Rene Anderson Approved by Governor Crist to Serve as Member of the Florida Statewide Advocacy Council
Congratulations to Ms. Rene Anderson, who has been approved by Governor Crist to serve as a Hillsborough County region member of the Florida Statewide Advocacy Council (FSAC), which acts as a consumer protection mechanism for people receiving services from state agencies in Florida. As a Local Advocacy Council (LAC) Member-at-Large for the Multi-Program Council (i.e. Foster Care, Day Care, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Adult Services and Human Subject Research Proposals, etc.), Ms. Anderson will work to ensure equality in the delivery of services to health and human services beneficiaries on the local level. Her term will run from April 18, 2008 – April 17, 2012.
LAC member responsibilities include attending monthly council meetings, monitoring facilities and investigating complaints. All members are required to successfully complete a training course within three months of being appointed to the council. Each council is comprised of up to fifteen members consisting of consumers, consumer representatives, legal professionals, health professionals and members-at-large.
Ms. Anderson is currently a project coordinator for the Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health study, Examining the Role of Family Organizations in Developing Family Voice in Systems of Care. She is Co-Principal Investigator for a project that is creating and evaluating a curriculum to prepare parents to become effective advocates on state and local boards and committees. Ms. Anderson has served on numerous state and national boards including the Florida State Mental Health Planning Council, the National Association of State Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils, the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and served as founding President of the local Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Chapter.
The Department of Child and Family Studies is committed to improving the well-being of individuals, children, and families within communities across the country through promoting respect, inclusion, development, achievement, mental health, and an optimum quality of life.