MCPP Board of Directors Meeting Minutes November 6, 2022

Virtual Meeting via Zoom Conferencing

November 6, 2022

9am – 10:30am

Present: David Freiband, Jerry Brandell, Elizabeth Waiess, Miriam Goldstein, Eve Avrin, Karen Weber, Linda Young, Lisa Larson, Tamra Frei

President: D. Freiband

President: D. Freiband

Freiband made the motion to approve funds of $800 for event featuring visiting professor for Spring of 2023. Waiess seconded this motion. The vote was approved unanimously (9 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions) by the Board.

• Explored concerns regarding level of detail in more recent Meeting Minutes (prior two), given their publication on website for public consumption. Board members agreed that minutes should be shortened. Sengupta agreed to follow up on this and streamline prior Meeting Minutes prior to publication on website.
• Tamra Frei was inadvertently included in prior month’s vote despite not being Board Member.  Sengupta agreed to amend this.
• Freiband made the motion to accept Tamra Frei as member at large of MCPP effective November 6, 2022.  Brandell seconded this motion. Discussion ensued among members, Frei was voted in unanimously: 9 votes in favor, no abstentions, no denials.

Past President: Jerry Brandell

Defers update regarding Access program to later discussion

Treasurer: Eve Avrin

• Total net worth:  $77,945.95. Due mostly to Schwab financial account value decrease of about $5,500 due to (1) downturn in stock market, and (2) deduction of $700 for taxes for accountant. Expects increase in revenue due to membership dues in upcoming month.
• Brought up question of why PayPal account was still needed to remain open (currently holding $500).
• Weber explained that this account is tied to the foundation that grants funding for the Access program. Weber plans on following up with Reena Liberman to verify if account needs to still be open. Weber plans on reporting back to the Board at the next meeting.

Vice President of Programs: Miriam Goldstein

• Goldstein wanted to have clarity about the specific process of getting the zoom link for virtual presentations to the speaker.
• Young elaborated regarding the detail and reasoning of how MCPP is going to sign up the speaker. This process includes (1) MCPP signing up speaker as somebody who is attending the conference; the speaker automatically getting the invitation and the zoom link, Young and Goldstein verifying the speaker’s receipt of this invitation.
• Discussion ensued regarding the necessity of this process.
• End goal was the purpose of (1) expanding membership and (2) providing the speaker with CE credits.

Membership: Linda Young and Lisa Larson

• Young and Larson discuss plan of sending out the letter to members and non-members inviting them to join the organization or renew their membership.
• Young and Larson will coordinate with Weber to make sure everyone who has attended the conferences (who are not yet members) is including on our list. They plan to send out letters in Early Decembers and reminders in January.
• Discussion among members ensued regarding how members should be informed about meeting in person/hybrid/virtually in letters to be sent out.
• Members discussed the pros and cons of in person versus virtual or hybrid meetings: topics included: (1) virtual meetings allowed broader membership across the country, (2) fluctuations and risks of exposure to COVID intersecting with timing of speaker’s plans to come—virtual or hybrid formats may allow speaker to attend meeting without cancellation, etc.
• Decision was made that it is best to refrain from detailing changes in future meeting formats, emphasizing the advantages of virtual meetings, and the ongoing lack of certainty regarding the pandemic.

Freiband agreed to follow up with counterpart at University of Michigan regarding the possibility of technological options to incorporate hybrid options for spaces in which MCPP meetings are held. He will follow up regarding this at our next Board Meeting.

Website: Karen Weber

No updates

Banquets: Marybeth Atwell

• Freiband spoke on Atwell’s behalf in her absence: he indicated that Atwell has made a reservation at Paesano’s, June 3, 2022

Social Work CEs: Tamra Frei

No updates

Psychology CEs: Miriam Goldstein

No updates

Other Topics:

Transfer of the Schwab Account

 

Eve Avrin’s Decision to Continue as Treasurer given certain stipulations:

 (1) her no longer needing to use her identification information for access to   MCPP’s Schwab account and   

(2) being able to offload technological aspect of getting MCPP Board Members’ names and addresses on

the LARA website.

Freiband clarified the following with respect to the MCPP Schwab Account:

• (1)     There is current need for two people to be providing their identifying information to access the Schwab accounts,
• (2)    Other members can access the accounts but it’s only the two people, whose identification information are provided to Schwab, who have the ability to move funds.
• (3)    Right now, those two people are Avrin and Peter Wood.
• (4)    Proposes someone to take the place of Avrin alongside Wood.
•  Freiband offered to (1) provide his identification information and (2) handle the renewing of MCPP’s license with the state of Michigan, which has to be done annually.
• Waiess makes the motion that Eve Avrin be replaced by David Freiband as  authorized representative to MCPP’s Schwab account effective Nov 6 2022.
•  Tamra Frei seconds this motion.
• The Board discusses this motion and decides to approve this motion unanimously by a count of ‘9’ to ‘0’.

Update Regarding Access Program

• Brandell contacted Sonya Freiband (contact person in organization for Access program) to discuss rate of remuneration of from the foundation to participating members who do have the clinical supervision
• Brandell and Freiband collaborated with each other and with the Foundation to positively change the financial arrangement: supervisee will continue to pay low fee of $25; remuneration for the supervisor will increase from $25 to $50.

Revisit Issue of Metrics for Promoting Non-MCPP Events & Related Concerns

• There was general agreement that, with some exceptions, individuals have promoted events involving MCPP members, or if for a non-profit. In other cases, it involved another organization having a reciprocal relationship with the organization: one that had promoted MCPP events while MCPP promoted theirs
• Discussion ensued about issue of how to monitor and manage exceptions to these norms
•  Freiband reviews takeaways from prior discussions regarding this matter: (1) policies that are (a) fair, (b) clear enough to avoid experiences of discrimination; (2) concerns about quantity of information flooding members’ inboxes
• Suggestion was made that individuals be allowed to send messages to the members as long as they are paying dues as members (and following aforementioned) criteria
• Idea proposed to be followed up in next meeting: (1) that social media presence be developed and utilized for purpose of promoting non-MCPP events and to differentiate from email based list-serv, (2) that this proposal made official in some capacity, perhaps to be documented in the bylaws
• Action item was proposed that Frei collaborate with Liam Faulkner and Michele Rivette regarding the use of social media as conduit for exchange of non-MCPP announcements for paying members.
•  Freiband proposes next meeting to be held on January 22, 2023. Members unanimously consent.
•  Freiband makes motion to adjourn meeting. Waiess seconds this. Faulkner will be responsible for next meeting’s agenda