|
Working Agreement Introduction The Coalition of National Health Education Organizations (CNHEO) is a non-profit 501©(3) federation of ten national organizations, each of which is a professional health education organization or has an organizationally distinct health education component with principal membership of professional health educators. CNHEO was originally formed on March 1, 1972. The following eight organizations were founders: the American College Health Association (Health Promotion Section), American School Health Association, American Public Health Association (Public Health Education Section) [now Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section], American Public Health Association (School Health Education and Services Section), Association for the Advancement of Health Education (AAHPERD)[now American Association for Health Education], the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Health Education [ now Directors of Health Promotion and Education], Society for Public Health Education, and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. In 1999, Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Professional Health Education Honorary, was added as the 9th member organization, and in 2003, the American Academy of Health Behavior was added as the 10th member organization. The Coalition has been designed to function in a manner that in no way compromises the autonomy or prerogatives of any member organization.
I.
Purposes
A. To strengthen communications among the member organizations as well as between the health education profession and policymakers, other professions, and consumers; B. To develop, implement, and evaluate a shared vision and strategic plan for health education and the health education profession; C. To educate policy makers on the need for federal and state public policies that support healthy behaviors and healthy communities; D. To collaborate on common issues, problems, and concerns related to health education; and E. Increase the visibility of the health education profession and its member organizations.
II. Responsibilities of Participating
Organizations A. Appoint a delegate and an alternate to the Coalition, who will each serve for a term of three years. Parent Organizations will review appointments every three years and maintain the prerogative to reappoint. Appointments will last for three years, on each organization’s leadership cycle. B. Review, comment, and implement, where appropriate, the recommendations of the Coalition. C. Contribute annually to help defray operating costs of the Coalition. The assessment may be waived on an annual basis, should other funding sources meet operating expenses. An organization in arrears for two years shall be deleted from the Coalition roster. II. Coalition Structure The Coalition is a delegate assembly with two officers (Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator) elected from within the assembly, as specified in this Working Agreement. A. Meetings of Delegates 1. The Coalition shall schedule at least one face-to-face meeting each year. 2. The Coalition shall schedule monthly meetings via conference call, which the delegates and/or alternate of each member organization should attend. 3. A quorum of at least five delegates is required to conduct official Coalition business. 4. All actions will be taken as follows: a. Each member organization has one vote. b. Matters of procedure require a majority (over half of all delegates) vote. c. Matters of substance require referral to the member organizations and agreement of all member organizations. For the profession to speak with one voice. 100 % of delegate organizations must agree. “Matters of substance” is defined as “being of considerable importance.” Further, if any delegate or organization asks that an issue be considered “substantive,” it shall be. d. In the event of non-agreement, the Coalition may write a letter of summary of dialogue and not take a stand. e. Delegates shall report all actions taken at meetings to the organization they represent. B. Working Organization 1. Coordinator a. The Coordinator will be elected by a majority vote of all delegates. b. The Coordinator's term of office will be for three years. Tenure shall be limited to two terms. If a delegate is elected to complete an un-expired term, that time shall not be counted as a term in office, for the purpose of this section. c. If a Coordinator does not or cannot fulfill his or her duties, delegates may elect another delegate to complete the un-expired term. Filling an un-expired term shall not count as a term in office, for the purpose of this section. d. The Coordinator will perform or delegate the following duties: i.Bring to the attention of the delegates, issues and requests brought to the Coalition by agencies, organizations, and persons in the public and private sectors. ii.Coordinate program planning and development of a budget in relationship to program needs for approval by delegates. iii.Authorize expenditure of funds in accordance with the approved budget. iv.Make arrangements for meetings and prepare a meeting agenda. v.Seek delegate interest in and make appointments to standing and ad hoc committees. vi.Initiate action on committee recommendations. vii.Initiate and finalize negotiations with potential funding sources. viii.Bring to the attention of the Coalition delegates national health issues that are appropriate for Coalition consideration. ix.Keep informed and provide information to Coalition delegates concerning the activities of Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the National Center for Health Education, The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., and other health and health related national level organizations. x.Coordinate and distribute minutes of Coalition meetings to delegates, alternates, chief elected officers, chief staff officers, and when appropriate, to others. xi.Maintain official records of the Coalition. Keep complete files of Coalition activities, and correspondence, and pass these materials on the succeeding coordinator. xii.Send an annual letter of dues assessment to the member organizations. xiii.Ensure that minutes are recorded for each meeting of the Coalition. xiv.In the absence of the Deputy Coordinator, the Coordinator may designate another delegate to record and distribute minutes from a meeting of the Coalition, if the Deputy Coordinator is absent from the meeting. xv.Notify the member organizations when a delegate has failed to participate in two consecutive meetings of the Coalition. xvi.Upon completion of his or her term of office, forward a copy of all Coalition minutes, actions, correspondence, and files in his or her possession to his or her successor, as well as to the Coalition Archives, located with the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance national headquarters. 2. Deputy Coordinator a. The Deputy Coordinator will be elected by majority vote of all Coalition delegates for a three-year term. Tenure shall be limited to two terms. If a delegate is elected to complete an un-expired term, that time shall not be counted as a term in office, for the purpose of this section. b. The Deputy Coordinator will perform responsibilities as delegated by and negotiated with the Coalition Coordinator. c. Be responsible for taking minutes at Coalition meetings, and coordinating and distributing those minutes to delegates, and alternates, and when appropriate, to others. d. Upon completion of his or her term of office, forward a copy of all Coalition minutes, actions, correspondence, and files in his or her possession to his or her successor as well as to the Coalition Archives, located with the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance national headquarters. 3. Delegates will: a. Participate in all Coalition in-person or by phone meetings, or be responsible for representation from their parent organization. b. Keep their respective parent organizations informed of Coalition activities, by forwarding the minutes of the Coalition to the chief elected officer, chief staff officer, and any others so designated by their respective parent organizations. c. Be responsible for obtaining action by their parent organizations on Coalition issues in a timely manner. d. Assist in the work of the Coalition, including responsibility for seeking funding sources for Coalition meetings. e. Be responsible for orienting the new delegate and/or alternate from their respective parent organization when delegates or alternates change. This will involve sending all Coalition files to the new delegate. f. Provide Coalition delegates with information about the parent organization he or she represents. (See C1) g. Keep the Coordinator and webmaster informed in writing of any changes of delegate, alternate, chief staff officer, chief elected officer, or other organizational representatives, including changes of addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, or e-mail addresses. h. Update the Coalition Webmaster annually on delegates, alternate and all chief officers in their respective organization, and check the Coalition website for accuracy. 4. Alternates will: a. Keep informed about the activities and progress of the Coalition. b. Represent his or her parent organization at Coalition phone or face-to-face meetings if the delegate is unable to attend, and communicate information to the delegate. c. Cooperate with the delegate in orienting a new delegate or alternate from the parent organization he or she represents. This will involve, in part, passing all Coalition files to any new alternate from his or her parent organization. d. Defer decisions to the Delegate if both are present. C. Communication Mechanisms 1. Among member organizations, share annual reports and/or other relevant documents of sections of the organization. 2. Communicate information when possible from and to their organization via email. D. Management of Coalition Funds 1. Delegates will select one of the parent organizations with appropriate tax-exempt status to serve as the fiscal agent for the Coalition funds. 2. The Coordinator will authorize disbursements in accordance with the established budget. 3. Through its Delegate, the fiscal agent shall provide an annual accounting of Coalition funds.
E. Committees
F. Addition of Member
Organizations (All review / discuss this process) 1. The organization notifies the Coalition (by way of the Coordinator) of an interest in applying. 2. Coalition delegates vote at the next conference call/meeting to indicate whether or not the organization meets the basic criteria stated in the introduction of this section. 3. If approved for application, the Coalition Coordinator will forward application information to the representative of the interested organization. 4. The application information will include the following: a. A copy of the Coalition’s Working Agreement b. A statement regarding the financial obligation(s) of the delegate organizations that the applicant organization's authorized officer must sign and include with the formal letter of application. c. A letter explaining that the applicant must submit a letter of application that includes the following: i. A statement why the organization desires to become a delegate organization ii. An overview of the mission, history and the constituency of the applicant organization iii. A description of what the organization would contribute to the mission of the Coalition. iv. The Applicant’s website URL. 5. Decision on the application a. Each Coalition delegate will forward the completed application materials to his/her organization. b. Each delegate organization shall review and vote on the application according to its usual procedures. c. The delegate organization will report its vote in a timely manner to its Coalition delegate who will report the vote to other delegates at the next scheduled Coalition meeting / conference call d. A unanimous vote for approval is required. e. The Coalition Coordinator will report the vote in a letter to the applying organization. 6. If membership is approved, the applicant will become a fully participating delegate organization upon receipt of its first annual dues payment. If the application is not approved by member organizations, notification of such and need for further action will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
G. Revisions to the Working
Agreement
Date of report 7/15/84
Ratified 11/9/99 |