Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHRAB Bylaws March-FINAL Page 1 KITTITAS COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY ADVISORY BOARD BYLAWS I. ADVISORY BOARD AUTHORIZATION & COMPOSITION: A. The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) shall establish an advisory board for the county Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder program. The board will henceforth be referenced to as the Behavioral Health and Recovery Advisory Board (BHRAB) as authorized by Kittitas Board of County Commissioners Resolution 2016-063. B. The county programs shall be advised by a board consisting of seven (7) members appointed by the BOCC, with the additional stipulation that: 1. Members shall be appointed for three-year terms with the terms of one-third of the members expiring each year plus one on the first year. 2. A member whose term expires may be re-appointed. 3. The BHRAB shall actively seek consumer representation. 4. The BHRAB shall seek to recruit membership in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 388-865-0252 which indicates that an advisory board: a) Broadly represents the demographic character of the service area; b) Is composed of at least fifty-one percent representation of one or more of the following: i. Persons with lived experience; ii. Parents or legal guardians of persons with lived experience; or iii. Self-identified as persons in recovery from a behavioral health disorder; c) Includes law enforcement representation, and; d) Includes tribal representation, upon request of a tribe. 5. Interested individuals will submit an Application for Appointment to Kittitas County Boards and Commissions to the County Commissioners Office. 6. The Clerk of the BOCC will forward all applications to the Clerk of the BHRAB. The Clerk of the BHRAB will forward applications to the County Coordinators who will interview the applicant and invite them to the next scheduled meeting. 7. The BHRAB will review applications and forward their recommendation to the BOCC to approve/deny an applicant. 8. The BOCC will review the Applications for Appointment along with BHRAB recommendation for applicants and approve/deny appointment to the Board. 9. The Clerk of the BOCC will issue letters of Appointment to applicants who are appointed to the Board by the BOCC. The terms of the appointment will be specified in the letter of appointment. 10. If a member needs to be removed from the Board for reasons including but not limited to conflicts of interest, unexcused absences, or other reason unknown, the Board will vote on this issue. If a simple majority of the Board members in attendance votes to remove a member, the recommendation of the Board will brought forth to the BOCC. 11. The BOCC will review the recommendation of the Board to remove a member and will vote to retain or terminate the member’s appointment to the Board. II. ADVISORY BOARD DUTIES -- The Kittitas County BHRAB shall; A. Develop, communicate, and present the county BHRAB Biennial Plan including: 1. Reviewing and assessing community and consumer needs, services, resources, priorities, facilities and special problems related to Substance Use Disorder program needs in Kittitas Page 2 County. 2. Reviewing and assessing community and consumer needs, services, resources, priorities, facilities and special problems related to Mental Health program needs in Kittitas County. 3. Establishing priorities on the basis of this assessment and recommending the allocation of available county and state funds to be in alignment with the plan. B. Receive public, consumer, and provider comments. C. Advise the BOCC on ensuring community Behavioral Health and Recovery services, which shall include the fullest and most feasible utilization of services. D. Inform the BOCC of specific needs in Kittitas County not being met by existing programs and recommend specific program development to alleviate such needs. E. Review the BHRAB’s bylaws bi-annually during alternating annual meetings. III. ADVISORY BOARD PROCEDURAL MATTERS -- The following procedures shall be followed by the BHRAB: A. A quorum shall consist of four people, regardless of current board membership and will determine whether the Board may conduct any regular or special meeting. If a quorum is available, a voting requirement of those members in attendance will provide a simple majority to transact business . B. A full agenda of the business to be conducted shall be emailed to all BHRAB members prior to any regular or special meetings with the understanding that items may be acted on only by simple majority vote of the BHRAB members in attendance which are on the agenda. C. Meetings shall take place every other month on the 2nd Monday beginning in January, unless canceled by the Chair, on a date and time to be established by the members. D. Special meetings may be called at the request of the Chair, the BOCC, or at the written request of four or more members of the BHRAB. Notice of all special meetings, along with an agenda, noticed to the County website one week in advance of the meeting date. E. The annual meeting shall take place in November. F. Three (3) unexcused absences from meetings per calendar year by any member may cause the BHRAB to recommend to the BOCC that the member be dropped from the BHRAB. G. The BOCC shall be notified of members who resign. The BOCC shall fill such vacancies as soon as the BHRAB recommends a suitable replacement. The term of the appointment will be for the duration of the vacancy. H. Prospective members of the BHRAB shall submit the county application for appointment. County staff shall bring applications forth to the BHRAB for review and recommendation for appointment by the BOCC. I. No BHRAB member shall have a contract with Kittitas County or the Greater Columbia Behavioral Health Organization to provide services, nor shall any BHRAB member be an officer, member, or employee of an agency contracting with Kittitas County to provide such services. Subcontractors who receive funds from agencies under contract with Kittitas County shall not be similarly barred from membership, unless the funds originate from the county. J. All members shall fully disclose to the BHRAB at an open public meeting all matters of financial interest and other matters relating to the appearance of fairness and conflict of interest concerns. The Chair, after review by the, shall decide all related issues, including the necessity or desirability to excuse any member from discussions and/or voting on particular issues. IV. ADVISORY BOARD OFFICERS -- Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of the BHRAB for a term of one (1) year from January through December, or until their successors are elected, and shall include the following, with duties and functions as set forth: A. Chair: 1. The Chair shall be appointed by the BOCC as the Commissioner assigned to oversee the Page 3 Board. 2. The Chair shall preside at meetings of the BHRAB, serve as Chair of the Executive Committee, serve as a member ex-officio of all sub-committees and perform such other duties as are assigned by the BOCC. 3. The Chair shall establish and appoint members to sub-committees. B. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in case of the Chair’s absence or disability or during any vacancy in the office of Chair. C. Executive Committee: 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice-Chair, and one (1) member-at- large elected at the annual meeting. A simple majority quorum of 50% of Executive Committee members shall be required to take action at an Executive Committee meeting. 2. The Executive Committee shall represent the BHRAB in matters of business, which arise during the period between meetings. Such matters shall be reported and the action taken ratified by the BHRAB at the next meeting. The Executive Committee shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the BHRAB. 3. The Executive Committee may make recommendations to the BHRAB on: a. Changes in bylaws and procedures. b. Meeting agenda with proposed motions. 4. The Executive Committee may make recommendations to the BOCC on: a. Applications from prospective members. b. Issues which cannot wait for board meetings. 5. The Executive Committee may receive: a. Membership applications. 6. The Executive Committee shall report to the Board on: a. Recommendations made to the BOCC. b. Minutes of Executive Committee meetings. 7. The Executive Committee shall conduct business through: a. Meetings called by the Committee Chair or majority of the committee. b. A telephone poll conducted by the Chair and authorized unanimously by Committee members. VI. COUNTY COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES: The County Coordinators or Designees shall carry out their duties under the direction of the contracts with the Greater Columbia Behavioral Health Organization and under the general supervision of the Washington State Department of Behavioral Health and Recovery; A. The County Coordinators or designee shall: 1. Attend all BHRAB meetings; 2. Provide a monthly report to the BHRAB about the status of the programs, sub-contractors, and the statewide program; 3. Work with county staff to finalize the agenda for each meeting; 4. Request formal and informal feedback from the BHRAB, as appropriate; VII. AMENDMENTS: A. The bylaws may be suggested at a regular meeting of the BHRAB provided that: 1. Proposed amendments have been read at one meeting prior to voting; 2. Proposed amendments have been submitted in writing to the members prior to the first reading; and 3. A simple majority of the members of the BHRAB members vote in favor of implementation Page 4 of any amendment. B. Final approval of bylaw amendments is made by the Board of County Commissioners. COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S APPROVAL: _______________________________ ________________________ Chair, Kittitas County Board of Date Commissioners _______________________________ Kittitas County Commissioner _______________________________ Kittitas County Commissioner