Bylaws of the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition
Amended May 2014
The name of this organization shall be Sacramento County Children’s Coalition (Coalition)
Section 1.01: Authority
The Sacramento County Children’s Coalition was established by the Board of Supervisors by Resolution 94‐1381, dated October 25, 1994 and amended by Resolution No. 2005‐0644, dated May 24, 2005, which sets for the purpose, responsibilities, and conditions under which the Coalition shall operate.
Section 1.02: Mission Statement
The Coalition’s mission is to assess community needs, evaluate existing services, and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, other policy‐making bodies, and the general public in order to promote the health and well‐being of children and families in Sacramento County. The Coalition is an advocate for children’s issues and provides policy oversight and community education about the needs of children and families.
Section 1.03: Vision Statement
Sacramento county children will experience a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment, which prepares them to become responsible and contributing members of the community.
Section 1.04: Responsibilities of the Coalition
The Responsibilities of the Coalition include:
a) Advocate for integrated service planning and delivery to promote good health and well‐being of children and families in Sacramento County;
b) Review and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on budget and policy issues pertaining to the needs and services to children and families in Sacramento County ;
c) Serve as the administrative body of the Children’s Trust Fund;
d) Review critical incidents and make recommendations on the child welfare system in Sacramento County.
Section 1.01: Roles and Responsibilities of Children’s Coalition Members
The Children’s Coalition shall be comprised of up to thirty members with at least one and no more than two members filling a seat for each of the following subject areas:
With the exception of the Public/Consumer seat, there shall be no more than two members representing any one seat. The Public/Consumer seat may have up to ten members.
Members are responsible for representing their constituency and the perspectives of the Children’s Coalition, while advocating for the community’s children and youth. Members are also responsible for:
a) Attendance, punctuality and coming to meetings prepared;
b) Participation in at least one Coalition committee or liaison assignment Committees include:
c) All members are responsible for communication, education & advocacy, including:
d) All members are responsible for board development & community relations, including:
Section 1.02: Terms
a) The County operates County Member Advisory Board appointments the way elected officials’ terms are handled by law. For example, if someone is elected to an office for a four‐year term, but resigns before it is over, the newly elected person must fill the remainder of that term.
b) The term of office for member seats of the Coalition and its working committee’s shall be three years, with eligibility to serve a second term, or until a successor is appointed
c) Each youth member shall be appointed for a one‐year term: he or she may be re‐appointed for a second year term. At the conclusion of a youth member’s term, he or she may be reappointed as a non‐youth member.
d) A youth member may be up to 23 years of age at the time of appointment. If a youth member turns 24 years old during his or her appointment, he or she may finish the term but cannot be reappointed as a youth member.
e) Members shall take office in the month following their appointments by the Board of Supervisors.
Section 1.03: Voting
Members shall be entitled to one vote. Ex‐officio/Ad Hoc members shall enjoy the privilege of participation in the discussion, but shall be non‐voting members and restricted from making or seconding motions.
Section 1.04: Suspensions/Vacancies
a) A suspension of membership shall occur when a member has missed three consecutive meetings, attends fewer than 60% of the meetings held in a year, or has failed to meet the minimum number of advocacy hours within 15 months of appointment. The power to offer excused absences to a member will fall within the purview of the Coalition chair.
b) A vacancy shall exist when a member:
c) A member who is suspended for missing four meetings in a Coalition year or failing to participate in a subcommittee or liaison assignment may petition for reinstatement under the following conditions:
Section 1.05: Medical Absences
In the event of a medical emergency or an extended illness that interferes with a member’s ability to serve the Coalition the member should contact via telephone, email, or regular mail the Chair or staff to request a medical absence from the Coalition. The member should be prepared to convey:
a) The date the medical emergency occurred or the illness became incapacitating;
b) The limitations the medical incident has placed on the member; and
c) The expected date that the member may resume participation on the Coalition;
The medical absences policy is in effect for 60 days following the date of the medical incident. The member may ask to Executive Committee to review his or her case and determine if more time is warranted.
Section 1.06: Resignation
Coalition members may resign by communicating directly in writing with the Coalition Chair and providing a copy to the County Clerk of Member Advisory Boards. Such resignation takes effect on the date of receipt of such notice or at any later date specified.
Section 1.01: Definition
A Coalition member is deemed to have a conflict of interest when he/she, or a relative or business associate, has one or more of the following relationship existing with a program or competing program under consideration:
a) Ownership or financial interest;
b) Director, trustee or officer;
c) Employee; and/or
d) Provider of goods or services, including contracts with Sacramento County departments or other related County agencies, material or other substantial interest, which may inhibit objective decision.
Section 1.02: Statement of Conflict
a) Members having a conflict of interest on a specific issue before the Coalition shall disclose the conflict before the discussion of the issue in question, have it noted in the minutes and shall physically remove themselves from the room while the discussion and vote occurs.
b) Any member having a conflict of interest relating to any funding or grant resources which are administered, managed, reviewed, or the subject of a recommendation by, or otherwise within the purview of Coalition business, including but not limited to, the Children’s Trust fund, may not serve on a coalition Grant Committee or Subcommittee ministering to such financial resources.
Section 1.03: Filing
Members of the Children’s Coalition must sign a conflict of interest from when they are appointed to the Coalition. If subsequent changes occur in their personal situation they shall immediately amend this form.
Section 1.01: Regular Meeting
a) The regular meetings of the Children’s Coalition shall be held on a monthly basis, at a consistent hour, day and place as determined by the Coalition at least ten times per year.
b) Public notice of the meeting shall be sent at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. All items proposed for action at the Coalition meeting must be specified in the agenda for action and the background materials must be received by the members at least three days prior to the meeting.
Section 1.02: Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called by the Chair, or in the case of the Chair’s absence, by the Vice Chair, or a majority of Coalition members. Only matters specified in the written notice of the meeting can be considered in a special meeting. Public notification of special meetings shall be sent at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Section 1.03: Brown Act
All meetings shall be open to the public except executive sessions as provided for in the Brown Act.
Section 1.04: Quorum
A quorum shall be established at the Coalition meeting when 50% plus one of the active voting memberships is present. All matters submitted for determination shall be decided by a majority of those voting.
Section 1.05: Roberts Rules of Order
Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the Coalition in all cases to which they are applicable.
Section 1.01: Designation
The officers of the Coalition shall be Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary, all of whom shall serve as members of the Coalition.
Section 1.02: Election of Officers
The Immediate Past Chair and at least two members of the Coalition shall form an ad hoc Nominating Committee to develop a proposed slate, including officer nominations as well as member‐at‐large nominations, for the consideration of the Coalition. Those members serving on the Nominating Committee cannot be included on the proposed slate for any office or member‐at‐large seat under consideration.
The proposed slate shall be presented to the full Coalition at the January meeting; the vote will take place at the February meeting.
Independent nominations may be made from the floor on the day of the election.
Section 1.03: Terms of Office
Officers shall be elected annually for a term of one year and may be elected to the same office for a second one‐year term. The term of office is March 1st to the last day of February.
Section 1.04: Officer Succession
The Vice‐Chair presides at the meetings of the Coalition in the absence of the Chair. In the event of the absence of the Chair and Vice‐Chair, the secretary shall preside at meetings.
Section 1.05: Officer Vacancies
A vacancy occurring during the term of office of the Chair will be filled by the Vice‐Chair until the next election of officers. IF the Vice‐Chair is unable to fill the Chair position, or if the vacancy occurs in the Vice‐Chair or Secretary position, the vacancy will be filled with a recommendation of the Executive Committee and a majority vote of those present at the Coalition meeting where a quorum is present.
Section 1.06: Officer Responsibilities
The Chair shall:
a) Conduct all meetings;
b) Appoint committee, ad hoc committee, and task force chairs or co‐chairs with confirmation of the Children’s Coalition;
c) Act as spokesperson for the Coalition;
d) Serve as Chair of the Executive Committee.
e) Communicate with designated county staff and develop agendas and communication for dissemination to all Coalition Members.
f) Notify staff and County clerk of membership changes.
The Vice‐Chair shall:
a) Conduct meetings or act as spokesperson in the absence of the Chair;
b) Fulfill the unexpired term of the Chair, should a vacancy occur; and
c) Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
The Secretary shall:
a) Preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair.
b) Take meeting minutes and submit to the Chair for attachment to upcoming meeting agenda
c) Review member attendance and participation of members for report to Executive Committee.
Section 1.01: General Guidelines
a) No committee shall have the power to financially or contractually obligate the Coalition.
b) Committees may recruit non‐Coalition candidates to the committee, subject to approval by the Coalition.
c) The Chair of any committee shall be a Coalition member.
d) Committee attendance requirements shall follow that of the Coalition.
e) All Coalition members, except youth members, must serve on at least one active committee of the Coalition or be a member in good standing on the Human Services Coordinating Council, the First 5 Sacramento Advisory Committee.
f) Members acting as representatives of the Coalition on the Human Services Coordinating Council and First 5 Sacramento Advisory Committee serve as advocates for the Coalition and its priorities. These members shall also report back on the activities of these groups at monthly Coalition Meetings.
g) In order to expedite and facilitate the business of the Coalition, an ad hoc committee or task force for limited purposes may be established by the Coalition.
h) As a County member advisory board, the Coalition shall assign three of its members to serve on the Human Services Coordinating Council.
Section 1.02: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall:
a) Be composed of the officers, the immediate past Chair, and the chair from each of the three Coalition committees, for a total of seven members. If the immediate past chair is unable to serve a term, a member‐at‐large position will be substituted.
b) Act for the Coalition on matters that arise between regular Coalition meetings; said action must be noted on the agenda at the following Coalition meeting.
c) Be elected annually for a term of one year and may be reappointed for a second term.
d) Review participation and attendance of members of the Coalition and communicate issues which may arise to the appropriate member.
e) Determine if members are not meeting their obligations and end membership with notice to the staff and Board offices
f) Submit a recommendation/nomination to the Coalition to fill any vacant Executive Committee seats with the exception of a vacant seat for Chair.
Section 1.03: Children’s Trust Fund
Acting as an agent of the coalition, the children’s Trust Fund Committee shall be comprised of no more than 10 members, and no less than five members: a majority of who shall be Coalition members. The Children’s Trust Fund Committee shall:
a) Manage and administer the Children’s Trust Fund, including:
i. Create and prepare draft RFP’s for approval by the Coalition;
ii. Solicit proposals;
iii. Establish and coordinate a proposal procedure;
iv. Create ad hoc committees to evaluate all program proposals;
v. Develop and present recommendations for funding to the Children’s Coalition; and
vi. Provide quarterly progress reports to the Children’s coalition on funded programs
b) Not include in its membership any employee or board members or an applying agency; and
c) Appoint members to a three‐year term of membership
d) Monitor grantees to ensure they are meeting the communications and marketing requirements in the grant.
e) Appointments and Terms:
i. Committee members serve a term of three years, with additional terms as approved by the Coalition.
Section 1.04: Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee
Acting as an agent of the Coalition, the Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee shall be composed of a minimum of 10 members who represent various perspective of the child welfare system, a majority of which must be active members of the Children’s Coalition. Areas of expertise may include, but not limited to:
The Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee shall:
a) Perform community review of critical child protective systems cases in Sacramento County, culminating in an annual report to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors which includes the outcomes and effectiveness of the system along with recommendations for policy and program changes. The report shall be presented to the Coalition for approval, upon which the Coalition Chair and Committee Chair shall present the report jointly to the Board of Supervisors. This report may include, but is not limited to:
i. Review and report on progress on recommendations contained in the Critical Case Investigation Committee report.
ii. Overall statistics and program analysis;
iii. Comparison of outcomes for children in other communities, in the state and nation
iv. Identification of exemplary programs and practices with recommended applications to Sacramento County;
b) Appointments and Terms
i. Candidates are interviewed by one Committee member and one Critical Case Review Subcommittee member, and the names of suitable candidates forwarded by the Committee Chair to the Coalition for approval.
ii. Members serve a term of three years, with additional terms as approved by the Coalition.
c) Annual Report Process
i. The Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee will present drafts to Executive committee on an ongoing basis during the development of their report to allow Executive Committee the opportunity to give real‐time feedback to Oversight Committee and not slow down the overall submission process.
ii. The Executive committee review will be based on factors, including but not limited to:
iii. The cover letter for the final report will be provided by the Coalition Chair. Representatives of the Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee and the Coalition will jointly present the final report to the Board of Supervisors.
Section 1.05: Policy and Advocacy Committee
The Policy and Advocacy Committee shall:
a) Annually review publicly available data to assess outcomes for young people and look for trends in the area of demographics, family economics, education, health, safety, and social and emotional well‐being;
b) Identify areas where Sacramento County youth face disproportionately adverse outcomes compared to young people statewide and where an impact on the child welfare net as a whole may be achieved.
c) Connect these disparities to action that can be taken by policymakers and provide materials that articulate the problem, solutions, and specific actions that will impact children in Sacramento County;
d) Engage the members of the Children’s Coalition as champions for the recommended actions; and
e) Evaluate our advocacy efforts, refine our strategies, and continue to champion better outcomes for Sacramento County’s children.
f) The membership of the committee shall include a Chair who is a member of the Coalition and general members from the community and the Coalition;
i. A majority of the committee membership shall be Coalition members; and
ii. Committee members may serve a term of three years, with additional terms as approved by the Coalition.
a) The executive Committee will meet with the Board of Supervisors’ Chiefs of Staff at quarterly meetings to review activities of the Coalition and solicit input.
b) The Chair or designee shall give an annual status report of Coalition activities to the Board of Supervisor each spring.
c) The Child Protective Systems Oversight Committee and the Children’s Coalition, jointly, will provide an annual report to the Board of Supervisors to evaluate the child protective system.
d) Subject matter reports to the Board of Supervisors as needed.
The Children’s Coalition shall receive one, 0.5 FTE staff “Coalition Coordinator” from the County of Sacramento, Department of Health & Human Services. The Coalition Coordinator fully staffs both the Coalition and its three committees; and takes direction from both the Coalition Chair and their named County Supervisor.