United States Public Health Service
Commissioned Officers Association
Greater New York Branch
(Greater NYCOA)
Community Outreach Committee
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
Document Approvals:
Printed Name
Title
Signature
Date
CDR Yonette Hercules
Community Outreach Committee Chair
LCDR Iram Hassan
Community Outreach Committer Chair-Elect
LT Tara Carmody
NPS-PACE Subcommittee Lead
Document History Record
Document History Record for:
Community Outreach Committee
Standard Operating Procedures
Revision Number
Date of Revision
Effective Date
Description of Changes
00
Creation of initial version
Purpose
The Greater NYCOA Community Outreach Committee Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) provides operational and procedural guidance for the Greater NYCOA Community Outreach Committee. This SOP provides guidance on matters not addressed by the Greater NYCOA Bylaws.
Scope
This SOP applies to all documents created that are related to all functions within the Greater NYCOA Community Outreach Committee to establish policies, processes, records and acceptance criteria under the auspices of Greater NYCOA. This SOP does not apply to documents created by other organizations outside of the Greater NYCOA Community Outreach Committee.
Definitions
Document No.: The unique identifier assigned to each document.
Revision No.: The numeric designation identifying the version of a controlled document. New documents are assigned “Rev. 00.” Subsequent, approved revisions of the same document are assigned sequential numbers, “Rev. 01,” “Rev.02,” etc.
Approval Date: The date that the Chair accepts the document into the Document Control System by applying the final approval signature.
Effective Date: The first date that the new or revised document may and must be used; and the previous revision, if there is one, may not and must not be used.
References
Greater NYCOA Bylaws
https://sites.google.com/site/newyorkcoa/bylaws
Greater NYCOA Website
https://sites.google.com/site/newyorkcoa/
Table of Contents
I. Community Outreach Committee Responsibilities and Organization
Section 1: Community Outreach Committee Responsibility
Section 2: Subcommittee Responsibility
Section 3: Leadership
Section 4: Community Outreach Committee Involvement
Section 5: Certificate of Participant
II. Community Outreach Committee Procedures
Section 1: Meeting Time & Frequency
Section 2: Community Outreach Committee Procedures
III. Minimum Standards for Community Outreach Committee Participants
Section 1: Community Outreach Committee Participants
IV. Transitioning
Section 1: Transition Procedure
V. Absenteeism Policy
Section 1: Absenteeism Policy
Section 2: Member Participation
Section 3: Inactive Members
VI. Member Recognition
Section 1: Community Outreach Committee Participants
VII. Changes to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
ARTICLE I
COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES & ORGANIZATION
Section 1. The Community Outreach Committee shall work with the Greater NYCOA Branch Executive Officers to provide local community service opportunities in accordance with the mission of Greater NYCOA.
Section 2. A Subcommittee is an established and recurring program within the Greater NYCOA Community Outreach Committee. Often times, projects within the subcommittees are identified. A Project is defined as a short-term tasking or assignment that may or may not have a definitive termination date, depending upon the tasking and any applicable deadlines.
The Community Outreach Committee consists of following Subcommittee:
A. The National Prevention Strategy Prevention through Active Community Engagement (NPS-PACE) Subcommittee: Responsible for coordinating community service activities which directly support the initiatives outlined in the NPS and enhancing visibility of PHS in the community.
Section 3. The Community Outreach Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, NPS-PACE Subcommittee lead, and members.
The Chair is responsible for the following tasks:
1. Recruit committee members for the operational year, as appropriate.
2. Schedule and facilitate committee meetings as necessary.
3. Update the SOP as necessary.
4. Prepare written and oral reports of committee activities and updates to report at NYCOA branch leadership and general meetings.
5. Report to the assigned contact in the Branch Executive Committee to seek prior approval of outreach activities and discuss other issues as appropriate.
6. Prepare email announcements* for outreach activities to solicit participation by USPHS officers. The announcement is forwarded to the appropriate contact in the Branch Executive Committee for approval and distribution.
7. Prepare and maintain After Action Reports* and forward to Secretary of NYCOA Branch Executive Committee.
8. Prepare Certificates of Participation* for each participant of an outreach event after completion of the event using a template approved by the NYCOA Branch President.
The Chair-Elect is responsible for the following tasks:
1. Serves as a back-up to report committee updates at NYCOA branch leadership and general meetings.
2. Fulfill duties of Chair in their absence or as delegated by the Chair.
The Lead for the NPS-PACE Subcommittee is responsible for the following tasks:
1. Coordinates activities which directly support the initiatives outlined in the NPS.
2. Prepare After Action Reports for activities implemented by the subcommittee, and forward via email to the designated point of contact in the DC COA NPS-PACE committee, copying Chair/Chair-Elect of NYCOA Community Outreach Subcommittee, President and Secretary of NYCOA Branch Executive Committee. Each after action report will also be burned to a single CD, for record-keeping purposes. Upon receipt, the Secretary will add the event to the tracking document.
The term duration for Chair, Chair-Elect, and NPS-PACE Lead shall be one year, or until a successor has been appointed.
Section 4. Community Outreach Committee Involvement
Committee Participant: Committee Participants will fulfill the following expected roles and responsibilities:
1. Be willing and able to give the necessary time to attend meetings and perform any assigned duties.
2. Actively participate in discussion and be willing to listen to and respect others viewpoints.
3. Think in terms of the welfare of the group rather than personal interests.
4. Accept and follow through on assignments.
5. Maintain minimum standards for Committee Participants. (Article IV)
Committee Observer: A committee Observer is an Officer who merely wishes to maintain awareness of Committee issues but is under no obligation or requirement to participate, maintain a minimum level of attendance, or other responsibility.
Section 5. The Community Outreach Committee shall disseminate Certificate of Participant to members for participation and volunteer support. The Certificate of Participant should be issued using the template provided by the Greater NYCOA Branch Executive Officers (See Appendix 2 for Certificate of Participant).
ARTICLE II
COMMITTEE PROCEDURES
Section 1. The Community Outreach Committee shall hold monthly meetings, or more frequently as necessary, to discuss upcoming activities.
Section 2. The Community Outreach Committee purpose is to manage and provide local community service opportunities for Commissioned Corps Officers that aim to protect and improve public health. The committee will aim to develop at minimum of one outreach activity per quarter to include charitable fundraising activities, hunger relief efforts through food distribution programs, community clean-up and beautification, science fairs, festival activities, health education promoting activities, and other activities which support NPS objectives. The activities planned will also enhance visibility of the Commissioned Corps in our local communities.
ARTICLE III
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR COMMITTEE/WORKGROUP PARTICIPANTS
Section 1. Committee Participant: Committee Participant minimum standards include:
A. Attending at least half of the eligible meetings since joining the Committee
B. Active participation in at least one Project or Subcommittee annually
C. Active participation in meeting discussions and providing input to the Committee Chair solicitations
ARTICLE IV
TRANSITIONING
Section 1. Chair-Elect Preparation: Incoming Committee Chair and outgoing Committee Chair should schedule a meeting to discuss the transitioning of the position. In collaboration with the outgoing Committee Chair, the incoming Committee Chair will utilize the orientation guidelines and practices regarding member recognition to assist them in their preparation as the Committee Chair. Transitioning will also include orientation to Committee documents.
ARTICLE V
ABSENTEEISM POLICY
Section 1. Absenteeism Policy: Committee Participants should inform the Committee Chair if they will be unavailable to make a Committee meeting. To maintain their status, Committee Participants need to attend at least half of the eligible meetings since joining the Committee.
Section 2. Member Participation: Committee Participants who miss more than half the meetings in a six month period (June through December) or half the meetings in a twelve month period (January through December) shall be considered “inactive” and not be eligible for inclusion on the roster and for the Committee’s end-of-year Letter of Appreciation. The Committee Chair shall keep attendance of all meetings and notify any member that has fallen below the 50% attendance mark. These guidelines are intended to encourage at least 50% attendance at meetings. However, it is recognized that there may be individual cases which warrant special consideration (e.g., weekly scheduling conflict), where an Officer is not able to make that percentage but substantially contributes to the Committee. Therefore, the Committee Chair reserves the right to utilize appropriate discretion in determining whether or not an individual Officer should be recognized as a Committee Participant.
Section 3. Notifying Inactive Members: Those Committee Participants who fall below the 50% attendance mark will be sent an e-mail by the Committee Chair informing them of such and that they will be removed from the roster and may not be eligible for the end-of-year Letter of Appreciation. Those Officers who choose to disassociate from a Committee, not respond, or continue to fail to attend meetings will not achieve the minimum recognition as outlined above.
ARTICLE VI
MEMBER RECOGNITION
Section 1. Committee Participants: Committee members who maintain the minimum standards for Committee Participants (Article VI) will be acknowledged through the following methods:
A. A written letter signed by the Committee Chair (Co-Chairs) and Branch President suitable for inclusion in the Officer's OPF. (See Appendix 2 for Letter Template)
Specific detail on the individual officer’s contributions should be maintained along with the impact of their contributions on the overall outcome when applicable. Each member is responsible for tracking these activities, and providing these records to their respective Committee Chair/Co-Chair for inclusion in the recognition letter. A letter shall be granted to every officer who demonstrates at least a 50% attendance record (in addition to the other criteria) since joining the Committee.
B. Approval to list membership role with Greater NYCOA Committee on official
Curriculum Vitae as “Committee Participant.”
C. Committee Participants shall be differentiated from Committee Observers in attendance rosters and in correspondence for the purposes of acknowledging their contributions. The Committee Participant roster will be communicated to the Greater NYCOA Branch Executive Officers at least twice a year.
ARTICLE VII
CHANGES TO THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP)
Section 1. This SOP may be altered, amended or changed, by a majority vote of those committee members present when such matters are submitted to the membership for vote. In taking a vote, the Committee Chair will establish the general procedures for voting. Proposals may be submitted by any individual committee member, who shall then submit it in writing to the Committee Chair. The Committee Chair and Chair-Elect shall review this SOP every year at the beginning of their elective terms, submitting corrections and amendments to the committee members for a vote at the first meeting of the fiscal year (if applicable).
Appendix 1, Templates
Section 1. Email announcement for outreach activities should be formatted to contain the following information:
o What: Identify name of activity
o When: Date of activity
o Where: Full Address
o Time: Timeframe of activity
o Tasks: Describe specifics of what the volunteer will be expected to do, and the scope of the activity.
o Attire: What should the volunteer wear? It is encouraged to wear a PHS T-shirt when civilian dress is acceptable.
o Other information: Is there anything else the volunteer needs to know? Should they register?
o Point(s) of Contact: Indicate the lead point(s) of contact for further questions and information.
Section 2. After Action Reports should be formatted to contain the following information:
After Action Report – Insert name of activity here
Officers: List all volunteers, indicating the rank of officers and the event lead. Also include each officer’s Category, Work Email, Direct Access number, and PHS number.
Date/Time: Indicate date and start/end time of event
Location: Full address
Participants: Total number of participants in the entire event (approximation)
Insert full description of the event, including its scope and impact.
What issues/obstacles has the committee encountered in planning and implementing the event? What can be done better next time?
Appendix 2
Section 1. Certificate of Participation Template
*Note: At the beginning of the operational year, the committee Chair/Chair-Elect must obtain approval from the NYCOA Branch President prior to implementation of a certificate template. The certificates must be saved as a pdf and electronically signed prior to emailing event participants.
Section 3. Recognition Letter Template
Section 4.
Section 5. Greater New York Commissioned Officers Association
[DATE]
[Officer Name
Address
Address]
Dear [Officer Rank and Last Name],
On behalf of the Greater New York Commissioned Officers Association (NYCOA) of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), I wish to recognize and commend you for your [exemplary leadership and] outstanding service for the [Committee Name].
Specifically, [insert specific examples and impacts].
We are proud and honored to have you as a dedicated and active member of NYCOA, and we look forward to many more years of working alongside you.
Very respectfully,
____________________
(Committee Chair/Co-Chair)
(Title)
Promoting and protecting the public health of the United States by advocating for the Commissioned Corps and its officers stationed within Central and Northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area.