IM4Q Governing Boards/Advisory
Committees – Role, Responsibility, and
ACTION!
IM4Q Statewide Training Conference
Presentation by Guy Caruso
July 2011

IM4Q Programs have an Official Board
• Local membership – citizens, parents, people with disabilities
• By-laws that authorize the board to oversee and supervise the IM4Q Program Director and ensure that IM4Q principles and practices are safeguarded
• Independent of the ODP & AE service system
• Free of conflict of interest
• Non-profit ( 501-C3)

IM4Q Programs have an Official Board
• The majority of each board (51%) is expected to consist of individuals with disabilities and their families.

IM4Q Programs have an Official Board
• Boards are encouraged to include at least one individual who communicates with an alternative communication device or a family member of an individual who relies on an alternative communication device or method

IM4Q Programs have an Official Board
• All board meetings are accommodated to ensure maximum participation of individuals with disabilities and their families.
Accommodated Means:
*Assistance to Board member (perhaps another
Board member/IOD support)
*Meaningful roles/activity to be involved in(not token representation)
*Materials easy to use/understand

IM4Q Programs have an Official Board
• The board meets at least three times a year and applies accepted meeting protocols, including minutes of each meeting and voting
by quorum of board members to arrive at board decisions and the establishment of committees.

• Fiscal
• Policy/Procedure
• Internal/External Evaluation
• Monitor Recruitment/Training
• Board Member Recruitment
• Evaluation of IM4Q Program Director
• Consideration/Closing the Loop
• Follow-up Review
• Other

• Individuals with intellectual disabilities and family members, including individuals who receive services, can serve on the board and be paid IM4Q team members when appropriate steps are taken by the board to remove the individual from decisions that might be a potential conflict of interest, including decisions on payment of IM4Q team members.
• Community members, retirees
• Avoid present/past human service workers as possible conflict of interest

The Board Can Take Two Forms:
1. IM4Q Specific Board: A board that governs and oversees the IM4Q Program directly. This board is established when a local IM4Q
Program does not have any other governing body and has been established just to do
IM4Q. In this situation there are generally no other programs under the auspices of the board.

The Board Can Take Two Forms:
2. Committee of an Established Board (Primary
Board) or Governing Body:
A committee or another adjunct structure of an already established board or governing body (e.g., university/college), herein referred to as a primary board, which has one or more other program(s) under its auspices.

The Board Can Take Two Forms:
• The committee works with the local IM4Q
Program as the designee of the primary board, and has responsibilities established which ensure that the board’s functions are faithfully fulfilled.
• The primary board decides membership on the IM4Q committee, and will generally ensure that at least one committee member is also a member/liaison of the primary board.

The Board Can Take Two Forms:
• The primary and committee board options described above apply to IM4Q Programs operating in AE/County Programs composed of a single or multiple counties.
• Representation on the board should reflect representation from all AE/County Programs in which the IM4Q Program contracts.

The Board Can Take Two Forms:
•
IM4Q Programs that cover a broad geographic area should ensure that meetings are held in places that are as convenient as possible for traveling purposes, and that alternative means of participation are provided for such as conference calls, to ensure all members are able to participate.

The Board also Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Operates in accordance with the IM4Q
Manual or subsequent written clarifications issued by ODP.

The Board also Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Hires, supervises and evaluates the IM4Q
Program Director and other personnel necessary for the efficient and effective operation of the program.

The Board also Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Has a signed contract with the AE/County
Program.

What the Board Does:
• Develops and reviews the IM4Q Director’s job description, salary and benefits and pay structures of other IM4Q personnel and team members.
• Assists in the recruiting of team members and insures that they have the proper clearances and necessary training.

What the Board Does:
• Develops and reviews policies and/or procedures for the operation of the IM4Q Program. Such as:
*closing of the loop
*major concerns
*terminating an interview
*hiring practices
*travel & reimbursement;
*criminal background checks
*other ?

The Board Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Reviews all reports and develops recommendations concerning IM4Q Program findings and considerations, including reports generated by Regional and AE/County
Program Quality Councils, State and National Reports from ODP, HSRI and the Institute on Disabilities at
Temple University.
• Recommendations shared with AE/Quality Councils.
• Ensures that report information is shared with the
AE/County Program MH/MR Advisory Board/others.
• Make information available by possibly holding public forums/developing newsletters/using media

The Board Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Develop a relationship with the AE MH/MR
Advisory Committee
• Develop a relationship with the AE Quality
Council or similar body
• Develop a relationship with Provider
Associations and Providers

The Board Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Assists in arranging for both internal and external program evaluations
• Reviews the results and recommends program improvements. Also, possibly -
*Sit in on interviews as an observer
* Visit other IM4Q Programs
* Attend Regional IM4Q Meetings/Conference
* Sit on ODP Steering/Management Committee

The Board Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Follows up on considerations that have not been closed in accordance with standard practices established with the AE/County
Program, ensuring that these considerations are brought to the attention of the AE/County
Program, and if the AE/County Program is not responsive, to the Regional ODP.
• Goes outside of the ODP/AE system if
necessary (e.g. police, DRN)

The Board Ensures that the IM4Q
Program:
• Ensures that the IM4Q Program conducts
Follow-up of at least 10% of people interviewed.

• What is not working well – Why?
• What can been done?
• What is working well – Why?

• Boards are IMPORTANT!!!
• Boards REPRESENT the COMMUNITY!
• Boards SAFEGUARD the IM4Q Program!
• Utilize the IM4Q Technical Advisors to establish meaningful/effective Boards.
• There likely is free Board training available in your community.