EB CAMFT Solidarity Statement

June 23, 2020

Dear EBCAMFT Members,

As a local Chapter of CAMFT, your Board of Directors is in support of state CAMFT’s message disavowing racial injustice as an organization. We also felt compelled to speak out as a Chapter. Your Board of Directors supports and stands in solidarity with all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and deplores systemic racism in our local community and our country. We feel the anger, the grief, and the urgency that you do. We understand that words are not enough, and we want to be thoughtful about what steps we can take now and moving forward as a Chapter in our commitment to combating racism. 

First, as mental health clinicians, our community has a unique perspective on, and a responsibility to address, the mental health impacts of racial injustice and discrimination. As such, we have begun to compile a list of Resources to Combat Racial Injustice for Mental Health Professionals for our members, with the intention of making this list an evolving community resource for learning. With the creation of this living Google document, we invite our EBCAMFT members to contribute their own suggestions and share resources. We hope this list will help our local CAMFT Community remain engaged and educated about racial injustice and mental health.

Next, the Board has changed the focus of the remainder of this year’s workshops and trainings to topics that can bring a deeper understanding of how we can use our profession to address and facilitate systemic change to dismantle racism. In addition, we recognize ongoing self-inquiry to confront implicit biases and racism within ourselves is required to provide better services for BIPOC clients and to create a community in which our BIPOC clinicians feel included and supported. We are open to your recommendations for potential speakers, who can share relevant and powerful messages with us. Please send your ideas for speakers to ebcamftpresident@gmail.com.

Respectfully,

THE EAST BAY CAMFT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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The California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists (CAMFT) is the professional organization for Marriage & Family Therapists and allied professionals in the State of California.  East Bay CAMFT (the largest CAMFT chapter in California at this time) serves both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.  We began as a network in 1980 and received our charter from CAMFT in 1985. The Chapter is active in providing training, social and networking events, and public services to the community. We welcome your participation!