County of Marin Health and Human Services

Family Partnership Program

A key component of mental health services is the Family Partnership Program, contracted through the Community Action Marin (CAM) agency.

Family Partners provide emotional support, psycho-education, and guidance in navigating different systems, and sometimes help the family think through next steps or possible referrals. While Family Partners don’t work with the clients themselves, they work very closely with the family, which at times includes working with the family and client together.

All the Family Partners have children or family members who have received mental health services and therefore know how to navigate the system as well as support a parent’s perspective and enhance communication between the family and the mental health professionals.

While most Family Partners work with the family members of Marin County Mental Health clients, there are also a few Family Partners who are able to see families with loved ones (both adult and children) outside County Mental Health. All Family Partners can be accessed by calling the Director of the Family Partnership Program, Dawn Hensley.

Besides supervising the team, the Director of the Family Partnership Program also directly participates in developing policies, programs and services. This participation ensures that the family voice and perspective are represented and keeps the providers and administration informed of different needs, and possible impacts of decisions made.

Mental Health and Substance Use Services (MHSUS) changed its name to Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS).  As such, all references in existing departmental policies and procedures to MHSUS can be understood to reference BHRS as well.