North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council By-Laws

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this council shall be the North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council, herein referred to as the Council.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purpose of the Council shall be to develop, recommend and advocate sound policies, priorities and strategies for the detection, control, and prevention of diabetes and to advocate for and assist public and private agencies and organizations to become more effectively engaged in efforts to reduce the burden of diabetes in North Carolina.

ARTICLE III: DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties and responsibilities of the council shall be, but not be limited to :

1. Advise the Diabetes Control Program in determining the diabetes problems of high priority in North Carolina, ways to control them, and major obstacles to such control.
2. Educate and publicly validate for early detection, treatment, and self-management training for diabetes control as a health priority for all North Carolinians.
3. Provide scientific credibility and public validity for new service priority areas and interventions based on evolving clinical and epidemiological studies and technology.
4. Foster interagency collaboration and networking for identification, utilization, and expansion of resources for diabetes control services.
5. Participate in developing and disseminating a North Carolina state plan for diabetes control.
6. Evaluate present and proposed strategies for the control of diabetes in North Carolina in terms of assessed need, estimated costs, potential benefits and probability of success of each strategy.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

Composition of Council

The North Carolina Diabetes Council shall consist of no more than 25 members, and shall be composed of individuals and organizations that are involved in diabetes care and education, or who are interested in supporting the Council's purpose, mission and goals. Therefore, it is expected that membership will include representation from:

1. Local Health Directors' Association
2. North Carolina Nurses Association
3. American Association of Diabetes Educators
4. American Diabetes Association, North Carolina Affiliate
5. North Carolina Association of Public Health Nurse Administrators
6. Office of Minority Health
7. North Carolina Dietetic Association
8. Physicians, including:
1. endocrinologist
2. primary care
3. ophthalmologist
9. Pharmacist
10. Business/Industry
11. Health Care Administration and Management
12. Tri-racial representative of persons with diabetes
13. Old North State Medical Society
14. North Carolina Medical Society
15. County Commissioner and/or Legislator
16. Media

Selection of Members

North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council Members, Chair and Vice Chair shall be appointed by the State Health Director.

Term of Membership

The initial term of membership for the Council shall include two and three-year tenures.

If a member resigns and a new member is appointed to complete the term they will serve the remainder of that term and are eligible for re-appointment to two additional terms.

Termination of Membership

Upon completion of the tenure of office, Council members may be re-appointed by the State Health Director for an additional term, or may retire.

When a Council member is absent from more than two council meetings in a one-year period, without due cause or prior notification, the Council Chair may send a letter to that member to determine his/her commitment to the council membership. The Council Chair may notify the State Health Director, who has the authority to remove the member from the Council.

Voting Rights

Each member of the Council shall have voting rights upon his/her appointment.

OFFICERS

The officers of the Council shall be a Chair and a Vice-Chair appointed by the State Health Director for the first two years of Council existence, after which members of the Council shall elect the Chair and Vice-Chair.

Section 1. Officers of the Council shall be chair and vice-chair.

Section 2. Term of office is for two years.

Section 3. The duties of the Council Chair shall include:

• To preside over Council meetings.
• To serve as official spokesperson for the Council.
• To act as ex-officio member to Task Forces.

Section 4. The duties of the Vice-Chair shall include:

• To carry out the duties of the Chair during his/her absence.
• To assume the duties of the Coalition Chair, if that office is vacated, through the remainder of the term.
• Serve as member/Chair of a Task Force.

ARTICLE V. TASK FORCES

Section 1. The Council Chair will recruit and appoint Task Force Chairs for leadership appropriate to the work to be done.

Section 2. Each task Force Chair shall organize activities and recruit membership required to address Task Force issues.

Section 3. Task Force Chairs report their findings and recommendations to the Council for approval during regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 4. The duty of the Patient and Professional Education Task Force shall be responsible for:

• An assessment of educational needs of multi-disciplinary professionals.
• Develop recommendations for planning and implementing professional education.
• Identify/strategies for providing self-management instructions to all persons with diabetes in North Carolina.
• Address institutionalization of education programs.

Section 5. The duty of the Resource Availability Task Force shall be:

• To mobilize efforts to accomplish third party reimbursement.
• Expand diabetes coverage options.
• Develop and make recommendations to the North Carolina Health Planning Commission so that diabetes care supplies, medication and education is included in the North Carolina Health Plan.

Section 6. The duty of the Leadership and Advocacy Task Force shall be:

• To advocate for change in the health care delivery service.
• To expand public policy-maker awareness about the health and cost containment benefits of paying for preventive services.
• To mobilize efforts to accomplish goals.

Section 7. The duty of the Patterns of Care Task Force shall be:

• To explore and develop minimum standards of care for physicians, registered nurses, and registered dietitians.
• Develop a Quality Assurance Component.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Regular Meetings

1. The Council shall hold a minimum of four meetings per fiscal year. These meetings shall be scheduled in advance, and the membership notified of their time and place.
2. The agenda for each meeting will be prepared by the Council Chair and the Diabetes Control Program Coordinator. Each member of the Council may submit items for consideration.
3. The Diabetes Control Program will be responsible for payment of travel and subsistence expenses to members of the Council for attendance at regular meetings as specified in the NC State Budget Manual.

ARTICLE VII: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

All meetings of the Council shall be considered in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, latest revised edition.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These by-laws may be amended at any business meeting by a two thirds vote of the council membership present and voting, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to all voting members at least 30 days prior to the convening of the meeting.