By Laws

of Calcasieu Parish Children and Youth Services Planning Board

ARTICLE I

Mission

It is the mission of the Calcasieu Parish Children and Youth Services Board to identify and support programs, initiatives, and activities that promote the social, physical, and emotional well being of children and youth in our community.

Vision

Healthy and thriving children and youth in a supportive community.

Values

To accomplish our mission and vision, CYPB must:

  • Promote and support preventive and intervention strategies to maximize children and youth development
  • Engage all sectors as partners
  • View children, youth, and their families as change agents and partners
  • Reduce and divert commitment of children and youth into the juvenile justice and foster care systems
  • Provide community awareness and education on prevention, education, and resources on behalf of our children and youth
ARTICLE II


Membership

Section 1. Membership. In accordance with LSA-R.S. 46:1941.1 et seq., and with resolutions passed by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the board shall be comprised of a minimum of 11 members and a maximum of 25. Members shall serve for 2 years and include, the following, if available and willing to serve, representation from the following agencies and organizations:

  • Behavioral Health
  • Health
  • Social Services
  • Law Enforcement
  • Prosecutors
  • Public Defenders
  • Judges and/or court staff
  • Education
  • Faith Community
  • Business Community
  • Early Childhood Programs
  • Parent Organizations
  • Youth Advocate and Youth Serving Organizations
  • Lay Citizens
  • Youth
  • Police Jurors

Appointments made to the planning board should be representative of the community in terms of gender, ethnicity, and geography.

Section 2. Duties. The duties of this Board are to assist in the assessment, alignment, coordination, prioritization, and measurement of all available services and programs that address the needs of children and youth. The board is to encourage collaborative efforts among the stakeholders for assessing the needs of children and youth and for assisting in the development of a comprehensive plan to address those needs.

Section 3. Nomination and Appointment of Board Members. Board members may be recom-mended by the existing board; the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury is the appointive authority for the Board.

Section 4. Resignation. Any Board member may resign at any time by delivering a written resignation to the Chair of the Board. The Chair shall forward the resignation to the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury along with a nomination for replacement.

Section 5. Meetings. The Board shall meet at a place and time designated by the Chair of the Board. Special meetings may be called at the request of the Chair or three (3) Board members.

ARTICLE III


Structure

Section 1. Lead Agency – The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, as governing authority for the Parish, has established the Office of Juvenile Justice Services as the Lead Agency.

Section 2. Chair – The Director of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s Office of Juvenile Justice Services will be designated as “Chair”.

Section 3. Duties of Lead Agency.

a) Chair. The Chair is responsible for coordinating the activities of the board,
communicating with the Louisiana Children’s Cabinet, taking responsibility for reporting on the local planning board activities and be preparing to serve as the fiscal agent of the board as needed.

ARTICLE IV


Committees

Section 1. Appointments. The Chair may appoint such committees as she/he deems necessary, subject to the approval of the Board. Whenever the Board is not in session, the committees appointed by the Chair may act subject to ratification at the next meeting of the Board, as which time the appointments made by the Chair may be either approved or disapproved. The Chair of the Planning Board shall appoint a Chair for each committee.

Section 2. Chairman. The Chair of each committee shall make a report to the Board at scheduled board meetings.

Section 3. Size of Committees. Committees shall consist of no less than three (3) nor more than seven (7) persons. At the discretion of the Board, individuals other than Board members may serve on committees.

Section 4. Coalitions. Committees may also form coalitions to meet their mission. Coalition membership shall vary in size depending on the mission and goals of the coalitions or the stipulations to meet funding requirements.

Subsection 4.1. Coalition requirements. Coalitions shall follow the requirements of the funding source, including adopting vision and mission statements, rules of order, voting rules, and meeting times and places. Coalitions must meet all statutorily defined mandates, including public notice of meetings, keeping thorough minutes of meetings and a list of all coalition members attendance.

ARTICLE V


Fiscal Matters

Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December of each year.

Section 2. Funds. All funds received for the operation of the Board shall be administered through the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury in accordance with the directives of the Board.

ARTICLE VI


Board Procedures

Section 1. Notice of Meetings. Notice of meetings of the Board shall be provided in accordance with state open meetings laws. Special meetings of the Board may be called by or at the request of the Chair, or any three (3) Board members. The person(s) authorized to call special meetings of the Board may fix any place as the place for the holding of such special meeting. Notice of any special meeting of the Board shall be given at least five (5) days previously thereto by written notice delivered personally or sent by mail or email to each Board member at his/her address as shown by records of the Board.

Attendance of a Board member at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting.

Section 2. Quorum. At all meetings of the Board, the majority of the Board constitutes a quorum.

Section 3. Attendance. Three (3) unexcused absences or five (5) total absences from Board meetings in any calendar year may subject a Board member to removal by the Police Jury. Special circumstances will be reviewed upon appeal by the Board member. Attendance will be reviewed quarterly.

Section 4. Removal Procedure. Any Board member may be considered for removal by the Police Jury by the affirmative recommendation, at any regular or special meeting called for that purpose, of two-thirds of all the Board members, on the grounds of nonfeasance, malfeasance, or misfeasance, for conduct detrimental to the interest of the Board. Any such Board member proposed to be removed shall be entitled to at least five days notice in writing by mail of the meeting at which such removal is to be voted upon and shall be entitled to appear before and be heard at such meeting.

Section 5. Proxy. Board members may have his/her vote cast during their absence by proxy, when the absent Board member has notified the Chair prior to the meeting as to the identity of the proxy. The proxy must be a Board member in good standing, or an employee from the same agency. If an absence is anticipated, board members may submit their vote in writing or via email.

ARTICLE VII


Rules of Orde
r

The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Board in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or any other special rules of order the Board may adopt.

ARTICLE VIII


Amendment to Bylaws

These Bylaws may be modified, amended or repealed, and new Bylaws may be adopted by the Police Jury upon a recommendation by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Board present at any regular or special meeting of the Board, if at least thirty (30) days written notice has been given of the intention to modify, amend, repeal or adopt new Bylaws.