2007-2008 NYSARH Committees & Charges

Executive Committee

Collene Dare Alexander, President, Northern New York Rural Health Care Alliance, Watertown

Diane Franzman, Treasurer, Columbia County Community Healthcare Consortium, Saranac Lake

Gail Furst, At-Large Member, Monroe Plan, Rochester

Andrea Haradon , Vice President, S2AY Rural Health Network, Corning

Fred Heigel, Secretary & Legislative, Healthcare Association of New York State, Rensselaer

Richard Merchant, By-laws, Northern AHEC, Canton

By-Laws Committee

The By-Laws Committee is responsible for reviewing, updating and recommending proposed changes in the by-laws to the board and general membership at the annual meeting.

Richard Merchant, Chair, Northern AHEC, Canton

Corrected Association By-Laws (2007)

2008 Conference Planning Committee

The chairperson of the annual conference shall recommend the subcommittee chairpersons to the Board. The annual conference chairperson and the subcommittee chairpersons shall constitute the Annual Conference Committee. The Annual Conference Committee will also be charged to develop programs to promote rural health care and services.

Diane Albrecht, Treasurer, Tri-chair, Rural Health Network of South Central New York, Endicott

Jackie Carlton, Tri-chair, Seven Valleys Health Coalition, Cortland

Karen Mastronardi, Tri-chair, NY FarmNet, Ithaca

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee shall be comprised of at least three (3) members of the Association in addition to the treasurer, appointed by the board in odd years, for two year terms. The chair shall be appointed by the president and approved by the board.

The Finance Committee shall assist the treasurer in developing an annual budget; review disbursements; make recommendation to the board with regard to expenditures; seek, develop, and mange additional revenue; and develop appropriate recommendation to the board for long-term financing of the Association.

Diane Franzman, Treasurer, Chair, Columbia County Community Health Care Consortium, Hudson

Legislative and Health Advocacy Committee

The Association supports the legislation of rural health and rural health policy. The Association seeks to establish broad membership consensus in support of public policies that assure adequate access to and quality of health services for rural population in New York State . To this end, the Association is committed to providing education of legislative issues, and to participating in coalitions to advance the interest of the public’s health. The legislative and health policy interests of the Association are defined as those interests that are brought forth by the general membership and goals established by the board of directors. The Legislative/Health Policy Committee functions in support of these broad commitments and interests.

The Legislative/Health Advocacy Committee shall be comprised of at least three (3) members appointed by the board in odd years, for two-year terms. The chair shall be appointed by the president and approved by the board. The immediate past-president shall be a voting member of the committee.

The committee shall: (1) advise the Board of Directors on existing and emerging policy issues, (2) assist in formulating persuasive advocacy arguments and positions, (3) monitor and coordinate advocacy activities, and (4) determine the conditions for Association sponsorship of other organizations, programs and events.

Fred Heigel, Chair, Healthcare Association of New York State, Rensselaer

Membership Committee

The committee is responsible for marketing the Association to potential members and the recruitment and retention of members. This includes developing value added benefits for membership. The committee is responsible for determining the eligibility of new applicants, as well as identifying persons qualified for, and interested in, becoming board members and/or holding office.

There is also an awards sub-group of the Membership Committee. The awards sub-group shall seek out for formal recognition on an annual basis those individuals and organizations that strive to fulfill the mission of the New York State Association for Rural Health.

Sharon Mathe, Co-chair, Healthy Community Alliance, Gowanda

Carrie Whitwood, Co-chair, Allegany/Western Steuben Health Network, Wellsville

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall be responsible for identifying persons qualified for, and interested in, becoming board members.

The chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall accept additional nominations if such nomination is accompanied by the written consent of the candidate, and submitted in writing. The chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall validate the additional nominations and forward the names of these candidates with a short biography to the secretary to be included with the official ballot.

The Nominating Committee shall also be responsible for conducting the election, counting ballots of the election, and reporting the results of the election at the annual meeting. A ballot shall be included in the conference registration packet for each member attending the conference to elect officers and board of directors of the Association. For individuals not attending the conference, an absentee ballot will be made available, upon request, thirty (30) days prior to the annual conference. The ballot must be returned to the Association ten (10) days prior to the conference.

TBA, Chair, TBA

Organizational Development Committee

The Planning and Organizational Development Committee will amend as necessary the Association’s Strategic Plan with input from all other committees. The committee will also monitor the specific action plans developed by the individual committees to achieve the objectives and goals contained in the Strategic Plan. The Planning and Organizational Development Committee will be charged with identifying funding and program opportunities for organizational development.

Andrea Haradon , Chair, S2AY Rural Health Network, Corning

 Public Relations Committee

The Public Relations Committee works to promote the organization through internal and external communication, and coordinating publications and electronic media.

Patty Bishop, Chair, Northern New York Rural Health Care Alliance, Watertown

 Quality in Rural Health Committee

The Committee is responsible for the advancement of the Association’s mission as it pertains to Quality and to address one of the three top priorities identified by NYSARH Member’s in the 2004 and 2005 Survey – Financial Viability by: (1) serving as the NYSARH liaison for the National Rural Health Association’s Quality initiative and partnership, (2) convening interested parties to investigate best practices, models, and standards regarding quality, (3) providing access for educational venues regarding the best practices, models, and standards regarding quality for NYSARH members, and (4) work in conjunction with the Membership Committee to identify potential new members; and other Association Committees such as Legislative, Organizational Development, and Public Relations when appropriate.

Andrea Haradon, Vice President, Co-chair, S2AY Rural Health Network, Corning

Appointed Representatives, NRHA/State Association

Diane Franzman, Treasurer, Chair, Columbia County Community Health Care Consortium, Hudson

Gail Furst, Monroe Plan for Medical Care, Rochester