ADVISORY BOARDS

Our Advisory Boards are designed to get patients and community members involved in the delivery of services and care at MCA. By working together with physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health care providers at MCA, the advisory boards supply insight and suggestions for improvement directly from the consumer.

Youth Advisory Board (YAB) 
The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is composed of  eight young people who represent the ethnic and cultural diversity of the MCA Center's youth population. These youth facilitate dialogue between the wider clinic youth population and MCA staff, and provide insight and feedback on youth-oriented projects such as the “teen clinic” and new research protocols. YAB members travel to local and national conferences, attend a wide variety of trainings, participate in focus groups, and meet with visiting dignitaries. Integrating youth concerns and input into program services allows MCA to effectively address the specialized medical and cultural needs of the youth communities we serve.

Community Advisory Board (CAB) 
The Community Advisory Board (CAB) is composed of five adult patients who reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the MCA clinic. CAB members are committed to helping MCA staff ensure that clinic care and services are culturally appropriate and responsive to patients’ needs and are provided with dignity and respect. CAB representatives provide collective input from patients and supply insight into gaps in services and resources, as well as suggestions for improvement. The quarterly scheduled CAB meetings allow for direct feedback on patients' needs and their overall satisfaction with the services provided.

Improving Minds with Positive Action and Community Teamwork (IMPACT) 
Conducted in both English and Spanish, IMPACT is a multifaceted model for group discussion that incorporates principles of mental health, support group processes, and educational techniques for the purposes of teaching youth about living with HIV and empowering them to become full partners in their own care. IMPACT staff members intervene in a manner that encourages the development of a healthy sense of self. Discussion topics have included HIV 101, communication skills, love and sex, living with HIV, goal setting, homophobia, and disclosure. Consumers have contributed to the group’s design and focus through initial and ongoing input, and IMPACT serves as a foundation for additional, more traditional support groups with a clinical focus. But since many youth are not ready to discuss their HIV status in a traditional support group, the IMPACT model has enabled those interested in peer group experiences the opportunity to participate in educational and skills-building workshops and activities. MCA staff conducts at least six educational and skills-building youth-oriented workshops or activities per year. These are designed to give consumers the opportunity to interface with other HIV(+) youth in a non-threatening environment, as well as to develop feelings of security and trust between consumers and MCA staff. Activities have included trips to the Los Angeles County Museums of Art (LACMA) and Contemporary Art (MOCA), family beach trips, Dodger games, and cultural (HIV Awareness Day for Women of African American Heritage) and seasonal celebrations (holiday party). 

Executive Advisory Board (EAB) 
The Executive Advisory Board is a network of community, government and academic partners and experts who collaborate and communicate in order to develop effective programs and methods to best serve at-risk youth, pregnant women, families with HIV and incarcerated youth.