the public. Commissioners must be comfortable speaking in public forums.
• Commitment to Equity: Applicants should support equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive behavioral health services.
• Exclusions: No member or their spouse shall be a full-time or part-time County employee of a County mental health service, an employee of the State Department of Health Care Services, or an employee of, or a paid member of the governing body of, a mental health contract agency.

Application Instructions

To apply for a seat on the Behavioral Health Commission, submit the application form to Amber Gray. Please contact her if you have any questions.