By Laws

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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED 
MARIA T LYMBERIS, MD 
CHAIRPERSON, HAPA BY-LAWS COMMITTEE 

The By-Laws were approved at the HAPA Inaugural Meeting in May 1999. 
The amendments were approved at the First HAPA Annual meeting in May 2000.

 

BYLAWS

THE FOLLOWING BY-LAW AMENDMENTS were ratified at the FIRST ANNUAL HAPA MEETING – MAY 13TH 2000, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 

1. ARTICLE III, Membership 
Delete Section 2b, Corresponding Members. This section is not needed. General/Corresponding members have the same dues. HAPA has no requirement for attendance at HAPA annual meetings. 

2. ARTICLE IV, Officers and Executive Council 
Amend as follows: 
Section 3. Elections and Term of Office: “The following officers shall be elected at the Annual Meetings of HAPA for a three,(3), year term: President, President-Elect, Secretary and treasurer. The President shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee for three (3) additional years upon completion of his or her term of office as President and shall not be eligible for re-election as President-Elect until four (4) years after completing a term as President” 

3. ARTICLE V, Committees 
Amend as follows: 
Section 3. Committee Chairpersons: “The Chairpersons of all committees are appointed by the President for (3) years and their term of office expires with the expiration of the term of office of the President who appointed them.” 

4. ARTICLE V, Committees 
Add the following sentence to: Section 4. Committee Membership: ” All HAPA Committees shall have a minimum of three members” 

5. ARTICLE VII, Finance 
Amend sentence: “HAPA’s books shall be audited annually”. Amended sentence: “The President and/or the Executive Committee can request an audit of HAPA books when such is needed.” 

6. Add to the HAPA By-Laws: 
Article XII, Dissolution 
“In the unlikely event of the dissolution of HAPA, the President shall appoint a liquidation committee.  Such committee will proceed to liquidate all of the physical assets and legal contracts of any and all forms of HAPA in accordance with state and federal laws and procedures.” 

 


RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
MARIA T LYMBERIS, MD
CHAIRPERSON, HAPA BY-LAWS COMMITTEE

The By-Laws were approved at the HAPA Inaugural Meeting in May 1999.
 

HELLENIC AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Definitions

 

Section 1. Name The name of this organization shall be the HELLENIC AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS “HAPA”.

 

ARTICLE II

Purpose

 

Section 1. Purpose. HAPA is organized exclusively for educational, scientific and charitable purposes, including, more specifically, in the public interest:

a)      To promote professional affiliation through the continued study and exploration of the Hellenic heritage among Greek or Greek-identified psychiatrists who practice in the USA, Canada, Greece and other countries all over the world.

b)      To promote a close cooperative relationship and professional exchange with other organizations concerned with psychiatric and psychotherapeutic education, research and treatment.

c)      To identify and advocate for the psychiatric and psychotherapeutic needs of Greek communities.

d)      To educate the Greek communities on mental health issues and promote mental health services for Greek individuals, families and communities.

e)      To recognize and publicize, as well as to establish funds and awards for outstanding service, achievement or scientific contributions in the field of psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis by Greek or Greek-identified psychiatrists.

f)        To advocate for the special needs of psychiatrists of Greek origin.

g)      To publish journals, newsletters, books or pamphlets, hold property, receive grants and awards, monitor research activities conducted under its auspices and organize courses of instruction in areas of psychiatry and psychotherapy.

h)      Making distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

 

ARTICLE III

Membership

 

Section 1. Eligibility. Only members of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Hellenic Psychiatric Association or comparable psychiatric associations in countries other than the United States will be eligible for membership in HAPA.  The word, “members,” as used in the paragraph, will include any category of physician membership in that association.

 

Section 2. Classes of Membership. Membership shall consist of general members, affiliate members, corresponding members, members-in-training, inactive members, life members and honorary members.

 

Section 2a. General Members. General members are psychiatrists who are APA members practicing in the US and Canada who are APA International members or who are members in good standing of the Hellenic Psychiatric Association.

 

Section 2b. Corresponding Members. Corresponding members are psychiatrists who practice outside the US, Canada or Greece and are members in good standing in the country’s psychiatric association.  Corresponding members are eligible for general membership in HAPA and may vote but may not hold office in HAPA nor be voting members of committees unless authorized by the Executive Committee.  Corresponding members, upon the recommendation of the Membership Committee, may be advanced to general membership by vote of HAPA Executive Committee.  Benefits of corresponding membership, as well as adjustments in dues and assessments, are determined by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2e. Members-in-training. Members-in-training are persons who are enrolled full-time in a US or Canadian accredited medical school or who are enrolled at least half-time in an appropriately accredited post-doctoral training program and who are concurrently members of one of the professional organizations listed in Article III, Section 1.  Members-in-training may not hold office in HAPA nor be voting members of committees unless authorized by the Executive \Council.  Benefits of membership-in-training, as well as adjustment in dues and assessments, are determined by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2d. Life Members. Life Members are members who have been general embers for 15 years and have reached the age of 70.  Benefits of life membership, as well as adjustments of dues and assessments, are determined by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2e. Inactive Members.  Inactive members are persons who have been general members for fewer than 15 years or have not reached the age of 70 and have fully retired.  General members who have not fully retired will be granted inactive status only upon individual review and approval by the Executive Committee or its agent body.  Inactive members may not hold office in HAPA nor be voting members of committees unless authorized by the Executive Committee.  Benefits of inactive membership, as well as adjustments of dues and assessments, are determined by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2f. Affiliate Members. Affiliate members are non-psychiatric physicians, other mental health professionals who are of Greek origin or Greek identified and live in the USA, Canada or in other countries.

 

Section 2g. Honorary Members. Honorary members are nominated by the Executive Committee and voted by the membership at the Annual Meeting of HAPA.  Honorary members are recognized for outstanding contributions to the field of mental health and/or for promoting the goals and objectives of HAPA.

 

Section 3. Application for Membership. An applicant for membership shall submit an application to HAPA’s Chairperson of the Membership Committee, or other designated HAPA office for report and recommendation.  An applicant whose credentials are in order shall be admitted to the appropriate class of membership.

 

Section 4. Voting Rights. General members shall have the right to equal vote in the business of HAPA.  Corresponding members, members-in-training, and inactive members shall have no voting rights in either the general or the committee business of HAPA, except as provided in Section 2 above.

 

ARTICLE IV

Officers and Executive Committee

 

Section 1. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following officers of HAPA: President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, the most recent living Past President and three (3) Councilors

 

Section 2. Duties of the Officers. The duties of the named officers shall be those usually associated with each title.

 

Section 3. Elections and Terms of Office. The following officers shall be elected at Annual Meetings of HAPA President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer.  The President-Elect shall not be eligible for re-election as President-Elect until three years after completing a term as President.

 

Councilors shall serve for three (3) years, with one (1) Councilor elected each year.

 

Candidates will be presented to the membership by the Nominating Committee at HAPA’s Semi-Annual preceding the Annual Meeting at which elections will be held.  Nominations, if seconded, can also be received from the floor at the Semi-Annual and Annual Meetings.

 

If there is more than one nominee for any office, election for the office will be by majority vote of a secret ballot of the appropriate classes of membership of HAPA in good standing.  If there is only one nominee for an office, secret ballot need not be used.

 

Section 4. Executive Committee Meetings. Executive Committee meetings will ordinarily be held in connection with the Annual Meeting with an optional Semi-Annual Meeting of HAPA to be determined by the President and/or the Executive Committee.  The place and time for such Executive Committee meetings to be designated by the President.

 

Special meetings may be called by the President or by any three (3) members of the Executive Committee.  At least seven (7) days’ notice of such a special Executive Committee Meeting shall be given to Executive Committee members.  When necessary, the Executive Committee may transact business by means of a conference telephone call.

 

|The penultimate and antepenultimate living Past Presidents will be notified of and will be invited to attend all meetings of the Executive Committee.  They shall have floor privileges but not the right to vote.

 

Section 5. Duties of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will act for HAPA, speak in its name, have title to its property and perform all acts necessary to achieve the purposes of HAPA, except when the membership is assembled in general meeting.  On those occasions, the general membership shall assume such powers.

 

Section 6. Temporary filling of Vacancies. If the position of President becomes vacant, the President-Elect will succeed to that title and office.

 

If any other office or Council position becomes vacant, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, will designate a member to finish the term.

 

Section 7. Recall of Officers. Recall of any elected officer may be initiated by a petition signed by thirty (30) members or five (5) percent of the membership, whichever is greater.  A majority vote of members voting by special mail ballot shall effect recall.

 

ARTICLE V

Committees

 

Section 1. Standing Committees. The following shall be standing committees of HAPA:

 

a)      Program Committee, consisting of a minimum of four (4) members appointed by the Chair in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee.  Members of this committee will serve for three (3) years.  The President will appoint the chairperson.  The Program Committee will develop scientific and social programs on dates selected by the Executive Committee and will be authorized to expend sums of money for that purpose within budgetary limits set by the Executive Committee.

 

b)      Membership Committee, consisting of a minimum of three (3) members appointed by the Chair in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee.  Members of this committee will serve for three (3) years.  The President will appoint the chairperson.  The Membership Committee will examine credentials of applicants for membership in HAPA and make recommendations thereon.  The committee will also develop methods of recruiting new members and study possible changes in membership status and make recommendations in that regard.

 

c)      Ethics Committee, consisting of a minimum of three (3) members can be appointed by the chair in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee.  Members of this committee will serve for three(3) years.  The President will appoint the chairperson.  The Ethics Committee will develop guidelines for the ethical concerns of the organization and will consider such questions of ethics that might be brought to its attention by the Executive Committee.

 

d)      Budget Committee, consisting of a minimum of three (3) members appointed by the Chair in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee.  Members of this committee will serve for three (3) years.  The HAPA Treasurer will be the chairperson.  The Budget Committee will formulate an operating budget for HAPA and advise the Executive Committee in financial matters.

 

e)      Nominating Committee, Its membership should include Past Presidents, Councilors and others as recommended by the Executive Committee and the President.  The President shall act as chairperson.  One or more candidates for each elected office will be presented by the Nominating Committee as provided in these Bylaws

 

f)       Newsletter Committee, consisting of a minimum of three (3) members appointed by the Chair I consultation with the President and the Executive Committee.  At least one issue of the HAPA Newsletter will be published per year by this committee..

 

g)      By-Laws Committee, consisting of a minimum of two (2) members.  The President will appoint the Chairperson.  The By-Laws Committee will review By-Laws and draft amendments as directed by the Executive Committee or by vote of the membership at the HAPA annual meeting.

 

Section 2. Other committees, including additional standing committees and ad hoc committees, may be created by the Executive Committee or by the membership, which, by enabling resolution, will indicate the size, term, mission, mode of establishing membership and authority of such committees.

 

Section 3. Committee Chairpersons. The chairpersons of all committees are appointed by the President an their term of office expires with the expiration of the term of office of the President who appointed them.

 

Section 4. Committee Membership. Except with respect to the Nominating Committee, any member, elected officer or councilor may be appointed to or removed from any committee by the President.  Except with respect to the Nominating Committee, when a vacancy occurs in a committee, the President will designate another member of HAPA to finish the unexpired portion of the term.  Additional committee members may be appointed to a committee by the President.

 

ARTICLE VI

Meetings

 

Section 1. Annual Meeting. HAPA will hold at least one (1) annual meeting with the option of one (1) semi-annual meeting each year, each at a place and time designated by the Executive Committee.  At each meeting, there can be a general membership business session and one (1) or more scientific programs.  The regular election of officers shall take place only at the Annual Meeting.

 

Section 2. Other Meetings. Other meetings, in addition to the Annual or Semi-Annual meeting may be held at places and times designed by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 3. Quorum. A quorum, for purposes of conducting general membership business, will consist of fifty (50) members or ten percent (10%) of the membership.

 

ARTICLE VII

Finances

 

Section 1. Dues and Assessments. The expenses of hapa will be met by dues and assessments distributed among the members and by income from various HAPA revenue-producing activities.  The Executive Committee will fix the amount of such dues or assessments for the various classes of membership of HAPA.  A member in arrears in payment for one (1) year shall be reported to the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee may waive payment of dues for sufficient reason, or the member shall be suspended from membership.  Suspension from membership means that the members will lose all benefits of membership, including subscription to the Bulletin and Newsletter, but will continue to be listed as a member in the Membership Directory.  After two (2) years of such arrearage, the Executive Committee may continue to waive payment of dues for sufficient reason, or membership in HAPA shall be terminated upon a majority vote of the Executive Committee.  For these purposes, the fiscal year shall be January first through December thirty-first of each year.

 

HAPA’s books shall be audited annually.  A certificate of approval by the auditors shall be presented to the membership

 

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

 

Section 1. Proposed Amendments by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee has authority to submit any proposed amendments to the Bylaws to the membership at an Annual or Semi-Annual Meeting.

 

Section 2. Proposed Amendments by the Membership. Any member may submit a proposed amendment on written petition signed by at leas thirty-five (35) members or five percent (5%) of the membership, whichever is less.

 

Section 3. Approval of Amendments. In order to become effective, an amendment must be approved by two-thirds of the membership voting.  A vote on a proposed amendment may be taken with by a mail ballot or, if prior notice has been received by the membership, at an Annual or a Semi-Annual Meeting.

 

ARTICLE IX

Parliamentary Authority

 

Section 1. Parliamentary Authority. Unless otherwise provided in its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, the conduct of meetings of the Executive Committee and of the membership shall be governed by rules promulgated by the Executive Committee or, in the absence of such rules, by the rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition available.

 

Section 2. Suspension of Rules. The rules promulgated by the Executive Committee governing the conduct of meetings may be suspended at any meeting by a majority vote of the members present.

 

ARTICLE X

State Chapters

 

Section 1. State Chapters. The Executive Committee may approve affiliation of State Chapters or membership groups within HAPA.  Affiliated State Chapters or membership groups shall be responsible for their own administration and financing except that their policies are subject to the review and approval of the national organization.  Each state chapter or membership group may delegate one (1) member as a representative to attend meetings of the Executive Committee.  Such representation shall be without voting privileges.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

Section 1. Effective Date. These Bylaws, as well as future amendments to them, shall be come effective upon adoption by the membership.