Family Ru Executive Director Leadership Associatio Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios INTRODUCTION Family-ru orgaizatios are uique orgaizatios established by parets carig for childre or youth with metal/ behavioral health eeds. The board ad employees share passio for the missio ad work because of their persoal lived experiece. Family-ru orgaizatios are also o-profit busiesses that must adhere to soud busiess practices ad act with itegrity. Balacig passio with busiess practices may appear to be i coflict with oe aother, but the cocepts are, i fact, complemetary ad stregthe all aspects of a family-ru orgaizatio. ABOUT THE STANDARDS The Family-Ru Executive Director Leadership Associatio (FREDLA) has developed Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios to set a high bar for family-ru orgaizatios as a meas of promotig professioal ad sustaiable orgaizatios that positively impact the lives of childre, youth ad families. The Stadards iclude the legal requiremets for all o-profit orgaizatios ad icorporate areas that are specific to family-ru orgaizatios. FREDLA believes that the Stadards will stregthe both idividual orgaizatios ad our commuity of family-ru orgaizatios. The stadards are divided ito twelve geeral categories ad withi each category there are recommeded steps to meet the Stadards of Excellece. The Stadards recogize that orgaizatios are at varyig stages of growth ad developmet ad may be much further alog i oe category tha i others. The Stadards are iteded to be a tool for family-ru orgaizatios to idetify specific steps to achieve a higher level of accoutability ad effectiveess i all categories FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios
MISSION AND VALUES OF FAMILY-RUN ORGANIZATIONS Family-ru orgaizatios have strog values of family-drive, youth-guided, commuity-based, ad culturally respectful resposive care. The Stadards are iteded to exist withi a overall framework of the orgaizatio that is missio-drive ad aliged with the orgaizatioal values. TERMINOLOGY Throughout the documet family is defied as a paret or primary caregiver who has or is curretly carig for a child with emotioal, behavioral, developmetal, substace use or metal health eeds. Youth is defied as a youg perso livig with emotioal, behavioral, developmetal, substace use or metal health eeds. Lived experiece refers to the persoal experieces of families or youth avigatig child-servig systems, such as child welfare, school, or juveile justice. STANDARDS Missio The family-ru orgaizatio has a clear statemet of its missio focused o paret-to-paret ad family support ad advocacy for the behavioral ad metal health eeds of childre ad youth. Goverace The board of directors for a family-ru orgaizatio is a elected group of voluteers who have a passio for the missio ad are able to view the eeds of all childre. The board is legally resposible for the operatio of the orgaizatio ad esurig that it is i compliace with all local, state ad federal laws ad cotractual requiremets. Board Compositio ad Operatig Procedures The board is composed of 51% or majority family members who are represetative of the commuity served. Board members are ot related to the executive director or other employees of the orgaizatio. Each board member makes a commitmet of time ad fiacial or i-kid resources to the orgaizatio. Board members do ot receive compesatio for their work, but may be reimbursed for documeted busiess expeses related to their board service. The orgaizatio has clear job descriptios for board members ad officers. 2 Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA
The board provides a orietatio for all board members with particular cosideratio for family members who may ot have previous experiece servig o a board of directors. The board has a set schedule of meetigs with a ageda ad miutes are take for each meetig. The board maitais trasparecy ad accoutability by regularly ad opely coveyig iformatio to the public about their missio, activities, fiaces, ad accomplishmets. The board works i partership with the executive director ad maitais its role i establishig policy without becomig ivolved i daily operatios of the orgaizatio. Board Resposibilities The board determies ad supports the orgaizatio s missio ad purpose. The board establishes a mechaism to esure that the orgaizatio s activities are cosistet with its missio, ad periodically reviews ad updates the orgaizatio s bylaws. The board recruits ad hires the executive director through a fair ad thorough selectio process. The board supports the fuctios of the executive director, gratig sufficiet authority ad helpig to esure his or her success i maagig the orgaizatio. The board iitiates a review of the executive director s performace ad compesatio o a regular basis. The board acts as i a fiduciary capacity by providig oversight of the orgaizatio s fiaces through establishig fiacial policies, approvig aual budgets, ad reviewig fiacial reports to esure that the orgaizatio has the resources required to carry out its missio ad that it remais accoutable to its fuders ad the public. The board actively participates i orgaizatioal plaig ad policy-settig ad makes soud, iformed decisios by attedig meetigs, readig miutes ad askig questios. The board esures that the orgaizatio complies with all applicable federal, state, ad local laws ad regulatios, ad reviews the idepedet audit ad IRS Form 990 each year. The board has a approved Whistleblower Policy. The board establishes policies to esure that the orgaizatio is well maaged, is fiscally soud, operates ethically, ad is o the path toward a sustaiable future. I all dealigs with acquaitaces, professioal colleagues, the media, the public, fuders, policymakers, costituets or other stakeholders, the board acts i a maer that iforms ad ehaces feeligs of goodwill toward the orgaizatio. FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios 3
The board periodically assesses its ow performace ad establishes procedures to hold each other accoutable. Fiacial Oversight ad Risk Maagemet A shared role of the board ad leadership of family-ru orgaizatios is esurig that the orgaizatio maages fuds appropriately ad withi geerally accepted accoutig priciples ad has adequate fuds to carry out its missio. The executive director prepares, ad the board approves, the orgaizatio s aual budget. The board receives quarterly fiacial reports showig reveue ad expeses for each program. The orgaizatio has a fiacial procedures maual. The board has writte policies that prohibit fiacial loas to board members, the executive director or other employees or voluteers. The executive director ad board esure that a aual idepedet audit of the orgaizatio s fiaces is coducted ad reviewed by the board upo completio. The executive director ad board esure that the orgaizatio has adequate isurace coverage that may iclude Director s ad Officer s, employmet practices liability isurace, geeral liability, professioal liability, workers compesatio ad other types that may be eeded based o specific programs or circumstaces. The executive director ad board esure that the orgaizatio complies with all fiacial regulatios, such as withholdig ad paymet of federal, state ad Social Security taxes. The board develops ad approves a policy ad the executive director establishes a procedure for recordig ad maagig doated fuds or goods accordig to their restrictios. Coflict of Iterest 4 I makig decisios for the orgaizatio, board members put the iterests of the orgaizatio ahead of ay persoal or professioal iterests they may have. I additio, the board, staff ad voluteers of family-ru orgaizatios avoid ay real or perceived coflicts of iterest. The orgaizatio has a coflict of iterest policy ad procedure that addresses ay potetial or perceived coflict of iterest pertaiig to fiacial gai, preferetial treatmet or other coflict of iterest for board members, employees or voluteers. The board, staff ad voluteers aually sig a coflict of iterest disclosure form ad are required to disclose potetial coflicts of iterest o a ogoig basis. Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA
Fudraisig Family-ru orgaizatios act as resposible stewards of doated fuds ad goods. The orgaizatio coducts fudraisig accordig to the highest ethical stadards with regard to hoest ad truthful solicitatio of fuds or goods, acceptace of fuds or goods, recordig, reportig ad use of fuds. Fuds are used for the purpose for which they were solicited ad/or give. The orgaizatio appropriately ackowledges ad recogizes doors gifts i accordace with each door s wishes. The orgaizatio has clear policies for fudraisig activities to esure resposible use of fuds ad ope, trasparet commuicatio with cotributors ad protectio of doors privacy, if requested. The orgaizatio complies with all federal, state ad local laws cocerig fudraisig practices ad documetatio. This icludes aual registratio ad reportig with their state s office that regulates charities. The orgaizatio does ot pay a fudraisig professioal a commissio based o a percetage of the moey raised. Family-ru orgaizatios accurately ad appropriately track all fudraisig expeses ad are trasparet i the reportig of such expeses. Strategic Parterships Family-ru orgaizatios are key stakeholders i systems of care for childre ad youth with metal or behavioral health eeds ad therefore should establish strategic parterships with policymakers, govermetal agecies, the busiess commuity ad other advocacy orgaizatios or coalitios. The orgaizatio promotes a culture of workig i partership with other orgaizatios ad agecies to achieve commo goals. The orgaizatio coordiates ad commuicates with parters ad acts with itegrity. The orgaizatio seeks to resolve philosophical differeces with other parters i a respectful, fair ad hoest maer. The orgaizatio takes appropriate steps to address uethical coduct of colleagues. FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios 5
Program Developmet ad Maagemet Family-ru orgaizatios should esure that all programs are aliged with the orgaizatio s overall missio ad strategic goals. It is essetial that the orgaizatio has adequate resources required for each program icludig persoel costs (salaries ad wages, frige beefits, cosultats), traiig, space, equipmet, travel, telephoe/iteret, ad geeral office supplies to sustai programs. The orgaizatio has a writte policies ad procedures maual, ad all staff are traied o orgaizatioal policies/ procedures. The orgaizatio maitais complete, timely ad accurate documetatio of all services provided to reflect the scope of care ad services provided to families, childre ad youth. Accurate documetatio o services ad accompayig expeditures are used for billig purposes ad for reportig to fuders. The orgaizatio has policies for the retetio ad disposal of records ad the retetio ad disposal of electroic documets. The orgaizatio complies with all HIPAA requiremets ad staff members are traied o HIPAA policies ad procedures. The orgaizatio trais all staff o policies ad procedures for madated abuse or eglect reportig, whe applicable, ad how to idetify safety risks ad the steps to take to report such risks. The orgaizatio has a process for families receivig services to provide iput ito program plaig, implemetatio, satisfactio ad evaluatio. The orgaizatio has a policy ad procedure for families receivig services to formally file a grievace. Public Policy Family-ru orgaizatios should facilitate opportuities for youth ad families to share their experieces to educate policymakers about the services families eed, ad the policies ad procedures goverig those services ad systems. Public policy may iclude a variety of activities, such as public awareess/media campaigs, evets that brig families together to meet with policy makers or legislators, educatioal activities, such as publishig reports or dissemiatig iformatio, participatio i public policy work o committees, ad lobbyig to advocate for legislatio or budgets. The orgaizatio uderstads the federal rules goverig o-profit orgaizatios ad state regulatios for participatig i policymakig activities ad/or lobbyig. 6 Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA
The orgaizatio separately tracks the amout of time, expeses, ad staffig spet o reportable policymakig ad/or lobbyig efforts. Evaluatio Family ru orgaizatios should have a commitmet to cotiuous quality improvemet ad mechaisms i place to objectively assess their work. Iformatio leared through evaluatio activities should be cotiuously utilized, through a established process, to better iform the activities ad staff skills, ad gauge orgaizatioal capacity of the orgaizatio. The orgaizatio has a evaluatio process that is realistic for the size ad scope of the orgaizatio. Evaluatio activities are built ito all programmig ad orgaizatioal budgets. Evaluatio methods are family-drive, youth-guided ad culturally resposive to those supported by the orgaizatio. Stakeholders ad costituets have access to the iformatio leared through evaluatio efforts via routie commuicatio methods such as aual reports, social media, ad ewsletters. All aspects of the orgaizatio are evaluated, icludig operatios, employees, board of directors, programmig, policies ad procedures, ad fiaces. Evaluatio activities iclude qualitative as well as quatitative iformatio. Persoal iformatio obtaied through evaluatio efforts is protected by cofidetiality uless idividuals provide writte coset for it to be shared. Huma Resources Employees ad voluteers are the most valuable assets family-ru orgaizatios have. Persoel policies ad procedures should be developed that reflect the uique eeds of employees ad voluteers who are carig for a child or youth with metal health eeds while also esurig compliace with local, state, ad federal employee regulatios. Persoel Policies The orgaizatio has writte persoel policies ad procedures that gover employmet, hirig practices, discipliary ad termiatio protocols, ad beefits afforded to employees. I hirig for positios that ivolve direct service, family-ru orgaizatios prioritize hirig families or youth, with lived experiece. FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios 7
The orgaizatio has policies ad/or practices that accommodate the eeds of employees who are carig for a child or family member with a behavioral health crisis. The orgaizatio has policies to address multiple family members employed withi the orgaizatio ad creates separatio of duties, icludig supervisio practices that prohibit relatives from supervisig oe aother. The orgaizatio has writte job descriptios for each positio withi the orgaizatio ad a orgaizatioal chart outliig the staffig structure of the orgaizatio. The orgaizatio has a process for timely discussio with employees about their performace ad developmet. The orgaizatio provides ogoig traiig, learig opportuities, support ad adequate supervisio specific to each positio. The orgaizatio has a supervisio model that outlies how supervisio is provided, ad has policies ad procedures outliig how supervisio is documeted. The orgaizatio requires backgroud checks ad review of drivig records, if applicable, of all potetial ew employees ad aually thereafter. The orgaizatio has a orietatio process for all ewly hired employees. The orgaizatio ecourages ad promotes hirig employees that are represetative of the populatio of families served. Ope commuicatio with employees is practiced, ad feedback from employees is solicited ad icorporated ito the orgaizatio s assessmet activities. Voluteer Maagemet (if applicable) Voluteers ca be a asset for a family-ru orgaizatio. For voluteers to fid their service satisfyig ad successful there should be itetioal plaig of how the family-ru orgaizatio will utilize voluteers, how they will be compesated for expeses, ad who will be resposible for traiig, supportig ad supervisig them. The orgaizatio is aware of local, state ad/or federal rules ad regulatios goverig voluteers, ad this is reflected i its voluteer policies ad procedures. The orgaizatio uderstads ad provides the fiscal ad persoel resources required to maage a voluteer program. The orgaizatio esures ecessary risk maagemet is i place icludig liability isurace policies. The orgaizatio has a recordkeepig process to track voluteer time ad expeses. 8 Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA
The orgaizatio has writte descriptios for voluteer positios. The orgaizatio has writte procedures for recruitig, screeig ad matchig voluteers. The orgaizatio has writte policies aroud compesatio for expese reimbursemet for voluteers, such as mileage. The orgaizatio provides voluteers with the traiig, support ad oversight ecessary for them to effectively support the orgaizatio s missio. The orgaizatio egages voluteers with lived experiece ad coects them with opportuities that best fit their iterest ad skill areas. The orgaizatio recogizes voluteer cotributios. Plaig Plaig is a meas of providig guidace ad objectives for the orgaizatio goig forward. Itetioal plaig of activities, fudig ad resource developmet are critical to the sustaiability of a family-ru orgaizatio. The developmet of a busiess model is ecessary to esure the orgaizatio is able to meet its missio, uderstad what resources are eeded, ad how to stay curret with the issues relevat to childre with emotioal, behavioral, substace use or metal health eeds ad the childre s metal health commuity. Strategic Plaig The board ad staff coduct a regular review of the orgaizatio s missio, visio ad values to esure activities, fudig ad operatios are aliged The board ad staff egage i strategic plaig, icludig a review of orgaizatioal goals, programs, ifrastructure, fudig ad huma resources. The plaig process provides a mechaism for iput ito the pla from stakeholders, icludig other family orgaizatios, fuders, agecy parters, staff ad families receivig services. The plaig process cocludes with developmet of a writte pla with goals, objectives, ad timelies for completio ad updatig the pla. FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios 9
Critical Icidet Plaig ad Maagemet A critical icidet is ay uexpected evet (such as the death of a staff member or family member beig served, atural disaster, burglary, assault, ad legal, cotractual or cofidetiality violatio) which causes disruptio to a orgaizatio, or creates a situatio where staff feel usafe, vulerable ad/or uder stress ad have the potetial to iterfere with the ability of employees to cope or fuctio, either at the time of the icidet or later. The orgaizatio has a pla for respodig to a critical icidet that icludes: Steps for providig support ad obtaiig ecessary services, icludig trauma support whe ecessary. Idetificatio of a spokesperso ad outlies how fuders ad stakeholders, icludig those who are supported by the orgaizatio, are otified. Steps to cotiue or resume operatios durig or followig a critical icidet. Successio Plaig Plaig for successio should be embedded i the ogoig work of the orgaizatio. Leadership ad developmet of maagerial skills should be cotiuously fostered through traiig opportuities ad icreased resposibilities ad promotios withi the orgaizatio. Leadership trasitios are a time of vulerability for family-ru orgaizatios, particularly if the trasitio is from the foudig executive director or oe who has served i that capacity for a umber of years ad is strogly idetified with the orgaizatio. The orgaizatio has a budget for ogoig staff developmet ad leadership traiig. The board takes resposibility for addressig a trasitio i leadership, as a result of a short term leave of absece, a plaed departure, or a sudde departure of the executive director ad develops a pla to carry out critical leadership ad maagemet fuctios durig the trasitio. Key staff members i the orgaizatio are kowledgeable about writte policies ad procedures, are familiar with fudig sources ad reportig requiremets, ad ca assume those resposibilities i the evet of a uplaed departure of the executive director. The board coducts a fair ad thorough process for advertisig, recruitig ad hirig a executive director. Stakeholders are iformed of the trasitio pla i a timely maer, as appropriate. 10 Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA
Operatios Maagemet Operatios maagemet refers to the activities, decisios ad resposibilities of maagig resources which are dedicated to the delivery of services ad daily maagemet of the orgaizatio. Fiacial Maagemet The orgaizatio has total equity o the balace sheet equal to a miimum of three to six moths of operatig expeses. The orgaizatio moitors ad regularly reviews accouts receivable ad takes appropriate actio to collect overdue accouts. The orgaizatio practices appropriate cash flow maagemet to esure fiacial resources are sufficiet to maitai operatios ad cover its liabilities. The orgaizatio coducts a mothly bak recociliatio ad takes corrective actio if eeded. The orgaizatio periodically aalyzes fiacial resposibilities ad segregates duties where possible to miimize opportuities for fraudulet activity. The orgaizatio accurately accouts for all grat reveue ad expeditures ad complies with all coditios associated with grat awards. Iformatio Techology The use of iformatio techology is importat to all aspects of a orgaizatio, icludig data collectio, commuicatio with stakeholders, fuders, ad employees, ad a tool for egagig ad ivolvig families ad youth. The orgaizatio ivests i techology that ehaces its ability to achieve its missio, icludig budgetig for ecessary upgrades ad updated equipmet. The orgaizatio provides traiig to esure employees are equipped to utilize techology that is ecessary to perform their jobs. The orgaizatio takes ecessary steps to esure that all electroic iformatio is securely protected i accordace with HIPAA guidelies. The orgaizatio has policies ad procedures that outlie the use of techology, icludig social media. FREDLA Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios 11
Ackowledgemets This product was produced with partial support from the Departmet of Health ad Huma Services (HHS), Substace Abuse ad Metal Health Services Admiistratio (SAMHSA), Ceter for Metal Health Services (CMHS) uder SAMHSA Cotract #HHSS280201000001C with the America Istitutes for Research (AIR). The cotet of the material does ot ecessarily reflect the views, opiios or polices of HHS, SAMHSA or CMHS. The Stadards were developed over several moths with the support ad guidace of may family leaders who served as advisers to the project. Our thaks to the Advisory Committee, Paul Corils (Alaska Youth & Family Network), Joy Hogge (Mississippi Families as Allies for Childre s Metal Health), Hugh Davis (Wiscosi Family Ties), Sue Smith (Georgia Paret Support Network), Toi Doelly (Family Ivolvemet Ceter, Arizoa), Susa Burger (Families Together i New York State), ad Darri Harris (Ekhaya Family Support Orgaizatio, Louisiaa), who reviewed drafts ad provided valuable iput. FREDLA staff member, Malisa Pearso guided the project ad cosultat, Millie Sweeey also reviewed ad edited the fial product. We are most grateful for their commitmet of time ad expertise ad believe the Stadards will serve to stregthe our etire commuity of family-ru orgaizatios. About FREDLA The Family-Ru Executive Director Leadership Associatio (FREDLA) is dedicated to: buildig leadership ad orgaizatioal capacity of state ad local family-ru orgaizatios focused o the wellbeig of childre ad youth with metal health, emotioal or behavioral challeges ad their families. FREDLA was icorporated i 2013 ad received its o-profit status i 2014. FREDLA is a parter i the Techical Assistace Network (TA Network) at the Uiversity of Marylad School of Social Work to provide traiig ad cosultatio to family-ru orgaizatios attached to Childre s Metal Health Iitiative (CMHI) Systems of Care fuded commuities ad states. FREDLA curretly has a membership of 36 state or local family orgaizatios ad has a active 18-member Board of Directors composed of family leaders. FREDLA has accomplished a great deal sice it bega ad has quickly evolved from a idea ito a atioal voice for family-ru orgaizatios. Sice hirig staff i February 2014, FREDLA has worked to fulfill its missio through: Receivig a grat award from the Patiet-Cetered Outcomes Research Istitute (PCORI) to begi developig a study measurig the impact of family peer support provider services Providig 59 techical assistace cotacts to 15 states Facilitatig calls with 10 SAMHSA Regioal Admiistrators ad 39 family orgaizatios Developig a Family Leadership Camp that was held i cojuctio with the Georgetow Traiig Istitutes ad atteded by 70 family leaders. Publishig a report summarizig a survey of 31 statewide family orgaizatios that was atioally dissemiated to highlight the array of services provided by family-ru orgaizatios ad the umber of families ad youth served. Establishig a Diverse Family Leaders Scholarship Program Hostig a aual membership meetig i Washigto D.C. 12 Stadards of Excellece for Family-Ru Orgaizatios FREDLA