Health and Human Services Council Guiding Principles 

Agency council activities will be guided by the following key principles: 

1. Stakeholder Inclusion in Council Functions 

• We uphold the principle of inclusiveness and will develop an environment that fosters strong consumer and constituent input. 
• We place the concerns, interests, and well-being of our consumers and constituents at the center of our attention. 

2. Leadership and Decision-making 

• We are dedicated to our responsibilities and accountable for our actions. 
• We will comply with all state and federal laws and will adhere to agency missions, policies, standards, and guidelines.
• We respond to public input and questions in a timely and responsive manner. 
• We are open to new ideas and information in forming policy and decisions, and we acknowledge and respect differences of opinion. 
• We are guided by fact and best practices in decision-making, not controlled by personal biases. 

3. Focus on Consumer Needs 

• We promote human dignity and self-worth and value cultural and individual differences.
• We keep consumer needs and geographic differences at the forefront of our discussions. 

4. Business Operations 

• We will conduct ourselves with truthfulness, integrity, and honesty and will maintain confidentiality. 
• We avoid conflicts of interest. 
• We will work in a collaborative environment to provide results. 
• We perform council business in an open, honest, and forthcoming manner. 
• We conduct meetings with frequency and regularity to ensure access. 
• We allow means for input other than public meetings (i.e., e-mail, Internet, etc.). 
• We commit to regular council meeting attendance and will be prepared in advance of meetings to deliberate issues. 
• We will utilize task forces and advisory committees to make informed recommendations.
• We encourage and support council members to become knowledgeable of agency programs.