NFI Advisory Board

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NFI Advisory Board Mission

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) NFI Advisory Board's mission is to create a transparent and consistent platform for the NFI population to make a difference in the health of North Dakotans.

The Board serves to elevate the suggestions, needs and ideas and provide ongoing recommendations to HHS and other state and local agencies from the communities represented and inform the development and improvement of programming for the NFI community.

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The Board promotes and educates their communities on important initiatives and issues that will improve the health of North Dakota's NFI population and assist HHS in forming community partnerships.

If you have questions, please contact Luisa Hoyos at 701.328.3830.

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NFI Advisory Board Information

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NFI Advisory Board Information

 

New American/Foreign Born/Immigrant (NFI) Advisory Board Charter
Effective October 2023

New American/Foreign Born/Immigrant (NFI) Advisory Board provides recommendations regarding NFI health issues and topics to North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS). Board members assist HHS in ensuring NFI perspectives are incorporated in planning and decision-making for the state and forming community partnerships. The NFI board maintains the seven core components listed below: 

  • Led by representation of the NFI community
  • Maintain consistent, structured meetings
  • Foster community building
  • Offer a space for NFI to share their opinions on health-related matters
  • Describes the unique needs of the NFI community
  • Analyzes workplace, community and healthcare settings that prevent bias and discrimination
  • Places an emphasis on planning, executing and focusing on meaningful projects and topics to help improve the well-being of and eliminate health inequalities faced by the NFI community

Mission

The HHS NFI Advisory Board's mission is to create a transparent and consistent platform for the NFI population to make a difference in the health of North Dakotans. The Board serves to elevate the suggestions, needs and ideas and provides ongoing recommendations to HHS and other state and local agencies from the communities represented. The board will also inform the development and improvement of programming for the NFI community. 

The Board will promote and educate their communities on important initiatives and issues that will improve the health of North Dakota's NFI population and assist HHS in forming community partnerships.

Advisory Board members

The Board consists of up to 20 members, 18 years of age and older, who represent the NFI community and reside in North Dakota. The Board comprises a diverse group representing various backgrounds, including ethnicity, race, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ability and places of origin. Members are asked to commit to at least two years of service to cultivate their personal and professional growth.

Members will

  • Increase their knowledge of public health policies and concepts
  • Represent issues affecting local communities
  • Receive a professionally written recommendation upon two-year completion of service
  • Develop leadership skills and advocacy experience
  • Produce work that has a positive impact on communities

Requirements

  • Applicants must be current North Dakota residents
  • Commit to attending and participating actively in all meetings in the calendar year, with a maximum of two excused absences. Excused absences are defined as a notice to the HHS co-chairperson
  • Seek out and listen to a wide range of opinions and experiences within the communities they represent to ensure a balanced representation of their community's suggestions, needs and ideas
  • Update HHS on activities and opportunities to engage with the NFI community and serve as a liaison to these events
  • Practice active listening of other board members to increase unification and collaboration of NFI communities across the state
  • Volunteer for at least one task force per service year for the entirety of the task force's existence
  • Members must demonstrate active participation in one or more NFI communities in North Dakota and understand the issues affecting those communities
  • Members will commit to a two-year term of service. After two years of service, members can re-apply to be considered for additional terms. HHS will select members through an application process

Volunteering includes:

  • Attending all meetings and providing a 24-hour notice if attendance is not possible
  • Completing tasks assigned during task force meetings
  • Working on targeted project work with a task force responsible for reporting to the Board.
  • Attending additional meetings outside of regularly scheduled board meetings (frequency will be determined by task force chair and HHS co-chair).

Officers and Duties

NFI Chair

The chair will oversee the Board in collaboration with HHS and will assist in leading bimonthly meetings. This position will be for a two-year term by a majority vote from the board. This position will facilitate effective board meetings, including receiving feedback from all members, the chair will meet monthly with the HHS co-chair, communicate with the board in collaboration with HHS and is committed to attending all board meetings as the same attendance policies apply to the chair.

NFI Co-Chair 

The co-chair will do the following:

  • Develop and distribute the agenda, with the input of the chair
  • Ensure meeting minutes are made available to board members
  • Schedule meetings and provide reminder emails to board members 
  • Ensure board member recruitment based on current membership, attendance and board parameters 
  • Maintain an active list of board members and communicate with board members regarding upcoming meetings, attendance policy adherence and invitations to join or terminations of membership. This could occur with the collaboration of the chair.

NFI Board Meetings

NFI Board meetings are held bimonthly (six times per year), approximately one hour in duration. The purpose of these meetings is to secure the support, active participation and engagement of the Advisory Board members. Productive and effective meetings are essential to the success of the NFI. Meetings will house discussions and deliberations covering important topics that may be converted into decisions and recommendations to HHS. Following its establishment, the board adopted Guiding Principles, and it continually seeks guidance. If necessary, this can be done by e-mail. Meeting locations have been decided with input from board members. Remote technology, including telephone and virtual alternatives, allows members who cannot attend in-person meetings to participate.

Voting

For a vote to occur, at least 2/3 of the current members must be present to meet the quorum. If a vote is taken at a meeting, all board members shall be informed at least two weeks before the meeting. Voting will be allowed in person and by virtual alternatives. In case of exceptional situations when the quorum cannot be met due to low attendance, voting could be done through email communication.

 

Resources

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Resources