MFT Consortium of the Central Coast
The Consortium boasts more than 100 member universities and clinical training sites statewide with consortia in the LA, Sacramento, Bay, Orange and San Diego areas, with Chico and the Inland Empire forming new regions. Antioch University Santa Barbara has recently joined the other consortia and formed a Central Coast Region Consortium, which will include Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, San Luis Obispo counties.
The Consortium unites the regional consortia of MFT academic programs throughout California with the mission of enhancing the quality of clinical training to MFT students. MFT educators examine the various protocols schools use in preparing students for practicum training and collaborate with the community clinical sites that provide the direct clinical experience and supervision to the students. These regional consortia have been “effective in promoting the quality of practicum training for students pursuing a career in marriage and family therapy [and] in advancing the integrity of the profession and the participation of its members in local and state governance” according to an analysis reported in Phillips’ Progress Journal, 2006.
For more information, please contact us at: mftconsortium.ausb@antioch.edu or call 805-962-8179 extension 319.
Central Coast Consortium Leader: Kristine J. Schwarz, M.A., MFT
Central Coast Consortium Student Coordinator: Chrystie Lewis
Antioch University is part of the
MFT Leadership Collaborative and the Regional MFT Consortia
The MFT Leadership Collaborative
The MFT Consortium has partnered with CAMFT, AAMFT-CA and Phillips Graduate Institute to implement the California Department of Mental Health’s educational stipend program for MFTs throughout the state. They have formed the MFT Leadership Collaborative and they will guide and monitor this inaugural state stipend program for MFT students.
Regional MFT Consortia
There are six regional MFT Consortia each with a host school that provides administrative leadership. Each regional MFT Consortium represents the MFT academic programs in their area and has regular meetings facilitated by the host school. For a list of schools of each regional consortium. Some of the regional consortia (indicated by an asterisk *) include as members agencies that provide clinical training (traineeships) to MFT students. For more information on any Consortia, contact the host of the regional consortium.
MFT Consortium of San Diego
Host: Linna Wang, Ph.D. lwang@alliant.edu
Alliant International University – San Diego
Counties: San Diego, Imperial
2010 Meeting Dates: April 23, July 14, September 24 and December 10
MFT Consortium of Orange*
Hosts: Kathleen Wenger, MA kathleen.wenger@pepperdine.edu
Mary Read, Ph.D. mread@fullerton.edu
Susan Read-Weil, MA susanreadweil.mft@gmail.com
Pepperdine University
County: Orange
2010 meeting will be held at Pepperdine University – Irvine Campus on:
January 20, March 17, May 19, July 21, September 15 and November 17
MFT Consortium of Greater Los Angeles*
Hosts: José Luis Flores, MA jlflores@pgi.edu
Michele Shepherd, MA mshepherd@sfvcmhc.org
Phillips Graduate Institute – Encino
Counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside
2010 meetings will be held at Phillips Graduate Institute on: March 12, June 11, September 10 and December 3
MFT Consortium of the Central Coast Region*
Host: Kristine Schwarz, MA kschwarz@antioch.edu
Antioch University, Santa Barbara
Counties: Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Louis Obispo
2010 meetings will be held at Antioch University on March 22, June 14, September 20 and December date is pending
MFT Consortium of the Bay Area
Hosts: Lesley Zwillinger, Ph.D. lzwill@sfsu.edu
Steven Tierney, Ed.D. stierney@ciis.edu
San Francisco State University – San Francisco
Counties: San Francisco, Alameda, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Santa Clara
Meetings held via telephone conference
MFT Consortium of Greater Sacramento
Host: Steven Pomerantz, Ed.D. pomerantz@usfca.edu
University of San Francisco – Sacramento
Counties: Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Butte
The next meeting will be held on June 4, 2010 at Alliant University, Sacramento from 10 am – 2 pm. For more information contact: Darlene Davis at (916) 248-2436, Carlos Flores at (916) 286-2853 or Steven Pomerantz at (916) 774-6112
The California Department of Mental Health (State) has initiated the MFT Educational Stipend Program with plans to award educational stipends to MFT students to address the statewide workforce need for mental health practitioners in underserved communities.
The Goals of the State’s MFT Educational Stipend Program:
1. to recruit MFT graduates with capacity to serve the culturally diverse needs of persons in mental health care
2. to prepare recruited MFT graduates in the delivery of mental health services that promote wellness, recovery and resilience, and
3. to recruit into MFT academic programs individuals who have experience in the public mental health system as clients or family members of clients.
The long-range objective of the MFT educational stipend program is to promote public mental health as a career option for those entering the MFT profession. Towards that end, the stipend program promotes curriculum development in MFT graduate institutions that prepares MFT graduates for public mental health practice.
The Mental Health Services Act
The State’s stipend program is funded through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). Enacted in 2005, the mission of MHSA is to transform California’s public mental health delivery; in part, with mental health professionals dedicated to community service and to the care of those living with mental illness, by inspiring hope in their recovery, focusing on their personal strengths, respecting their cultural perspectives and learning from their lived experiences as consumers.
2009-10 State Stipend Recipients
60 educational stipends were awarded statewide for the 2009-2010 academic year. These recipients were awarded $18,500.
Maritza Garza and Laura Guanill of Antioch University, Santa Barbara
were State Stipend Recipients for 2009-10.
2010-11 State Stipend Recipients
Sixty (60) stipends of $18,500 each will be awarded statewide during the 2010-11 academic year. Recipients of the State stipends will be required to commit one year of employment at a mental health service agency operated by the state, a county, or an agency contracted by a governmental entity to provide mental health care. Applicants must be graduating between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Information on the 2010-11 California Educational MFT Stipends will be available in summer 2010.
*For more information on the California State Stipend Program go to Phillips Graduate Institute *
County of Los Angeles Stipend Program
Since 2005 the Los Angeles County’s Department of Mental Health (County) has partnered with the MFT Consortium of Greater Los Angeles (formerly, the Southern California MFT Consortium) and Phillips Graduate Institute in recruiting MFT students for employment in the County’s mental health delivery system. The County awarded educational stipends to graduating MFT students. Stipend recipients were obligated to work for one year at a mental health agency operated or contracted by the Department of Mental Health as an MFT Intern. In the fourth year of this partnership (2008-09) the County awarded 72 educational stipends to MFT students from sixteen different MFT academic schools.
County Stipends Address Workforce Needs
The County stipend program for MFTs addressed the workforce need for practitioners who could provide services in a language other than English. In the last four years the percentage of stipend recipients with bilingual capacity ranged from 56 to 75. In addition, all of the stipend recipients had personal and work experience in the underserved communities of the county. “[T]his partnership has made considerable strides in addressing the need for diversity in mental health workforce as outlined in the LAC DMH Internal Inventory” according to a May 2008 report MFT in Mental Health Service – Addressing Workforce Diversity.
Recruitment of Eligible Students for LA County Stipend Program 2009-10
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health will be awarding educational stipends to MFT students for the 2009-2010 academic year. Students will be recruited from the MFT schools that participate in the MFT Consortium of Greater Los Angeles Consortium. For a list of the qualifying schools. The County has partnered with the MFT Consortium to address the county’s shortage of qualified mental health practitioners capable of providing culturally and linguistically competent services in certain geographic areas or specialized treatment programs. Administration of the stipend program on behalf of this partnership is provided by Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, CA.
*For more information on the California State Stipend Program go to Phillips Graduate Institute *
Monday September 20, 2010 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Our next meeting will focus on the implementation of the recovery model.
Santa Barbara County’s Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services Department Consumer Empowerment Manager, Ms. Tina Wooton, and Division Chief for Special Projects, Mr. John Truman, will present on “Implementing Recovery Concepts”. Tina and John have been at the forefront of the recovery vision for mental health services for decades. They are true pioneers in the area of providing optimal services for people living with serious mental health challenges and their presentation will provide a wonderful transition from last quarter’s meeting with Chad Costello, Director of Public Policy for Mental Health America of Los Angeles, who provided us with an overview of the Recovery Paradigm.
In addition, David Jensen, CAMFT General Counsel and Christy Berger, Manager/MHSA Coordinator for the BBS, will provide us with professional updates. And, as is customary, we will break for a networking lunch and allow some time to receive updates from our members and colleagues at the MFT Consortium of Greater Los Angeles. Four CEUs will be provided for MFTs and LCSWs.
Not a member of the Central Coast Consortium?
The Central Coast Consortium is a newly formed group of educational institutions and community agency training sites interested in improving the quality of training to Marriage and Family Therapy Trainees. The consortium meets quarterly and is a great way to network and keep up-to-date on changes and activities related to the MFT profession. The Central Coast Consortium also offers training that educators and supervisors will find useful, for example, in meeting some of the new BBS mandates.
The meeting will take place from 10:00am until 2:00pm on Monday, September 20th at Antioch University Santa Barbara, 801 Garden Street in Santa Barbara. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience to Chrystie Lewis, Student Coordinator for the MFT Central Coast Region Consortium at mftconsortium.ausb@antioch.edu or 805.962.8179 ext. 319. Our representation in the statewide MFT Consortium is crucial and we need your input and support to make it work.
If you are new to our invitation list and would like to learn more about the Central Coast Consortium, please visit our website at www.antiochsb.edu/mftconsortium . Please also feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions at 805-962-8179 ext. 319 or kschwarz[at]antioch.edu. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Past Consortium Events
MFT Consortium of the Central Coast Region Forum
on Practicum Training and Plenary Session Agenda
(March 22, 2010, 10AM-2PM. 4 CEU’s)
MFT Consortium Overview
- Dominique Eugene
DEFINING THE CENTRAL COAST CONSORTIUM
- Members and Attendees to have a general discussion about the format and structure of our quarterly meetings.
BBS CHANGES TO MFT CURRICULUM
- Christy Berger
NETWORKING LUNCH
AAMFT REPORT
- MFT Leadership Collaborative Report
- Federal Lobbying by California MFT’s
MFT CONSORTIUM OF GREATER LA REPORT
– MHSA/ Stipend Programs Status
MEMBER AND ATTENDEES’ ITEMS & REPORTS
Professional Updates: An overview of the MFT Consortium; BBS Changes to Supervisory and Educational Requirements; the LPCC License; and AAMFT and CAMFT Working Together for MFTs Inaugural Meeting Agenda
(December 7, 2009, 10AM-2PM, 4 CEU’s)
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
MFT CONSORTIUM AND STIPEND PROGRAM OVERVIEW
- Jose Luis Flores
- Dominique Eugene
- Lisa Wolfe
AAMFT AND CAMFT PROFESSIONAL UPDATES
- Olivia Loewy
- Cathy Atkins
NETWORKING LUNCH
BBS CHANGES TO MFT SUPERVISION EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ian Russ
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL COUNSELOR (LPCC) LICENSE OVERVIEW
- Ben Caldwell
