The name of the organization shall be the Child and Adolescent Local Area Network #63, herein referred to as LAN 63. As the planning area, LAN 63 will serve the Chicago communities of Edison Park, Norwood Park, Jefferson Park, Forest Glen, North Park, Albany Park, Portage Park, Irving Park, Dunning, Montclare, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, O’Hare, and Norwood Park Township.

LAN 63 is committed to creating a strong network of providers and consumers working together to build relationships, collaborate, plan, advocate, and communicate information across the 14 communities.

Governing Values

The Steering Committee will strive to have representatives that reflect the community in race, ethnicity, consumer types, and organizations serving children, youth, and their families. All LAN 63 Steering Committee Meetings are open to the public. Any agency or organization seeking an endorsement of the LAN must be a voting member of the LAN.

Section 2:  Membership Criteria

Voting members must meet the following criteria:

Section 3:  Definitions

Regular attendance shall be defined as not missing more than two consecutive steering committee meetings. A Steering Committee member organization or individual member may send a designee if unable to attend.

An organization shall be defined as any group of individuals who organize for a common purpose.

An organization member shall be defined as one who represents an organization, whether that person is an ongoing representative, a designee, or a new staff replacement. The organization supports and approves that member through the signed LAN Membership Agreement.

An individual member is defined as a person who does not represent an organization.

Most decisions will be made by consensus, taking into consideration, all points of view and seriously attempting to reach agreement on significant issue. If no agreement can be reached, the issue shall be settled with a majority vote of the voting membership present at the meeting. Any member may call for a roll call vote on any issue.

Elections shall be held prior to the end of the fiscal year and majority vote is required for successful election to office. In the event of a resignation or an absence of more than two consecutive meetings by the officer, the Steering Committee may declare a vacancy and elect a member who meets the requirements for the office.

Written notification of the election meeting will be sent out in advance.

An ad hoc committee may be convened to select candidates for the offices.

The Steering Committee is the decision making body of LAN 63. The Steering Committee may be composed of organization representatives, consumers, parents and other interested individuals who work and/or reside in the assigned geographic area. Youth may also serve on the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will meet at least quarterly or as often as needed to address the planning needs of LAN 63. Special meetings may be called by Co-Conveners, or upon written request of at least four voting members, or consensus of the Steering Committee as a whole. The meetings may refer to Robert's Rules of Order to clarify procedure, except as modified by these by-laws.

Standing committees and their membership are established by the Steering Committee. Leadership of the Standing Committees is selected within each committee and ratified by the LAN Steering Committee. Voting on the standing committees shall be one vote per member. Each Standing Committee will establish its own meeting schedule.

Membership Committee: Will be responsible for recruiting consumers, parents, and other representatives to be members of the committee; working closely with the LAN Wraparound Committee to coordinate orientation to LAN 63 including the development and updating of a membership packet; developing and proposing marketing tools to the Steering committee; assessing training needs for the LAN, and sending information to the www.systemofcareillinois.org website.

Community Planning Committee: Will be responsible for conducting or accessing needs assessment data to clearly define services available within LAN 63 and identify service gaps; developing and proposing a long range plan; and making recommendations to the Steering Committee on how funding requests and RFPs fit within the identified service delivery system or fills voids in that system.

LAN Wraparound Committee: Responsible for reviewing wraparound referrals including providing resources/referrals to facilitators; negotiating costs of wraparound plans prior to approval; approving and tracking of wraparound funds requested/expended in cooperation with the fiscal agent; mailing the LAN Referral Form to Chrysalis; developing and maintaining a facilitator list; reporting information on facilitator status, referrals, and expenditures to the Steering Committee.

Quality Assurance Committee: Meets on a quarterly basis to conduct a minimum of quality assurance reviews on 10% of the flex wraps and 10% of the WSAA wraps. Submit reports with recommendations to the Steering Committee quarterly.

Family Centered Services (FCS) Committee: Meets quarterly to review all submitted FCS reports, decides whether to issue competitive or renewal applications, establishes the content and distribution of the applications, reviews the Family Centered Service applications and funding allocations. Sets future direction of Family Centered Services using state guidelines.

Additional committees may be formed as needed.

It is expected that all individuals will first attempt to resolve conflicts with other individuals directly in a mature and responsible manner. If that fails the following process would be followed.

1. Any member with a grievance concerning a violation of the LAN 63 by-laws will submit the grievance in writing to a co-convener.

2. A Co-Convener will respond within 10 business days by attempting to resolve the grievance through the following steps.

a. Informal conversation with all parties involved (if not successful, b)

b. Mutually agreed mediator (if not successful, c)

c. Presentation of the issue at the next Steering Committee meeting for discussion and resolution.

If solution b or c is selected, there will be a written statement of the grievance and its resolution.

Section 2:  Removal of voting members or any elected or appointed position

Grounds for removal include the following:

1. Negligence-Not performing duties as outlined in the by-laws.

2. Absence-Missing more than two consecutive meetings (a designee may be sent if a member is unable to attend).

3. Mismanagement of funds-Unlawful and/or improper use of any funds.

4. Non-supportive/inactive-Failure to participate and follow through on tasks in LAN activities and meetings.

5. Falsification of Records-Changing and /or recording records to reflect falsehoods.

Procedure for Removal:

1. Only voting members can petition for the removal of an officer, fiscal agent, or member. The request must be made in writing to a, or the remaining, co-convener. There must be a list with the signatures of the members petitioning. The number of signatures must be equal to the LAN’s quorum. The signature list, along with the specific charges or allegations, will be sent to all LAN voting members.

2. A certified letter with a return receipt must be sent to the officer, fiscal agent, or member being considered for removal. This letter will include a notification of the removal procedure, the charges against him/her, and the signature list.

3. Within 10 business days the highest-ranking officer shall call to confirm the letter was received and set up a mutually agreed upon meeting date in the next 2 weeks.

4. Written notification of the meeting regarding the petition for removal must be given to all LAN voting members.

5. The petitioned party will be given the opportunity to address the written charges at the petition review meeting.

6. The removal vote must be two third votes of the members present (minimum of six people must be present to have a valid vote), by secret ballot.

7. It is at the discretion of the LAN Steering Committee to share the results of the decision, however if the Fiscal Agent is removed the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) must be notified.

 

These by-laws may be adopted or amended by a majority vote of eligible voting members present at a meeting. Notification of by-laws voting must be sent in writing at least ten days prior to the meeting, clearly stating the proposed adoption or amendment of by-laws. These by-laws shall become effective immediately following their adoption or amendment.

Adopted February 19, 2002

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