
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
Do you want to help shape the future of youth behavioral mental health treatment?
Ryther’s mission is to provide exceptional behavioral health care and support to vulnerable youth and families. We recognize that systemic racism and oppression, perpetuated by imbalances of power and privilege, undermine behavioral health outcomes for the most vulnerable youths. We also recognize that this is a huge challenge to overcome. In response, Ryther is making an effort to be more transparent and accountable to the families we serve and continuously improve our residential and treatment programs. To achieve this, we are seeking dedicated individuals to join our Community Advisory Board (CAB).
About the CAB:
The CAB at Ryther plays a critical role in supporting and enhancing our programs by offering valuable community insights, expertise, and advocacy. The CAB fosters a strong connection between Ryther and the diverse communities we serve, ensuring our programs meet the needs of children and families facing mental health challenges. By contributing institutional and family knowledge, they provide a community voice within the organization, facilitate discussions about system-level challenges in youth mental health care, offer feedback, and ensure that diverse perspectives are integrated into Ryther's programming.
The CAB will focus on programming such as residential, IOP, and PHP with special attention on populations such as eating disorders, neurodiverse issues, and severe behavioral health challenges. The CAB has no governing function within Ryther. Current Ryther employees are ineligible for CAB membership. Members will receive a monthly honorarium of $50 per month via e-gift card.
Who We Are Looking For:
We are looking for a diverse group of parents and caregivers, people with relevant lived experiences, and mental health professionals who can bring unique perspectives and experiences to our board. We encourage everyone to apply! To ensure diversity for the CAB, special attention will be given to:
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Parents and Caregivers: Those with lived experiences in residential and mental health treatment programs.
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Community Members: Representatives from various sectors, organizations, or groups, including the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.
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Advocates: Individuals committed to community advocacy, social justice, equity, and improving the physical and mental health of vulnerable youth.
Expectations:
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Minimum 1 year commitment
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Approximately 2-4 hour commitment per month
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Meeting time: First Wednesday of the month 6pm-8pm
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Location: Virtual
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Actively participate, voice your opinions, and share your lived experiences with the group
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Be informed about Ryther’s policies, procedures, and programmatic changes
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Lead discussions as a subject matter and or community-informed expert
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Involved within your community
Requirements:
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Commitment to the Mission and Vision of Ryther’s organization
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Clear, effective communication skills
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A team player who can hold multiple perspectives, emphasize the needs of the community vs special needs and assumes good intent among other members.
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Willing and able to commit to the necessary time, energy, and effort to the group
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Actively contribute and/or facilitate meetings
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Be courteous and respectful in all interactions
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Dedicated to improving the health of children, youth, young adults, and their families
