COA STANDARDS ON ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

How are these agencies governed? This series is going to long and ongoing. I will concentrate on the adoption side of things for infant domestic, international and foster care accreditation as I get further along into this. The next portion on this section is of course governance. Each state does govern and regulate adoption differently than many others. I will copy much of the standards to here with my commentary in red.

GOVERNANCE according to the COA website.

Introduction:

COA’s Governance standards address several developments related to the concept of leadership: public sector discussion influencing accounting in the nonprofit sector; evidence found in the mental health literature of an association between the leadership and culture of a human service organization and the achievement of positive outcomes; and efforts to strengthen the theoretical and practice connection between governance and leadership. Current trends and knowledge, in addition to broad-based expert consensus and common understanding, point to the importance of these standards. The governing body's influence also is reflected in core concepts found in the five otherAdministration and Management Standards sections.

The standards draw upon results of recent studies that examine how excellence develops over time in non-profit organizations. Other recent scholarship underscores the role of leadership in governance and promotes consideration of consistency between type of organization and type of governing/advisory function, and a “good fit” between advisory approach, member composition, and an organization’s governance demands. Community responsiveness is considered to be as important as meeting oversight responsibilities.

The organization is legally authorized to operate as:

• a nonprofit organization with a governing body incorporated or authorized to conduct business in the state where it operates or is headquartered and has a duly promulgated charter, constitution, and/or bylaws.
• a nonprofit organization organized as an identified sub-unit of a religious body that has legal status or is an identified sub-unit of another legal entity recognized under state law;
• a corporation sole; or
• a for profit organization organized as a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or association with a duly promulgated charter and other appropriate governing documents.

Governing body and community representation.

The organization's governing body is sufficiently active, capable, and diverse to guide, plan, and support the achievement of the organization’s mission and goals.

• The governing body sets a tone of responsible stewardship and ensures policies and performance uphold the public trust.
• The governing body:

1. reflects the demographics of the community it serves;
2. represents the interests of the community it serves; and
3. serves as a link between the organization and the public or community.

• The governing body or advisory board reflects:

1. governance expertise, including leadership ability and policy development skills;
2. relevant business experience;
3. financial expertise;
4. knowledge of consumer issues and trends;
5. familiarity with and access to community leaders, political representatives and other relevant local organizations;
6. public recognition and respect; and
7. commitment and ability to fundraise or to connect the organization with potential resources.

• The network management entity establishes and maintains a stakeholder advisory group that serves as a bridge between the network management entity and the community and it:

1. includes representatives of relevant community groups, consumers,parents,service providers, advocates, and others with an interest in the success of the network at achieving its mission or purpose;
2. provides information and feedback to the agency about services, outcomes, the perception of the agency within the community, and other information that would help the network better serve its covered population and the community; and
3. serves in an advisory capacity only and does not assume governing body or management responsibilities.

Mission.
The organization informs the public of its mission and remains knowledgeable about community needs and strengths.

Community involvement and advocacy.

The organization informs the public of its mission and remains knowledgeable about community needs and strengths.

• The organization conducts ongoing community outreach and education to communicate:

1. its mission, role, functions, and capacities; and
2. the strengths, needs, and challenges of the individuals, families, and groups it serves.

• The organization collaborates with community members to advocate for issues of mutual concern such as:

1. Improvements to existing services.
2. Filling gaps in servies.
3. The full and appropriate implementation of applicable laws and regulations regarding issues concerning the service population.
4. Improved supports and accomodations for individuals with special needs.
   

• The organization works in active partnership with service recipients to:

1. ensure appropriate advocacy support;
2. assist with access to the full array of services; and
3. mediate barriers within the service delivery system.

Organization of the governing body.

The governing body exercises leadership through a functional, effective structure.

• The governing body establishes in the organization’s charter, by-laws or similar document:

1. the organization’s structure and scope;
2. its responsibilities, including number of meetings held per year and their quorum;
3. the body to which it will delegate interim authority; and
4. a process for assessing and implementing responsibilities, such as establishing task forces/committees.

• The governing body establishes in writing:
• Eligibility requirements for membership;
• mechanisms for recruitment, selection, rotation, and duration of membership; and
• mechanisms for election of officers and duration of terms.

• Governing body members:

1. receive an orientation that addresses membership responsibilities and the organization's mission, history, goals,objectives, structure, methods of operation, and organization activities;
2. are introduced to key staff members; and
3. tour the facilities and become familiar with day-to-day operations.

• The organization maintains a governing body manual that includes governing body-approved policies and up-to-date minutes and records of all meetings.

Governance Responsibilities.

In fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities, the governing body:

1. Reviews management's implementation of an effective strategic planning process
2. Reviews risk identification and management processes to prevent loss of reputation, vital resources, and adopts policy.
3. Develops and adopts pokicy
4. Provides financial oversight, adopting changes to policies considered necessary based on reviews and evaluations
5. Anticipated the need for and develops resources.
6. Reviews achievement of the organization's objectives through operations and services
7. Enhances and promotes community-organization relationships.

• Governing body members adhere to the organizations conflict of interest , including disclosure of any financial interest in the organization's assets and business transactions.
• Strategic planning responsibilities include:

1. Envisioning and setting the organization's strategic direction.
2. Supporting an inclusive , management directed, organization-wide long term planning every four to five years.

• The organization's governing body reviews and approves the long term plan framework to ensure the planning encompasses:

1. A review of the organization's missions, values, and mandates.
2. An assessment of strengths and weaknesses.
3. Measurable goals that flow from its mission and mandated responsibilities.
4. appropriate strategies for meeting identified goals, including consideration of the organizations continued development and sustainability and possible need to redirect, eliminate, or expand services to respond to change community demographics and needs.

• Resource development responsibilities include:

1. Establishing targets and goals
2. Ensuring adequate resources to support the organization's services.

• The governing body understands and exercises appropriate stewardship in fulfilling financial duties.
• Responsibilities regarding the executive director include:

1. Appointment of the executive director.
2. Collaboration with the executive director.
3. Delegation of the authority and responsibility for the organization's management and policy implementation to the executive director.
4. Oversight and annual evaluation of the executive director's performance and compensation.
5. Approval of the executive director's employment activities outside the organization to ensure they do not interfere with his/her administrative responsibilities.
6. Development of a written plan for delegating authority in the absences of the chief executive officer and/or designating an interim chief executive officer if necessary.
7. Evaluation of the effectiveness of its partnership with the executive director at least every two years.

• At least annually, the organization, with the involvement of the governing body, assess areas of overall risk to the organization that include, but not limited to:

1. The continuing ability to pursue strategic goals.
2. Compliance with legal requirements, including licensing and mandatory laws, fiscal accountability and governance.
3. Insurance and liability issues.
4. Contracting practices.
5. Any research projects that include service recipients as participants

Oversight of Investments

An organization that invests funds has controls to ensure the proper management of investments, including a committee established by the governing body that:

• Follows and biennially reviews an investment policy that outlines acceptable levels of risk criteria for contracting with investment advisors or firms, and protocols for making investment decisions.
• Oversees and reviews both investment of funds and the management ,purchase or sale of real estate securities and other assets.
• Ensures practices conform to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Reports the status of investments and investment recommendations to the governing body.

Executive Director.

The executive director effectively collaborates with the governing body, promotes a healthy organizational culture, and operates and manages the organization's operations.

• The executive director primary responsibilities are:

1. Management of organization
2. Implementation of organizatino-wide,long term strategic planning and periodic reviews.
3. Encouragement of timely, engage mission oreginetd board deliberations.
4. Work with the governing body to ensure adequate resources.
5. Development of policies governing the organization program of services, planned, and coordinated with the governing body.
6. Attendance at all meetings of the governing body or advisory board, except those held to review the executive 's performance status, or compensation.
7. Provision of early stage information that requires creative and critical governing body thinking.
8. Provisioon of regular reports to the governing body on the organization's operations, finances, and implementation of the long term plan.

• The executive director inspires, directs, and works effectively senior management to provide technical and managerial processes and activities that maintain a positive, productive, ethical culture.
• The executive director is qualified by:

1. An advanced degree from an accredited college or university in a field related the organizations mission and services.
2. At least five years of related leadership experience
3. Competence in administering services to families, adults, youth or children.
4. The skills to oversee human resources and financial management matters.
5. The ability to work effectively and proactively with other community providers and local, state, and federal entities.
   

All through this, there is mention of what the community needs and desires are. In adoption, the community is adoptees, natural parents and adoptive parents. These adoption agencies are NOT paying attention to its community members. They are not willing to make changes to incorporate their opinions, needs and thoughts. Adoption is a human service. It should reflect the human side of the issue.

They use faith based agencies which in turn force their philosophies on mothers and adoptees. LDS Church is a perfect example of this. They believe that women can't be mothers without a marriage license. You have right to life groups who have set up crisis pregnancy centers to convince women to relinquish. It doesn't matter if these women are married.

There is enough documentation that the adoption agencies are not wanting the normal folk to know. That they are coercing natural parents. They are bypassing and using loopholes within the law to continue to do this.They lie to adoptees about their information. In fact some CIs are known to alter and change the information. They lie to adoptive parents about their children's background.

They also treat adoption like its a manufacturing business. I take serious issue with being someone else's product.