Request Speakers Bureau Services
LACDMH has highly skilled presenters available to speak to your group on a number of mental health topics. It is comprised of approximately 75 licensed mental health clinicians with extensive media and public speaking experience. The Speakers Bureau is enriched by the inclusion and collaboration with Specialty Treatment Leads, Faith-Based Liaisons and Promotores de Salud (Health Promoters). Its members are subject matter experts who are culturally competent and linguistically certified to provide services and interventions in the 13 threshold languages of Los Angeles County and more.
Speakers Bureau members identify with the underserved communities served by LACDMH because they are active, engaged members of these communities and thus reflect the concerns, culture and language of their respective communities. Speakers Bureau members, being from and for the community, are uniquely qualified to facilitate participation and assist underserved communities as they identify and implement grassroots solutions to minimize service delivery gaps.
By serving as ambassadors and building bridges with the County’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Speakers Bureau members can facilitate identification of culturally competent interventions. Furthermore, they are uniquely qualified to problem solve and assist communities in navigating the complexities often associated with access to competent care and resources during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Available Cultural and Linguistic Expertise
The linguistic capabilities of the Speakers Bureau include:
- Arabic
- Armenian
- Cambodian
- Cantonese
- English
- Farsi
- Korean
- Mandarin
- Russian
- Spanish
- Tagalog
- Vietnamese
- Hindi
- Thai
- Urdu
Additionally, the Speakers Bureau strategically and intentionally includes specialized cultural representation of other underserved communities. The cultural expertise of Speakers Bureau members reflects not only communities experiencing health disparities, but also communities that have been historically and systemically oppressed and disempowered. They are uniquely qualified to facilitate difficult dialogues, helping communities identify solutions while addressing the complexities of social inequities resulting in the unrest most recently experienced.
Currently, the following cultural areas of expertise are represented in the Speakers Bureau:
- African American
- American Indian and Alaska Native
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Two-Spirit Communities (LGBTQIA2S)
- Multi-Racial and Multi-Ethnic
- Older Adults
- Persons Experiencing Homelessness
- Persons with Physical Disabilities
- Spirituality and Faith-Based Communities
- Veteran and Military Communities
Services Offered by the Speakers Bureau
Speakers Bureau members engage in a variety of internal and public-facing interventions that address the clinical, cultural and lingustic mental health needs of the communities they serve and represent. In their role as community ambassadors and advocates, they also problem solve and identify resources and social support interventions beyond what might be available within LACDMH, forging connections to other County departments and providers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies, for instance, members of the Speakers Bureau have been called upon to assist communities as they navigate challenges of access to adequate care and services, including finding practical solutions, promoting physical and emotional wellbeing and transitioning to adaptations and adjustments needed in the ways we all live, work, play and thrive in our communities.
Speakers Bureau activities include:
- Participation in Town Halls conducted in English, Spanish, Korean and Chinese
- Board of Supervisors press conferences
- Community events sponsored or co-sponsored by LACDMH such as WE RISE, NAMI, school, library and park activities
- Print, radio and television media interviews
- Recording of Public Service Announcements
- Presentations and training in the community
- Development of COVID-19 and other content materials for use within communities, LACDMH and across other health departments
- Language translation of mental health educational materials, including materials in response to COVID-19
- Consultation services
- Mental health support for community- and faith-based organizations
To request Speakers Bureau services, please fill out this form.
For additional information about Speakers Bureau, please email DMHSpeakersBureau@dmh.lacounty.gov or call at (213) 351-6444.