Montco seeks public experts, advocates for advisory boards

The Montgomery County Commissioners have announced that the County is accepting applications for open positions on several of its public boards. Montgomery County’s Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Board; Parks, Trails, & Historic Sites Advisory Board; Public Defender Advisory Board; and Board of Prison Inspectors each have vacant positions open to experts and advocates in the general public. 

The County’s boards and commissions provide transparency and agency to residents as they inform the policies and day-to-day functions of the County government. Interested individuals may apply for any open board positions via the Boards and Commissions Application.

There are seven vacancies on the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Board, including a position for an individual with Psychiatry expertise, as well as a Child Psychiatry expert. The Board offers guidance on a range of programs available to County residents, including mental health counseling, early intervention coordination for children experiencing delays in growth, and assistance with procurement of Pennsylvania Community HealthChoices funding. 

The Parks, Trails & Historic Sites Advisory Board, established to advise the County Commissioners and the Parks Administrator in a collective effort to fulfill the mission of the Parks, Trails & Historic Sites Department, seeks up to ten new members as it works to preserve and enrich the County’s historic sites and open spaces. 

Montgomery County’s Public Defender Advisory Board seeks two members to fulfill its nine-person board. Beyond its primary function of appointing the County’s Chief Public Defender, the Board provides input on policies and legislation that impact the local justice system, while identifying opportunities for improved equity across local, state, and federal justice systems. The Board also serves as a resource for attorneys in the county whose defense practices are in need of support. 

The Board of Prison Inspectors is unique in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commissioners seek to appoint two people to the Prison Board to aid in its function as citizens’ oversight for the County’s prison operations and the humane treatment of incarcerated individuals. Of the six individuals who make up the Prison Board, three are appointed by County Judges and three are appointed by the County Commissioners. 

Selected applicants will be contacted to continue the appointment process within their chosen board. Any demographic information provided on an individual’s application is for statistical purposes only and will be held in confidence to the full extent permitted by law. Responses will not be disclosed in identifiable form without the applicant’s informed consent.