Membership Expectations

The Membership Committee recommends that all of the following criteria serve as a basis for determining the eligibility of any family-service oriented agency, non-sectarian for membership in FSCO. "Services provided by agencies are directed toward the development, maintenance and/or rehabilitation of families."

1. Service area in whole or in part in the State of Ohio.

2. The agency's range of program services includes an emphasis on servicing families. Services rendered will be non-discriminatory.

3. That preference for membership will be given to agencies that are certified or accredited by a state or nationally recognized body.

4. The Executive or Administrator of the agency has overall responsibility for developing and administering the agency's budget, for program planning and development and for staffing and managing the agency's services.

5. The agency is incorporated as a voluntary non-profit service organization with a policy making, voluntary board. Incorporation may be as an individual agency or as part of a larger non-profit agency or federation of agencies.

a. Where the agency is part of a multiple function organization or is a sectarian agency that is without a separate corporate board and is part of a federation, there should be an advisory committee of laypersons that has so far as possible the organization and functional characteristics of a board. Although in such a case the board of the federation or parent organization carries ultimate and legal responsibility for the program, the advisory committee should be responsible for the family service function of the agency. In such instances the individual family service unit or agency should be considered for membership.

b. Federations or large multiple function agencies should be considered for individual membership when their range of program services includes an emphasis on direct service to families and the federation/organization meets the other membership criteria.

c. A Federation should be viewed as an individual member. Its membership should not be construed as including the membership of its individual participating segments. Such agencies should be eligible for membership and participate in their own right when they meet membership criteria. All such memberships should be expected to fit into the present dues structure for individual agencies.

6. Recommendation of the Membership Committee based on a review of available information.

7. Final approval of a New Member Application by the Board of Trustees.

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