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Thank you to the nominating committee for considering me for the position of Clinical Director at Large on the CAMFT Board of Directors. I chose to run for this position because I wanted to see more representation of clinicians who work in Community and County Mental Health. As a clinician that has worked in both these areas, finding ways to effectively advocate for the communities I serve when faced with limited resources has been an ongoing challenge. These challenges, faced almost daily, is what originally led me to become a member of CAMFT. I wanted to connect and share experiences with other members who worked in this system of care, to bring resources together, to find effective ways to serve our communities, and to advocate for the needs of our profession.
In 2022, after becoming an Adjunct Professor in the MFT program at the University of San Francisco, I wanted to become a more active member of CAMFT. I, therefore, became a member of the Pre-Licensing Committee. Being a part of this committee provided me the opportunity to share my own experiences as a County Mental Health clinician, as well as bring the concerns and perspectives that many MFT students shared during their first Traineeship site, which for many, was working in community mental health.
Professionally, I have worked in collaboration with many community partners (from law enforcement, to non-profit organizations, to medical facilities). These partnerships have taught me the value of being open and learning from everyone's perspective and lens. In addition, as an Adjunct Professor in an MFT program, I also had the opportunity to hear from students their perspectives, the challenges they face as new and future clinicians, and what training and resources they would like to receive.
Personally, as a first-generation immigrant, I appreciate the importance and value of diversity and inclusion. Many trainees and licensed MFTs are working in county and community mental health and I believe that having a board that includes the diverse areas of work in this profession will promote effective representation, stronger advocacy, and will increase engagement.
My hope is that I can bring my commitment to collaboration, my multicultural background, and my passion to serve all CAMFT members to the Board. Thank you for taking the time to read through my statement. I look forward to your support through your vote for me.
My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hkianfar/.
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