Rachel Zeta asks county board how it wants work from Crow Wing County Local Advisory Council

Rachel Zeta, speaking for the Crow Wing County Local Advisory Council (LAC), asked the county board how it prefers to receive oversight information and recommendations from the LAC, and outlined the council's work to revive participation and align local bylaws with state guidance.

Zeta told commissioners that state statute requires each county to establish a local advisory council and described the LAC's purpose as gathering "a collective knowledge of mental health services from individuals with lived experience all the way up to our direct care and treatment." She said the county LAC is in a "reboot" phase while state guidance is updated and local bylaws are being revised to match those priorities.

The presenter emphasized boosting consumer participation, noting COVID-era declines and the need for lived-experience input to inform county priorities and service gaps. "So that was just one example of a conversation that we recently... we talked about what are we doing as a community" Zeta said when describing LAC discussions about recent local suicides and school supports.

Commissioners asked how the LAC is structured and who may join. Zeta said meetings are held every other month, that membership prioritizes people with lived experience and family members alongside providers, and that the LAC has officers (chair, co-chair, secretary). She named Jennifer Vaughn as the current LAC chair and suggested the board could receive either an annual written report or an in-person presentation; several commissioners favored at least an annual report with periodic presentations to allow dialogue.

Zeta invited the board to request either a written submission or a scheduled in-person update and offered follow-up contact for commissioners who want more detailed briefings. She and board members agreed the LAC would return next year for a Committee of the Whole presentation if the board desires a live discussion.