Co-chair Resource Center

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Welcome to the Co-chair Resource Center!
You are probably here because you are new to chairing a committee and would like some tips and support. Thank you for volunteering your time to help the systems that serve our youth and families provide the best service to live a stable and powerful life!

Move through the sections below and check out the short videos in each section. If you ever have any questions you can always reach out to the Lane County System of Care Coordinator at [email protected]

What to Expect

Committee Members work together to learn about the way local children’s mental health systems deliver services and make recommendations for changes that consider the experiences of those receiving the services and working in these systems.

Click here to download the Youth & Family Voice flyer

Two Co-chairs for each of the three SOC levels are nominated by the committee members of that SOC level. Co-chairs typically serve for two (2) years. A vacancy shall be filled by the co-chair in waiting who is also nominated and voted in by that committee.

The Co-chairs shall facilitate the meetings by:
- Calling the meeting to order by welcoming the members and guiding the group through the ice-breaker question and introductions.
- Moving through the agenda items (while the other co-chair is keeping note of the time).
- Introducing regular voting business like approving minutes through a voting process (see section on "Motions and Voting"). A common motion done at each meeting is approval of minutes.
- Close the meeting. If ending early, the Co-chairs must refer to the group and ask if all are in favor of adjourning the meeting early. All must be in favor to end early.

You can download the SOC Co-chair Responsibilities document here.

Time Commitment

As a Co-chair you are a part of a SOC leadership network where once a month Co-chairs from all levels will meet virtually (0.5 – 1 hour) to discuss meeting updates, set agendas and review new barrier submissions. Co-chairs will notify the barrier submitter if more information is needed or the barrier submission needs to be rewritten to highlight the multiple family/youth systems causing the barrier or co-chairs will decide which appropriate SOC level the barrier is to be presented.

Time Commitment: Monthly total is about 4 hours
- Attendance at regularly scheduled meetings:1.5 to 2 hours
- Co-chair Monthly Meeting: 0.5 to 1 hour
- Preparation usually action items you are assigned/volunteer for related to barrier research, meeting follow up tasks, communication emails: (+/-) 1 hour

Motions and Voting (Robert's Rules of Order)

Chairs are allowed to make a motion and participate in discussion on a motion but cannot second the motion or vote – a second means that a member wants the motion to be considered and discussed (not necessarily that they agree).

To put a motion on the table a chair (decided during agenda setting) will:
State the motion and ask if there is any discussion.
- There is a motion to approve the minutes as-is. Is there a second?

If the motion is seconded, the chair opens the floor to a discussion or amendments/edits.
- Would anyone like to discuss or offer an amendment?

If no discussion, the chair will proceed to vote. First, asking for those in favor to speak using Aye or Yes.
- All those in favor say Aye.

Next, the chair will ask for those who are opposed to speak, using Nay or No.
- All those opposed say Nay.

At this point, there is no further discussion about the motion on the table and the majority vote rules. The chair will then close this order of business by calling out the majority rule vote and repeating the motion for the record (notes).
- Let the record show the motion to approve the minutes as-is carries forward.

If there were any amendments made the chair would include these in the closing of this motion for clarity and for the record. If any are opposed the record will show but the chair does not need to acknowledge these as they were given an opportunity to voice their position and concerns during discussion.

Watch this 3-minute video on the basics of making motions:

For an in-depth look at how this works in an actual meeting watch this video where students of 4H go through running their meeting using motions:

2021 Co-chairs

Executive Council
Judy Newman, Early Learning Alliance
Ana Day, Oregon Community Programs

Advisory Committee
Debra Depew, Oregon Family Support Network
Brooke Doster, Oregon Family Support Network

Click here to download a list of the dates for each SOC meeting in 2021.

Practice Level Workgroup
Julia Gabriela Rojas, CentroLatinoAmericano
Maria Covernali, 4J School District

Guiding Principles and Values of the SOC & Sample Agenda

System of Care Guiding Principles
Strength Based: The strengths of the youth and family are assessed and considered pathways to resolve needs and concerns.

Natural Supports: The team consists of natural and informal supports as well as formal service providers. Natural supports are continuously encouraged and supported.

Individualized: The services and supports are provided based on the needs and strengths of the family, not agency function, menus of services and milieu.

Team Based: All decisions about a youth/family’s care plan are made by the team, not individuals.
Families are actively involved in all decisions.

Collaboration: All plans are co-authored by the team and family. All decisions are made at the team level.

Persistence: Specific behaviors do not expel a family from the process of care planning. The created plan fails, not the family. Plans are revised at least every 30 days.

Outcome based: All supports and services should be based on what works. Each Wraparound plan (and the project) should be linked to observable and measurable indicators of success.

System of Care Values
Family driven and youth guided: The family and youth, their needs, direct the types and mix of services received.

Culturally and Linguistically Competent and Responsive: Supports and services build on the preferences, attitudes, beliefs, and culture of the family and youth.

Community Based: The supports and services provided mirror that of the community of the family and youth. Every effort is taken to keep the youth in their community.

Protecting Family Dignity and Privacy: Only necessary information about family and youth will be shared publicly, and whenever possible with family present or with the family’s knowledge. The experiences and stories of family and youth will be shared respectfully, in a manner that protects their identity, and in alignment with the guiding principles.

Click for a sample agenda.

Click here for a PDF of the values and principles.