FORMING AND MAINTAINING A CONSUMER ADVISORY BOARD

Transcription

1 FORMING AND MAINTAINING A CONSUMER ADVISORY BOARD National Health Care for the Homeless Council Morristown Regional Training May 10, 2013 Presenters: Brian Zralek, MSSW Consumer Advocate, National Health Care for the Homeless Council David Broxton New York Care for the Homeless Consumer Advisory Board Member

2 Workshop Objectives This workshop will focus on the following: How consumer advisory boards (CAB) enhance consumer involvement in governance How CABs advocate on behalf of consumers How HCH projects learn from and empower consumers Different models for CABs - real-life challenges and achievements Audience participation welcome!

3 Who is in the audience: Introductions consumers on advisory and governing boards other consumers project staff others new or developing projects projects with HRSA waivers projects with consumers on advisory or governing boards

4 Overview Federal Governance Requirements What is a Consumer Advisory Board? How does a CAB Work? How do CAB Meetings Work? Membership Recruitment and Retention What is NCAB? NCAB Regional Representatives Advocacy: Making the Voice of Consumers Heard Strategic Sharing Questions and Comments

5 Outcomes Collectively, people in this room have a lot of knowledge and experience The format for this presentation: - engage in conversation - share knowledge and experience - learn from and empower each other - break down barriers regarding consumer participation in a project s policy and decision-making process What would you like to walk away with today?

6 Federal Governance Requirements That Affect Health Care for the Homeless Projects Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act: The governing board is composed of individuals, a majority of whom are being served by the center and who, as a group, represent the individuals being served by the center. If this requirement is not met, a separate health center governing board may be established, called a Consumer Advisory Board (CAB). If your health center is a 330(h), or HCH center, waivers to the consumer majority rule can be requested, but consumer participation in governance is still required.

7 Why Consumer Involvement? The intent of the statute in having a pa8ent majority board is that such individuals are selected based on both their experience in u8lizing the health center as their primary care medical home, and their knowledge of the community and/or target popula8on so that they may serve as an informed voice that will represent the needs of all health center pa8ents while carrying out their board authori8es for [the following]: 7 - taken from HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care Consultant enews Volume 2, Issue 1, April 2013

8 Health Center Board Du8es Selec8ng health center services; SeVng health center opera8ng hours; Defining budget priori8es; Establishing and evalua8ng the organiza8on's progress in mee8ng goals, including pa8ent sa8sfac8on; Other relevant areas of governance that require and benefit from pa8ent input (e.g. determining appropriate nominal fees); and In general, mee8ng the primary care needs of the popula8on served. - taken from HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care Consultant enews Volume 2, Issue 1, April

9 Ways to Facilitate Consumer Representation Include consumers or former consumers on the project s governing board. Create regularly constituted focus groups. Create a separate Consumer Advisory Board. What are other ways to include consumer representation?

10 What is a CAB? Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) A group of homeless and/or formerly homeless individuals, advocates, providers, and community members brought together to positively affect change at their local Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) project. Purpose of a CAB? Advise regarding issues that pertain to services furnished by the project. Advocate for consumers requiring health and human services offered in the community. Assist consumers navigating their way through service delivery systems. Represent the consumer viewpoint in the community. Inform policy- / decision-makers and other community stakeholders regarding current and long-term health care and human services needs.

11 How does a CAB work? Consumer Advisory Board By definition, an advisory board offers advice to project management, staff, policy- makers / decision- makers and others: Assembles a group of 5 to 25 voting members Meets periodically May include project staff (Project Director, other management or staff), but they are not voting members. Makes recommendations Advocates for those in the community

12 Things to Remember A Consumer Advisory Board is an advisory group A Consumer Advisory Board must be autonomous Work closely with agency management Do not make decisions on day-to-day operations of the agency Make its own decisions and recommendations Develop its own guidelines/ by-laws/rules (which can be approved by the agency Board of Directors)

13 Recruitment is one of the most important things a CAB does

14 Consumer Advisory Board Member Recruitment & Retention The HCH project community and homeless community are as diverse as any other community. Your CAB should reflect that diversity: invite current and formerly homeless friends or associates. invite the working poor. accept recommendations from project staff and others in the community. Current CAB members - CFH if your CAB is not autonomous, the final decision may come from your HCH project s governing board. (i.e. County Board of Supervisors) is membership on your CAB open to other community members not part of the HCH community? Invite audience members to share their recruitment ideas.

15 Consumer Advisory Board How does a CAB work? CAB members understand the importance of service. CAB members work as a team. Members fulfill duties and expectations. Members follow a Code of Ethics. CAB members establish a decision-making process. Members manage conflict on the CAB team. How does your CAB work? Edited Source: An Introduction to Consumer Advisory Boards Region IX HCH Conference workshop presentation by John Lozier and Amy Grassette

16 Membership Must Represent the Community Edited Source: An Introduction to Consumer Advisory Boards Region IX HCH Conference workshop presentation by John Lozier and Amy Grassette

17 Consumer Advisory Board - Bylaws An effective advisory or governing board is guided by policies and rules that describe the purposes of the board, its scope of responsibility and what is expected of board members. Bylaws are a formal written description of the board operation. At a minimum, they should include: Name of the board Meetings Purpose Committees Membership and term of office Parliamentary authority Officers and their duties Amendment procedure Bylaws should be tailored to the needs and requirements of the HCH / CHC project and the participating consumers. NHCHC, HRSA, and National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) websites are good sources for information regarding bylaws.

18 Consumer Advisory Board meeting agenda sample 1. Roll Call and agenda additions (if any) 2. Introduction of guests 3. Approval of prior meeting s minutes 4. Special presentations 5. Communication 6. Old business 7. New business 8. Adjournment A meeting agenda is set according to the issues facing the CAB members, project staff, HRSA compliance issues and the needs of the community served by your HCH project.

19 Consumer Advisory Board meeting agenda potential agenda items HCH / CHC project updates from staff - quality improvement, patient experience/satisfaction Affordable Care Act (health reform) implementation in your area Evaluation of HCH / CHC project budget and executive director Local / regional / state poverty and homelessness issues Review NHCHC NCAB monthly conference call agenda + minutes CAB advocacy, outreach and professional development opportunities National Health Center Week in August National Homelessness Awareness Week in November National Homeless Persons Memorial Day on December 21 st National Social Worker Month in March National Nurse Appreciation Week in May

20 Consumer Advisory Board meeting agenda consider community- and consumer-driven presentations The Culture of Homelessness : - great for homelessness awareness week or hospital ground rounds 100,000 Homes Campaign in your local area NCAB and local Consumer Participation Outreach (CPO) Surveys review online NHCHC webinars and conference workshops invite local, regional and state representatives involved with poverty, homelessness and health care issues to your CAB meeting if there are other HCH / CHC projects in your area, invite them to have a city-wide or county-wide CAB meeting Care for the Homeless CAB had Board of Elections representative talk about voter registration. CFH is also going to help with the AIDS walk invite ideas for agenda items from audience members

21 National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) NCAB consists of homeless and formerly homeless persons who are currently or have been clients (consumers) of Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) projects across the country. While the NHCHC encourages consumers who are involved in the governance of HCH projects to become NCAB members, all consumers of HCH projects are invited to join NCAB. NCAB's elected Chair sits on the National Council's Board of Directors. All NCAB are expected to join NHCHC as individual members. The NCAB steering committee conference call, and all NCAB participate in NCAB business annual Conference and Policy meets monthly via a members are invited to meetings at the NHCHC Symposium.

22 National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) The NCAB Steering Committee consists of seven (7) voting members: Chairperson two (2) Co-chairs Secretary three (3) at-large Committee Members One at-large Committee Member serves a one-year term. The six other Steering Committee members serve a two-year term. Steering Committee members can serve two (2) terms for a maximum of four (4) years in any position. The NCAB Chairperson is also a member of the NHCHC Board of Directors.

23 NHCHC + NCAB Participation Opportunities These opportunities are also open to local CAB members: NCAB Steering Committee member NCAB Regional Representative NHCHC Committee Webinar presenter Workshop presenter - Regional Trainings + Annual Conference and Policy Symposium Technical Assistance - subject matter experts Focus Group participant Consumer Participation Outreach (CPO) Surveys Conference and Policy Symposium - NCAB Rally for Human Rights NCAB, RCPN, and Clinician networks Invite participants to join NCAB

24 HCH Project / Local CAB Participation Opportunities National Health Center Week is August 11-17, 2013 Health Care for the Homeless Day is Wednesday, August 14th NHCHC HCH Day information + webinar National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week is in November National Homeless Persons Memorial Day is December 21 st each year

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26 NCAB Regional Representative Representing two (2) HRSA regions each to the NCAB Steering Committee : HRSA Regions 1+2; 3 +4; 5 + 7; 6 +8; 9+10 Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii,Nevada and some U.S. territories) Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington)

27 Advocacy Advocacy gives people experiencing homelessness a voice! Advocacy represents the strategies devised, actions taken and solutions proposed to influence decision-making at the local & state level to create positive change for people and their environment. One can engage in advocacy by meeting with a legislator on an important issue, writing an editorial for a newspaper, raising awareness for a cause at a community event, or even promoting an issue while having dinner with friends.

28 Why advocacy is so important? Change in community attitudes and misconceptions. Assists people to gain access to resources, funding and information. Holds service providers and organizations accountable ensuring transparency in their actions and decisions. Helps people take control over their situation. It ensures that people have a voice and that it will be heard. Recognition of the rights of people. Promotes positive change to the structure and policy of organizations, which will be of benefit to people.

29 What is Strategic Sharing? Strategic Sharing is a way to share your story effec8vely in different situa8ons Different situa8ons different audiences, goals, and opportuni8es Originally developed by the Foster Care Alumni Associa8on Source: Introduction to Strategic Sharing workshop by Amy Grassette, Carol Hall and Joseph Benson

30 Why Strategic Sharing? Personal stories are compelling Your experience can inform improvements in policies and programs Targeted communica8on maximizes impact on audiences You represent a larger group of people when you share strategically Source: Introduction to Strategic Sharing workshop by Amy Grassette, Carol Hall and Joseph Benson

31 This is where you do the turn- around.

32 Where to Find Information or Request Assistance National Health Care for the Homeless Council Become a member! See webinars, conference proceedings, etc! Learn about upcoming trainings, webinars and advocacy opportunities! -or- ncab@nhchc.org -or- council@nhchc.org Health Resources and Services Administration documents, data and an Ask HRSA live chat function available during HRSA business hours (East Coast time): or- bphchelpline@hrsa.gov -or- call BPHC BPHC = Bureau of Primary Health Care National Association of Community Health Centers

33 You are encouraged to share the information presented today with consumers on advisory and governing boards and with project staff! THANK YOU QUESTIONS & COMMENTS