Matthew Evans
President, LA-CAMFT

Dear colleagues,

As we begin the new decade, you may be finding yourself longing to become more involved in a community. If you resonate with this sentiment, consider becoming involved in a leadership role within LA-CAMFT. Some of the benefits of volunteering with LA-CAMFT include (1) learning and building leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, (2) developing a sense of community, and (3) advocating for issues you believe in.

Whether or not you decide to volunteer with LA-CAMFT, taking the time to focus on what cultural/social issues drive you forward on a daily basis and fighting for these issues can have a far-reaching impact. This is more than a call to action, but an embodiment of purpose and exploration of each of our passions.

My sense of purpose is focused on advocacy for mental health professionals and individuals struggling with mental health issues. Which is why over the next few months, I will be drafting and sending a letter to California state government leaders to advocate for increased funding for the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in order to speed up the process of counting clinical hours and reviewing applications for taking the licensure exam. This lengthy process under current BBS staffing is resulting in longer wait times for approval and economic strain on Associate MFTs. Although the road of advocacy may be long, these issues are worth fighting for.

In closing, if you are looking to increase your involvement in the local mental health community, send an email to president@lacamft.org to learn more about how you can become involved in LA-CAMFT.

All the best, 

Matthew Evans, LMFT

Matthew Evans, LMFT, utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in his work as a Primary Therapist in Resilience Treatment Center’s residential program for adults. 

Matthew may be contacted at president@lacamft.org.