Psychology Programs

Marriage and Family Therapy Consortium of Orange County

Co-chairs Kathleen Wenger, LMFT, Susan Read-Weil, LMFT, and Mary Read, LMFT

 

History

Founded in the early 1990s and originally known as the Orange County Community Consortium, the consortium included LCSWs, psychologists, and others for many years. However, over the past five years, the consortium has taken on a heavy MFT emphasis, an important direction given the significant changes to the MFT curriculum that will go into effect in 2012.

Meeting dates and Location

The consortium meets on the third Wednesday of every other month from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. at Pepperdine’s Irvine Graduate Campus, 18111 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92612. Our next two meetings are November 16 and January 18.

Composition

The Orange County MFT Consortium brings together a diverse group of mental health professionals to share information about important BBS regulatory issues and the trends for the MFT profession throughout the state and nation.  Attendees commonly include the directors of mental health agencies running practicum programs, direct supervisors, and representatives from MFT graduate school programs, all of whom bring a unique perspective to the consortium based on their area of expertise.

Format and discussion topics

Click here for notes from the March consortium meeting.

Regular discussion topics at each consortium meeting include a review of the most recent BBS meeting, scholarship opportunities, and the specific concerns of agencies and schools. In the roundtable discussions that characterize consortium meetings, representatives from MFT programs are able to ask agency directors directly about the needs of their sites and learn about important training opportunities available to students. Agency attendees benefit by having a forum in which they can get help in assessing and evaluating trainees through collaboration and problem solving between themselves and school representatives.

Another benefit for agencies is having a face-to-face forum where they can inform MFT program representatives of job opportunities available to students and alumni. In addition, all participants benefit by the consortium’s ability to provide an active group of support that helps in understanding the complexities of California regulatory agencies and their changing edicts. Since MFTs are focused on relationships, the supportive nature and camaraderie of the consortium has been a key part of what has made it work in building our professional community.

Special Guests

As part of facilitating this understanding of the regulatory environment, consortium meetings occasionally feature guest speakers with firsthand knowledge of legal issues surrounding the MFT field. For example, a meeting in the fall of 2009 featured Paul Riches, Executive Director of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), the regulatory agency that oversees the MFT profession. Mary Riemersma, Executive Director of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) also visited a recent meeting.

MHSA Stipend Program - Application Materials and Information

The 2011-2012 Orange County MFT State Stipend Program application form is available in pdf form by clicking here.

Click here for an information bulletin on the 2011-2012 stipend program and click here for a guide to filling out the application.

One major focus of the consortium is the Proposition 63 state stipend program for MFT graduates who commit to working in public mental health with underserved populations. The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), passed by voters in California as Proposition 63 in 2004, allows for monies to be available for education and training for pre-licensed mental health therapists. A program has been established to provide stipends of $18,500.00 each to 10 graduating marriage and family therapy (MFT) students willing to work in Orange County for a minimum of 12 months in public sector mental health positions. After the November 2009 consortium meeting, an awards council met that distributed the ten $18,500 Proposition 63 stipends for Orange County MFT students graduating before July 2010.

Since a new round of stipends are available for MFT students graduating before July 2012, we are pleased to make available a presentation on the stipend delivered by Consortium co-chair Susan Read-Weil. This presentation explains the history and purpose of the MHSA, the purpose of the MFT State Stipend Program, an introduction to public sector mental health service delivery, and the eligibility, opportunities, and application procedures for the stipend program. Anyone who is interested in applying for a stipend is strongly encouraged to view this presentation.

Information About Agency Openings

We are building a list of local agencies and their openings for trainees and interns -- check it out here!