BYLAWS OF THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL
FOR COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES
Article I –
The State Advisory Council (SAC) shall be responsible for advising the Division of CPS in the development and coordination of a statewide inter-agency/inter-departmental system of care for persons with mental illness, their families and children/youth with serious emotional disturbances.
Article II –
Responsibilities
In
order to accomplish this mission the SAC shall:
Advise CPS in the development of models of services
and long range planning and budgeting priorities.
Identify statewide needs, gaps in services, and
movement toward filling gaps.
Provide education and
information about mental health issues.
Monitor, evaluate, and
review the allocation and adequacy of mental health services within the state.
A.
The
Director of the Division of
Comprehensive Psychiatric Services
shall appoint up to 25 members to
the State Advisory Council for Comprehensive Psychiatric Services.
B.
The
terms of office for members shall be overlapping terms of a full three (3)
years. A member of the State
Advisory Council for Comprehensive Psychiatric Services may serve
an additional three-year term if properly nominated and approved by the State
Advisory Council and the Division Director.
C.
Members
shall have a professional, research, or personal interest in the prevention,
recovery, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation,
and system of care for
children/youth with serious emotional disturbance and persons affected by
mental disorders and mental illness and their families.
The Council shall include representatives from the following:
1.
Non-government
organizations or groups and state agencies concerned with the planning,
operation or use of comprehensive psychiatric services.
2.
Representatives
of primary and secondary
consumers and providers of comprehensive psychiatric services, who are familiar
with the need for such services.
D.
The
membership composition of the
State Advisory Council shall follow the
guidelines set forth in P.L. 102-321
as follows:
1.
At least 13 of the
members of SAC shall be self-identified consumers defined as follows:
a.
Primary Consumer: A
person who is an active or former recipient of mental health, substance abuse
and/or developmental disabilities services, regardless of source of payment.
Parents, family members, and/or legal custodians/guardians of children
and youth are primary consumers if they are actively engaged in the treatment
planning and/or delivering services and supports for the child or youth.
b.
With respect to the
membership of the Council, the ratio of parents of children with a serious
emotional disturbance to other members of the Council is sufficient to provide
adequate representation of such children in the deliberations of the Council.
c.
With respect to the
membership of the Council, the ratio of individuals with Serious Mental Illness
to other members of the Council is sufficient to provide adequate representation
of such individuals in the deliberations of the council.
2.
At least 12 of the members of SAC shall be providers defined as follows:
a.
System Customer: An
entity/service delivery system, which uses, purchases and/or coordinates with
mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities services provided
by the Department of Mental Health. Representatives
of the following state agencies are mandated: mental health, education,
vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, housing, social services, and
Medicaid. The remainder could be
representatives of mil tax boards, community agencies, faith sector, family
members, and advocates.
E.
The
Council shall be representative of the state’s population, taking into
consideration their employment, age, sex, race, and place of residence and other
demographic characteristics of the state, determined essential by the Council
and Director.
A.
Nominations
for vacant council positions shall be accepted from any individual or
organization.
B.
Vacancies,
when they occur, shall be announced and
publicized.
A.
The
Council shall elect the chairperson and vice-chairperson every two years.
The chairperson shall mentor the chair elect for 6 months or the first
three meetings of the State Advisory Council. Nominations shall occur in
November and elections in January, except in cases of extraordinary
circumstances.
B.
The
chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council and appoint all
committees and task forces. The vice-chairperson shall preside at meetings in
the chairperson’s absence, and act for the chairperson when he/she cannot
attend.
A.
Project Committees:
1.
Project
Committees shall be formed as they are needed.
These Committees shall address block grant planning and special issues
identified by the State Advisory Council or the Division as topics relevant to
the Mental Health Service Delivery System.
2.
Project
Committee members will report to the full council at each council meeting.
3.
A
Committee will disband when work is done on its particular issue.
B.
Executive Committee:
1.
The
membership of the Executive Committee shall consist of the chairperson of the
Council, the vice-chairperson of the Council, immediate past chairperson, and
chairpersons of any project committees.
2.
The
Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson, upon request of
three or more of the committee members, or
a call of the Division Director. A
quorum shall consist of a majority of Executive Committee members.
C.
The Committee chairpersons shall preside at all
committee meetings and shall be appointed by the Council chairperson or, in
his/her absence, the vice-chairperson.
D.
The Chairperson shall be an ex-officio member of
all committees and task forces.
A.
The
Council shall meet at least every ninety days at the call of the Division
Director or the Council chairperson.
B.
A
quorum requires the attendance of at least 50%
of the members of the Council.
C.
When
necessary, a telephone poll may be conducted to complete the quorum necessary
for action and to conduct other Council matters in a timely manner, and such
action shall be included in the minutes of the next regularly scheduled meeting.
D.
All
Council sessions are public meetings as defined by the Sunshine Law, “Any
meeting, formal or informal, regular or special, of any governmental body at
which any public business is discussed, decided, or public policy formulated.”
Absence from three (3) consecutive meetings in any calendar year without prior notification shall be considered as a resignation from the Council.
A.
Compensation:
Each member shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses
including travel expenses pursuant to the travel regulations for employees of
the Department, actually incurred in the performance of his/her official duties.
B.
Amendments:
Any Council member may present amendments for consideration at any
meeting. Such
amendment will be voted on at the next regular meeting and requires a 2/3
majority to amend the bylaws. In
circumstances where amendments to the bylaws are time sensitive, a vote may be
taken by telephonic or electronic means.
C.
The
Division Director shall:
1.
Serve
as the primary Departmental consultant to the State Advisory Council.
2.
Provide
the Council and committees with Division staff for technical assistance and
secretarial support.
Approved 10/21/04