The Network of Behavioral Health Providers is an organization whose members are behavioral health service providers in the greater Houston/Harris County area. According to the Network’s By-Laws, the criteria for organization membership is, “the behavioral health entity shall be licensed or utilize licensed professional staff and shall serve indigent populations. Private practitioners shall be eligible if the above criteria are met. Other members shall be considered if they can substantially further the purpose of the organization and are approved by the membership.”
As far as the individual who will actually represent the provider organization:
“The membership shall be composed of Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers and Presidents of behavioral health entities. In the case of a hospital or university, the highest administrator in the behavioral health division shall be eligible.”
Because the Network was envisioned as a Leadership Round Table for behavioral health providers, the membership agreed early on that meeting attendance be limited to the entity’s named member representative (CEO or equivalent as defined above) only. While members recognized that they and their colleagues were likely already overburdened with work and meeting responsibilities, it was strongly felt that maintaining this attendance criterion ensured that the “decision-makers” were present to speak on behalf of their agencies and thus decisions could be made at the table and work could move forward more efficiently. Moreover, in the context of serving as a Round Table forum, this criterion has allowed for the maximum realization of the networking/supportive environment offered by regular Network contact.
Membership dues (due in July as the Network fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30) are based on the percentage of the organizational budget expended on behavioral health services (Not the total agency budget) and are currently set at the following levels:
$2,200: Agency has behavioral health budget expenditures of more that $5,000,000.
$1,600: Agency has behavioral health budget expenditures of more that $1,000,000.
$1,100: Agency has behavioral health budget expenditures from $500,000 to $1,000,000.
$600: Agency has behavioral health budget expenditures of less than $500,000.
