The Psychoanalytic Consortium By-Laws
INTRODUCTION
The Psychoanalytic Consortium is a coalition of membership organizations that represent those member psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists in the core mental health professions, researchers, educators, and other professionals, whose work is informed by psychoanalysis. The Consortium consists of representatives of the American Psychoanalytic Association, the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychology: Division 39 of the American Psychological Association, the National Membership Committee on Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (affiliated with the National Federation of Societies for Clinical Social Work), the American Academy of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis, and the Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN). Whereas our constituent associations may differ structurally from one another, we acknowledge their autonomy within their internal functioning.
The Psychoanalytic Consortium is committed to ensuring the highest standards of training and practice in the United States and is dedicated to the strengthening of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy in this country. Our goals are to assess, monitor and advise health care systems on mental health matters; to protect the interests of the public and the right to seek psychoanalytic treatment both within and outside of health care systems; to mobilize a national effort to educate the public about the value of psychoanalytic treatment; and to promote joint cooperative scientific and educational activities at national and local levels.
ARTICLE I-NAME AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1
The name of the organization is The Psychoanalytic Consortium
Section 2
The objectives of this organization are to support quality training and practice of psychoanalysis, to educate the public to the value of psychoanalysis, to consider matters in which our organizations have a common interest, to provide a forum for the exchange of professional experience, to integrate our responses to issues in which we have common cause, and to collaborate with other groups as the need may arise.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
The Consortium consists of the constituent organizations as represented by the delegates of the constituent associations.
Section 2
Delegates are responsible to the governing bodies of their respective constituent organizations.
Section 3
Associations seeking to become constituent organizations of the Consortium will require a unanimous vote of approval by the existing constituent organizations.
Section 4
A member organization may withdraw from the Consortium after the decision to do so has been made by the governing body of the organization and the members of the Administrative Committee have been so notified.
ARTICLE III-OFFICERS
Section 1
Administrative duties are to be borne by an Administrative Committee consisting of one representative of each constituent organization. The chairmanship will rotate among the constituent organizations on a yearly basis.
Section 2
A treasurer is to be elected by the Consortium for a 3-year term. The treasurer's duties are to receive funds from the constituent organizations and to make disbursements as directed by the Consortium.
ARTICLE IV-MEETINGS
Section 1
The Consortium will meet a minimum of once annually either in person or by video or phone conferencing. Additional meetings may be called by the Administrative Committee as necessary. Notice will be provided by the Administrative Committee of meeting time and place 30 days in advance, if possible, to each constituent organization and representative.
Section 2
Telephone conference calls may be substituted for meetings at the discretion of the Administrative Committee.
Section 3
Each constituent organization is to have three representatives elected or appointed as the governing body of that organization chooses. Each constituent organization has one vote, to be cast as a majority of its representatives determines. In addition to representatives, the Administrative Committee may invite committee members, resource persons, and others to meetings.
Section 4
Meetings are to be hosted by constituent organizations in rotating order.
Section 5
No policy action may be taken without unanimous agreement of the constituent organizations. If all representatives of any constituent organization are absent from a meeting, no action can be taken.
ARTICLE V–COMMITTEES
Section 1
Each committee is composed of one voting member of each constituent organization. Committee members need not be representatives to the Consortium with the exception of the Administrative Committee, as stipulated in Article III, Section 1.
ARTICLE VI - FUNDING
Section 1
Day-to-day administrative expenses are to be divided equally among the constituent organizations.
If significant funds are required for Consortium projects, they will be allocated on a basis proportionate to the size of each constituent organization's membership.
Section 2
Representatives' travel expenses to meetings are to be borne by their constituent organizations.
ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS
Section 1
These by-laws can be amended by unanimous decision of the constituent organizations.
October 13, 1995