Office of Lifespan Health Advisory Committee

The OLH AC will consist of one Advisory Committee Chair who will lead the committee and eight other members. Four members will be individuals with experience utilizing services provided by SD Office of Lifespan Health (OLH) programs. The other five members must be in one of these categories: health professional; school or adolescent health representative; Tribal or IHS representative; member of a rural or frontier community; member of existing community groups serving maternal child health populations; individual interested in the health of mothers and children. 

Collaborate with state OLH leaders to:

1. Engage OLH populations statewide.
2. Provide recommendations and feedback on relevant OLH programs.
3. Assist in the evaluation of OLH programs.

To achieve these goals, activities may include:

• Inform and advise the state OLH leaders on real and anticipated impacts upon health status because of changes in federal, state and local legislation, policy and funding.
• Provide input on the development of the OLH needs assessment and development of priority areas for the OLH programs.
• Research and provide input on any issue relating to the health of the OLH population.
• Identify solutions for OLH special needs and priorities through promotion of public awareness, coordination of existing services, and encouragement of new resource development.
• Provide an annual report. 

Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with these important guidelines.

• Members will fully participate where possible -- community growth depends on the inclusion of every individual voice.
• Gather information or do work outside of meetings to move the process along, as needed.
• Topics, discussions, and work reflect public health issues pertinent to OLH populations.
• Members contribute to the OLH AC through their experiences, skills, and time.

The duties of the Advisory Committee Chair will include but are not limited to:

• Liaison between the OLH Director and the OLH AC.
• Collaborate with the OLH leaders to draft the OLH AC agendas.
• Develop reporting structure and committee roles for the OLH AC members.
• With approval from the OLH Director speak on behalf of the OLH AC with other OLH stakeholders.
• Write a yearly OLH AC report to the OLH Director.    

The OLH AC members will:

• Meet bi-monthly from April 2025-March 2026 virtually for 1-1.5 hours. There may be one in-person meeting per year.
• Spend 3 hours per month preparing and reviewing documents, attending meetings, or providing input/feedback.
• Provide reasonable notice of all meetings, stating the time and place.

The OLH Advisory Committee Chair will:

• Meet monthly with the OLH Director
• Spend 20 hours per month engaged in OLH AC organization and coordination, reviewing documents, writing documents, attending meetings, or providing input/feedback.  
• Provide reasonable notice of all meetings, stating the time and place. 

Guiding Principles

• Operate around the following governance principles: participation, transparency, inclusiveness, effectiveness, and efficiency.
• Be open to all with an interest and who abide by community norms.

Decision-Making

Advisory guidance and opinions will be recorded for each committee member. Members will engage in committee discussion, and vote on specific topics, or provide general advice or guidance on program implementation.

Ground Rules for Being a Member

Members are encouraged to openly discuss and share relevant resources and materials that will advance understanding of OLH issues impacting members. The inclusion of all diverse members' perspectives is critical for community growth. 

Members of this community will:

1. Be courteous, respectful, and considerate of fellow community members.
2. Encourage a collaborative environment that welcomes diversity and inclusion through open and thoughtful discourse.
3. Refrain from harassing, discriminatory, or derogatory speech, conduct, and materials.
4. Respectfully challenge one another but refrain from personal attacks.
5. Try new ideas and perspectives and approach new ideas with an open mind.
6. Commit to finding consensus and creative solutions.
7. Discussions and resources shared will remain relevant to the community’s public health focus and mission.
8. Obtain approval before distributing materials or promoting services from which the member could financially or politically gain.
9. Disclose any personal or professional conflicts of interest that may impact participation in the community.
10. Keep confidential any information or experiences of a sensitive or personal nature shared by members.