Purpose of this Charter

 

This Charter is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in the Big Horn Basin Preparedness Healthcare Coalition (HCC).  It outlines the mission of the HCC, identifies the stakeholders, provides a preliminary delineation of roles and responsibilities, and defines the authority of the HCC Chair. It serves as a reference of authority for the future of the HCC.

 

The region served by the Big Horn Basin Preparedness Healthcare Coalition includes all the following Wyoming county jurisdictions: Big Horn County, Park County, Hot Springs County and Washakie County.

 

The purpose of the Big Horn Basin HCC is to bring together a multiagency and multidisciplinary group of entities and individuals working together to promote, consolidate and collaborate in a unified response to emergencies affecting the region.

 

The HCC will enhance the region’s ability to achieve emergency preparedness capabilities recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Achieving the emergency preparedness capabilities will give Wyoming health and medical partners the opportunity to continue developing and implementing a statewide strategic vision for health sector preparedness.

 

Mission

 

The goal of the HCC is to promote and to enhance the emergency preparedness and response capabilities of healthcare entities through:

 

• Building relationships and partnerships

• Facilitating communication, information, and resource sharing

• Promoting situation awareness among HCC members

• Coordinating training, drills and exercises

• Strengthening medical surge capacity and capabilities

• Assisting emergency management and Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8 partners

• Maximizing movement and utilization of existing resources

 

HCC Membership

 

Membership: Membership in the HCC is open to all entities or individuals that agree to work collaboratively on healthcare preparedness and emergency response activities.

 

Essential Membership – all significant players in emergency preparedness are urged to participate as essential members of the HCC.

 

The HCC is required to have the following 5 entities as members to be recognized per the National Guidance.

• At least one hospital representative

• At least one public health representative

• At least one emergency management representative

• At least one EMS representative

• At least one behavioral health representative

 

The HCC would like the following entities to be primary partners:

• At least one long term care representative

• At least one law enforcement representative

• At least one fire representative

• At least one dialysis representative

 

General Membership – General Membership in the HCC is opened to any entity or individual in the community desiring to participate in healthcare preparedness.

 

Membership responsibilities/expectations: Members should:

• Be individuals with decision-making authority.

• Attend regularly scheduled meetings.

• Participate in establishing priorities for the HCC.

• Educate and inform member organizations on HCC activities.

• Participate in HCC-sponsored training exercises and drills.

 

Conducting HCC Business

 

Voting membership:

• One vote is allowed for each represented agency that is in good standing. Good standing would be determined by representation of the agency at 75% of HCC meetings.

Votes on Issues:  Passage of issues voted on by the HCC Steering Committee Members requires a majority vote. Voting on financial matters will be by ballot for reasons of confidentiality. If the vote ends in a tie, the Chair will be the tiebreaker.  All issues decided voted upon by the Steering Committee will be ratified by the general membership at the next general meeting.  Simple majority vote will be required.

 

Changes to Charter:  Passage of changes to this Charter or any other organizational document requires a majority vote of the advisory board.  The Chair will be the tie-breaking vote.

 

Steering Committee Responsibilities:  The steering committee will be responsible for vetting all requests for funds which if approved will be forwarded to the Voting Membership for approval.  Those requests not approved will be returned to the requesting entity and may be resubmitted in the next requesting period.  All approved requests must be reviewed based on their benefit to the entire HCC which is to promote, consolidate and collaborate in a unified response to emergencies affecting the region. The minutes of the steering committee will be reported to the general membership. Quarterly Steering committee meetings will be held prior to General Membership meetings to consider funding requests by agencies in good standing.

 

Meetings

 

The HCC shall hold meetings at least quarterly. Special meetings may be convened at the request of the HCC Chair.

 

Notice for regular meetings shall be provided to all members at least ten working days prior to the meeting.  Notice for special meeting shall be provided at least five working days prior to the meeting.  Notices shall include the time, place and objective of the meeting, and the means available to join the meeting electronically. No business at a special meeting may be transacted except as specified in the notice.

 

The meeting agenda for regular meetings will be developed. Minutes of all meetings shall be prepared and distributed to the membership. 

 

HCC Leadership Roles

 

Chair: The Chair (who will be the HPP Regional Coordinator) is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating HCC activities.  Tasks of the Chair include:

• Represent and conduct the business of the HCC.

• Work with HCC members to promote collaboration.

• Represent the HCC on state committees.

• Providing general oversight for HCC activities and associated projects.

• Serving as the point of contact to the Wyoming Department of Health and Environment (WDH).

• Provide assistance to community hospitals and discipline representatives; promoting healthcare preparedness within the region, such as extending invitations to community partners to attend HCC meetings.

• Deciding vote in the event of a tie

 

Co-Chair: The HCC will have one Co-Chair. The Co-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in their absence. The Co-Chair is a non-voting member when acting as Chairperson.

 

­Steering Committee: The Steering Committee shall consist of Chair, Co-Chair, one member of each county and one member of Public Health.  Members will rotate out every other year.

 

Other Officers and Committees: The Steering Committee may create such other officers and such committees as it deems necessary to conduct the business of the HCC.

 

The HCC will have a medical adviser and a clinical adviser as well as a fiscal agent. The advisers will assist by reviewing plans and helping to plan exercises.

 

Additional Regional Resources

 

The Healthcare Coalition has access to other formal documents and protocols such as MOUs, MOAs, contracts, and regional plans, which are under development. Documents are available to members of the HCC in the share folder.

 

Additional Provisions

 

This Charter shall not supersede any existing mutual aid agreement or agreements.

 

This Charter shall not be interpreted or construed to create a legal relationship, association, joint venture, separate legal entity, or partnership among the member bodies, nor to impose any partnership obligation or liability upon any member. Further, no member shall have any authority to act on behalf of or as or be an agent or representative of, or to otherwise bind, any other member body.

 

No member of the HCC shall be required under this Charter to indemnify, hold harmless and defend any other member from any claim, loss, harm, liability, damage, cost or expense caused by or resulting from the activities of any HCC officer, employee or agent.

 

Approval of Charter

 

The original Charter was adopted at the Main Coalition meeting dated October 22, 2014 by the Big Horn Basin Coalition membership. This revised Charter was adopted at the Quarter 2 Coalition meeting November 19, 2020. The Charter serves as a voluntary agreement among organizations within the Big Horn Basin that have as their primary mission to provide or support healthcare services within their community.  Furthermore, a term for an award under the Hospital Preparedness Program requires Grantees to participate in the Coalition. 

 

Approved October 2022