Home
Professional Advisory Groups

HAPAG By Laws

  1. Name
  2. Purpose
  3. Objectives
  4. Membership
  5. Leadership
  6. Operations and Procedures
  7. By-laws Update and Approval
    Article I

    Name

    The Health Administration Professional Advisory Group shall be referred to as the HAPAG.

    Back to top

    Article II

    Purpose

    The Health Administration Professional Advisory Group (HAPAG) of the Health Services Professional Advisory Committee (HS PAC) shall consider discipline-specific professional issues and advise the Surgeon General through the HS PAC and Chief Health Services Officer regarding such issues.

    Back to top

    Article III

    Objectives

    The HAPAG functions in a resource and advisory capacity to assist in the development, coordination, training and evaluation of activities related to Health Services Officers (HSOs) in the health administration professional discipline in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) with the specific objectives of:

  • Identifying issues of interest and facilitating the resolution of concerns as they relate to health administration officers;
  • Assessing personnel needs of the USPHS as related to health administration and assisting in meeting the needs relative to recruitment, retention, training, professional development and utilization;
  • Assessing professional development needs and developing position papers, statistical reports, and/or guidelines, where appropriate, to advise and comment on matters relating to the personnel issues of health administration professionals and their practices;
  • Promoting cooperation and communication among and between other professional disciplines and health professionals;
  • Promoting all aspects of quality health administration throughout the agencies and programs of the USPHS.
  • Eligibility Requirement: Members shall be Commissioned Corps health or public health administrators either by degree, position (i.e. manager/supervisor), or job description (e.g. policy analyst, public health advisor) in the Health Services Category. All Commissioned Corps personnel must meet the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment basic readiness standards at the time they are nominated and appointed to the HAPAG and throughout their term or service on the HAPAG.
  • Size of the HAPAG: The HAPAG shall have up to 20 voting members (members herein) who are nominated and appointed by the HAPAG.
  • Terms: Each of the appointed members shall serve a term of up to three years. Terms will be staggered so that approximately one–third of the members’ terms will expire annually. Members may re-apply after the first term. Terms of office may be served consecutively at the discretion of the HAPAG.
  • Other Considerations:
    • Organizational representation: Participation shall be promoted from each of the Department of Health and Human Services Operating Divisions to provide the range of experiences and perspectives necessary to address issues before the HAPAG. Efforts will be made to have the broadest representation possible among all other Agencies where Commissioned Corps health administrators from the Health Services Category are employed.
    • Geographic consideration: Participation shall be promoted from members whose regular duty station is geographically removed from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Members will be actively solicited and provisions such as teleconferencing will be made so that Commissioned Corps health administrators stationed outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area can participate in meetings.
    • Gender and Minority Representation: Diversity among officers of different cultures, race, ethnicity, and gender shall be respected and participation welcomed. Efforts will be made to ensure that the membership of the HAPAG represents the ethnic and gender diversity of the health administration discipline within the Health Services Category.
      E. Senior Advisors (non-voting): The HAPAG may identify at least two (2) senior level officers (05/06) and request their service in advisory capacities to assist with issues, concerns, policies, procedures, and activities concerning health administration. Of the two senior advisors, at least one must be an officer with a discipline in health administration with demonstrable health administration expertise. Each Senior Advisor can serve a three-year term limit. In the event that the Senior Advisors are unable to fulfill their respective terms, the HAPAG voting membership may nominate a candidate to best serve the needs of the HAPAG.
    • Members will be solicited through the HSO Listserv and other appropriate means.
    • Individuals are welcome to serve as volunteers on HAPAG subcommittees and functions at the discretion of the HAPAG Chair. Volunteers have no voting rights.
    • Meetings will be open to all HSOs.
Back to top
Article V

Leadership

The leadership of the HAPAG shall be composed of the Chair, the Chair-elect and the Secretary. Each officer shall be elected by the voting membership of the HAPAG prior to the end of the calendar year, for a term of office, as defined in the by-laws, beginning on January 1. In the event of a vacancy of the Chair, the Chair-elect shall assume the responsibilities for the duration of the term. Furthermore, if both the Chair and Chair-elect are unable to fulfill their respective terms, then a special election is required. The HAPAG membership must nominate and elect a new Chair and Chair-elect from the remaining voting membership. Of the remaining voting membership, the candidate must have at least one-year prior membership in HAPAG at the time of the election. Vacancies in other offices shall be filled by appointment by the Chair for the remainder of the term.

Duties of the officers are the following:

  • Chair: Provides leadership to the HAPAG and provides liaison to the HS-PAC. The Chair is considered an ex-officio member of the HS-PAC and is expected to attend the HS-PAC meetings and any other significant meetings affecting the HAPAG; the Chair may also designate a representative to attend such meetings.
    Term of the Chair: The Chair serves a 1-year term.
  • Chair-elect: Assists the Chair and functions as the Chair when necessary.
    Term of the Chair-elect: The Chair-elect serves a 1-year term and then succeeds as the Chair.
  • Secretary: Provides a written record of the activities of the HAPAG. The Secretary shall record the minutes of meetings, maintain reports and official documents of the HAPAG, and assist the Chair and Chair-elect in carrying out the duties associated with their respective offices.
    Term of the Secretary: The Secretary serves a 1-year term.

    No officer shall be elected to more than two consecutive terms in the same position.

Back to top

    Article VI

    Operations and Procedures

HAPAG operations and procedures shall include the following:

  • Operational Year: The operational year for the HAPAG is January 1 – December 31.
  • Frequency of Meetings: Meetings will be held at least once per quarter. The Chair may call additional meetings as needed.
  • Agenda: A meeting agenda and appropriate background material will be made available to the HAPAG members.
  • Recording and Reporting: Minutes of each HAPAG meeting will be recorded and approved by the HAPAG. The HAPAG Secretary will maintain a permanent file of official minutes and reports.
  • Voting and By-law Amendments: Members will receive nomination forms for Chair-elect and Secretary and will be notified of nominees thirty days prior to voting. A Commissioned Corps HSO who is not a health administrator selected by the HAPAG will tabulate votes. Where voting is required, action will be determined by a simple majority of those members present. By-law amendments will be made by a simple majority vote of those members who are present.
  • Operating Subcommittees: The HAPAG may have operating subcommittees to accomplish its objectives. These subcommittees will be organized and conduct business in a manner consistent with the HAPAG. The Chair of the HAPAG will appoint the chair of each subcommittee. The operating subcommittees may include but are not limited to: (1) communication, (2) recruitment/retention, (3) career development, (4) policy, (5) membership, and (6) awards.
  • Quorum: A quorum shall consist of 50 percent of the HAPAG membership.
  • Voting either in person or by a valid proxy is acceptable by email using rules of time and date of vote submissions.

 

Back to top
Article VII

By-laws Update and Approval

The HAPAG shall review its by-laws every three years and recommend revisions to update its by-laws as needed. Any revisions to the by-laws must be reviewed and approved by the HS-PAC. If in question, the HAPAG by-laws will be superseded by, and not conflict with, the HS-PAC charter and by-laws.


Back to top

December 2007