MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition is to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public through an examination and certification process that assesses professional and clinical competence of healthcare providers in nutrition.

MOTTO: “Public safety, Quality Assurance, Clinical Competency”

ARTICLE I  NAME

This organization shall be called the American Clinical Board of Nutrition (ACBN), hereafter referred to as the Board.

ARTICLE II  PURPOSE

A.     To conduct certification activities in a manner that upholds standards for competent practice in the healthcare specialty of clinical nutrition. This is to include establishment of minimum educational criteria and requirements for examinations and certification as a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.
B.     To verify that candidates have satisfied all prerequisites required for the Diplomate Examination, including professional experience and education.
C.    The Board shall administer examinations for the purpose of evaluating the candidate’s proficiency in clinical nutrition and shall issue the credential of Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition (DACBN) to those candidates who are successful in its Board Examination.
D.    To solicit funding for the financial necessities of the organization and for prospective grants, research, etc.

ARTICLE III    STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION

A.     Structure – The population of certificants shall be any healthcare provider holding a professional doctoral degree who has completed specialized training in clinical nutrition from any college, university, institution, foundation, or agency having status with an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or an agency having reciprocal agreement with the recognized agency. Training shall be a minimum of three hundred (300) credit hours approved by the Board and who have demonstrated competency in all phases of the examination administered by the Board.
B.     The structure and governance of the certification program of the ACBN shall reflect the interests of the general public as well as the interests of the profession in the credential.
C.    As the number of individuals from other disciplines requesting certification increases, the composition of the Board will address the needs of those disciplines; e.g. MD, DO.
D.    The ACBN Board shall consist of an Executive Board, the Examining Committee and a Public Member.
1.      The Executive Board consists of seven (7) voting members: 6 certificants: President, Past President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director and one (1) Public Member who is appointed by the Board.
2.      The Examining Committee may consist of a minimum of one (1) certificant from each discipline.
3.      The Examining Committee is elected by a voting process of all active ACBN certificants in good standing. (See elections P&P, page 5 - Elections)
4.      The Executive Board is appointed by the Examining Committee.
5.      All terms of office are for a term of three (3) years and can serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms in that position. They may be appointed to another position on the Board.
E.     In the event of a vacancy or removal of a Examining Committee member, the ACBN Board may request new elections. In the event of the vacancy or removal of an Executive Board member, the Examining Committee will appoint an interim replacement for the remainder of the term.
F.     Board meetings or committee meetings will use Robert’s Rules of Order as a reference only for the orderly conduct of such meetings with minutes recorded by the Secretary.
G.    51% of the Board will be chiropractors.

ARTICLE IV   DUTIES OF THE BOARD

A.      The Board will be autonomous and have the authority to supervise the collection and disbursement of its funds and enter into contracts.
B.      To provide sufficient support personnel, consultants and other non-staff resources to sufficiently supplement the needs of the ACBN, and the knowledge and skills needed of its staff, e.g. an administrator.
C.      To appoint and establish committees for the proper function of ACBN activities.
D.      To establish procedures for grievances, adjudication and removal of certificants or Board members.

ARTICLE V   FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATION

A.      The fiscal year shall run from January 1st through December 31st of each year.
B.      All tax forms for a 501 (c) 6 shall be filed annually by the Treasurer or CPA.
C.     The Board will meet within the first two (2) quarters of the fiscal year to approve a budget for that year.
D.     The Board may elect, appoint, or hire a Treasurer to manage the day to day fiscal activities of the Board.
E.      The Board may provide bonding of all officers having responsibility for Board funds.
F.      The Board will maintain a checking account in the same state of legal registration of the organization, or with a bank in any other state that has a branch of the bank in the state of legal registration.
G.     Two Executive Board members may be required to approve all checks.
H.      Contracts for services requested by the Board may be subject to Board approval prior to enactment of the contract. This shall include contracts by the Board for services from others or contracts with the Board for the provision of services. The Board shall make every effort to obtain services from companies that do not discriminate on any basis.

ARTICLE VI   COMMITTEES OF THE ACBN

Committees shall be appointed or formed by the Board.

Standing committees
1.      Examining Committee – Responsible for all phases of the ACBN examination, including test questions, scoring and reporting, test site evaluation. This committee is responsible for the appointment of the Executive Board.
2.      Recertification Committee – Responsible for the development and processing of a recertification examination, only if it is deemed necessary.
3.      Accreditation Committee - Responsible for extrapolating all information necessary to maintain compliance with the accreditation agency.
4.      Elections Committee – Functions to review certificants who may wish to run for an Examining Committee position and qualifying the individual as eligible to run. This committee is also responsible for collecting and counting the ballots, and advising the Executive Board of its results.
5.      Grievance Committee – Serves as a disinterested committee to adjudicate written grievances about a certificant or Board member.
6.      Programs Review Committee – Reviews all seminars and speakers wishing to be ACBN approved.
The chairperson for each committee may be a member of the Executive Board or a member of the Examining Committee. The chairperson will provide a report to the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII   BYLAWS