WHO WE ARE

SfHP Bylaws

Current Society for Health Psychology Bylaws

Part I

(Revision: September, 2020; affirmed by Membership December, 2020)

Article I - Name and Purpose

a. The name of this organization shall be the Society for Health Psychology, Division 38 of the American Psychological Association (“SfHP” or “the Society” hereafter).

b. The purpose/mission of this organization shall be to: a) advance the science of the psychology of health, which includes the promotion of health and wellbeing and prevention and management of illness and disability; (b) support evidence-based applications of health psychology across the lifespan; (c) promote competencies-based education and training in health psychology; and (d) disseminate health psychology to the public, professionals, scholars, institutions, policy, and law.

The original by-laws are found in Appendix A.

Article II - Membership

a. Membership of the Division shall include four classes, viz., Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates. The requirements for the first three of these classes shall be those provided by the Bylaws of the American Psychological Association (“APA” or “the Association” hereafter) except as noted below. All applicants for membership must present evidence of interest in furthering the goals of the Society.

b. Associates or Members of the American Psychological Association wishing to join the Society may do so at the same rank they hold in the Association. Fellows in other divisions of the Association join the Society for Health Psychology as Members. The designation of Fellow in the Society for Health Psychology is only conferred following a positive recommendation by the Society’s Fellows Committee and ratification by the Association’s Membership Committee.

Individuals who are neither Members nor Associates of the American Psychological Association may join the Society for Health Psychology as Affiliates (Professional, International, or Student).

c. Only Fellows and Members shall have the right to vote.

d. The Treasurer/Secretary will make a recommendation for any changes in dues. Any changes approved by the SfHP Executive Committee must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any annual meeting of the Society or by a similar proportion of those replying to a mail and/or electronic ballot of the eligible membership.

e. Any Member or Affiliate of the Society may be removed from the Society for cause by a vote of two thirds of the Executive Committee. Action such as unethical practices, unprofessional behavior, or conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the Society or the field of health psychology is to be considered sufficient cause for expulsion from the Society.

Article III - Officers

a. The Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, Past-President, President-Elect, Treasurer/Secretary, three Members-at-Large, APA Council Representatives, and a Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Each shall perform the usual duties of the respective office and specific duties provided elsewhere in these Bylaws or as assigned by the Executive Committee

b. The President, Past-President, President-Elect, Treasurer/Secretary, three Members-at-Large, APA Council Representatives, and the Diversity and Inclusion Officer shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Society, performing the duties and abiding by the limitations specified in these Bylaws.

c. Candidates for elected office in the Society shall be Fellows or Members of the Society. Officers shall be elected by electronic voting coordinated by the APA Elections Office.

d. There shall be three Members-at-Large, who shall be elected for terms of three years, the terms being staggered in such a manner as to provide continuity in representation of the members' needs and opinions.

e. There shall be a Diversity and Inclusion Officer, who shall be elected for a term of three years, to oversee broad diversity and inclusivity efforts on behalf of SfHP. The Diversity and Inclusion Officer will have a broader mandate to increase SfHP member diversity in all domains (including but not limited to age, socioeconomic background, race/ethnicity, culture, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, ability status, and the intersection of multiple underserved identities) and ensure an inclusive environment consistent with the values of SfHP.

f. The President appoints interim Officers or chairs of Councils and Committees when those positions become vacant unexpectedly during his/her term. If an Officer is elected to the APA Board of Directors before her/his SfHP term is complete, s/he must resign from the SfHP Executive Committee.

g. In cases where an elected Officer, other than the President, fails to perform the specified duties of that office as evaluated by the President, the President shall notify the Officer in writing stating the concerns and expectations for remedying the situation. If the Officer continues to fail in the performance of duty, the President may choose to submit to the Past President a written statement and documentation concerning the failure of performance with a recommendation for removal from office. The Past President shall then contact the Officer in question requesting a written response to this recommendation within thirty days. Upon receipt of this response or, if no response is received after thirty days, the Past President shall convene a confidential meeting of the Executive Committee, excluding the President and the Officer in question. The Executive Committee shall then review the documentation. A majority vote of the Executive Committee, excluding the President and the Officer in question, shall be required for removal from office.

In cases where the President fails to perform the specified duties of the office as evaluated by a member of the Executive Committee, that member shall notify the President in writing stating the concerns and expectations for remedying the situation. If the President continues to fail in the performance of duty, the member shall then submit to the Past President a written statement and documentation concerning the failure of performance with a recommendation for removal of office. The Past President shall then contact the President requesting a written response to this recommendation within thirty days. Upon receipt of this response or after a period of thirty days, the Past President shall convene a confidential meeting of the Executive Committee, excluding the President and the member who made the initial charge, to review the documentation. A majority vote of the Executive Committee, excluding the President and the member who made the initial charge, shall be required for removal from office.

Article IV – Councils and Committees

a. The Councils and Committees of the Society shall consist of such standing Councils and Committees as may be provided by these Bylaws and such special groupings as may be established by the Executive Committee.

b. The President, the Past-President, the President-Elect, the Treasurer/Secretary, the three Members-at-Large, and the APA Council Representatives shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Society, performing the duties and abiding by the limitations specified in these Bylaws. Actions of the Executive Committee affecting Society policy are subject to general approval by majority vote of the members voting. The voting for such matters shall be conducted at an annual meeting or by special electronic ballots as decided by the Executive Committee.

c. In addition to the Executive Committee, the Society shall have Committees, some of which are overseen by Chairs and may be organized into Councils based on their activities. The purpose of the Councils and Committees is to provide communication, oversight, and coordination of major Society interests, activities, and goals; and to accommodate future growth and activity within the Society. Each Council is comprised of its constituent Committees, appropriate liaisons and monitors, and other Council and Committee members relevant to the activities of the Council. Each Council is overseen by a Council Chair, to whom Committee Chairs and other Council members report. Council and Committee Chairs typically will be asked to serve a three-year commitment. In the case of the Student Council, Program Committee, and Nominations Committee, chairs will serve one year as chair-elect, one year as chair, and one year as past-chair.

Article V - Activities

a. The annual meeting of the Society shall take place during the annual convention of the Association, at the same locality, for the transaction of business, the presentation of scientific papers, and the discussion of professional matters in the field of the Society's interest. The Society shall seek to coordinate its programs with, and participate in, the program of the Association.

b. The Society may issue a newsletter for purposes of coordinating and disseminating news or for other purposes.

c. The Society may maintain a website to facilitate access to information and other resources for its membership and for interested individuals.

d. The Society may publish a scientific journal to disseminate peer-reviewed science.

e. The Society may plan and sponsor continuing education programming to keep health psychologists up to date on science and practice.

f. The Society may sponsor awards or recognition programs to promote excellence in research, practice, education, and public interest.

Article VI - Amendments

a. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any annual meeting of the Society; by a similar proportion of those replying to a mail or electronic ballot of the eligible membership.

b. The outcome of other matters requiring the assent of the membership (e.g., Society officers, apportionment) may be determined by electronic voting.