SPPM Bylaws

BYLAWS OF
SOCIETY FOR PEDIATRIC PAIN MEDICINE

Adopted February 26, 2020

There shall be, within SPA, a section on pediatric pain medicine which shall be known as the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine (“SPPM”) in order to promote the subspecialty of pediatric pain medicine and provide education and training to members of SPA and other health care providers wishing to increase their knowledge of that area of practice.

Section 1. Mission Statement of SPPM: It is the intent of SPPM to reduce the incidence, advance the clinical care, and improve the outcomes of acute and chronic pain in newborns, infants, children and adolescents. This shall be accomplished by (1) education, (2) collaboration of members, (3) coordination with other societies having like-minded goals and objectives, (4) research, (5) facilitation of multi-institutional databases, (6) training and practice guidelines, and (7) advocacy.

Section 2. SPPM Administration. SPPM shall be administered as a part of SPA and SPA shall provide to SPPM such office space and administrative services as may be determined to be reasonable or necessary from time to time by the Board of Directors of SPA in consultation with the SPPM Board. In general, the expenses of SPPM shall be expected to be funded through SPPM dues or other revenues generated by SPPM and no liabilities or expenses of SPPM in excess of such sums shall be incurred without the prior approval of the Board of Directors of SPA. The SPPM Board shall annually prepare a budget reflecting reasonably anticipated dues and other sources of revenues, as well as budgeted expenses, and shall submit such budget to the Board of Directors of SPA for review and approval not less than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of each fiscal year of SPA. The SPPM Board may otherwise adopt policies and procedures applicable to SPPM, subject to the advance approval of the Board of Directors of SPA. All funds of SPPM shall be deposited into an account which shall be under the supervision of the Treasurer of SPPM and all requests for disbursements from such account shall require the approval of the Treasurer of SPPM.

Section 3. SPPM Members. SPPM shall have members and such members shall be divided into the following classes of membership: Active Members, Affiliate Members, Resident/Fellow/Trainee Members, International Members, and Retired Members. The SPPM Board reserves the right to reject any membership application that it deems not in keeping with the mission and values of SPPM. The criteria for membership in each such class of membership are set forth below:

(a) Active Members. The Active Member class shall be comprised of physicians, health care professionals, scientists, and others interested in pediatric pain medicine and the mission of the Society. Active Members have successfully completed the membership application process described in Section 10.4 of these Bylaws. Each Active member of SPPM shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to the membership of SPPM for a vote and to hold office.

Active A Members: are eligible to be members of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and are Active members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA).

Active B Members: are persons ineligible to be members of ASA who in each case have an interest in pediatric pain medicine. Active B Members shall apply separately to Affiliate Membership in the SPA if desired. Affiliate Membership in the SPA requires SPA Board approval. Active B Members of SPPM shall be shown as Active Members on the membership record of SPPM and as affiliate members of SPA, if so approved.

(b) Affiliate Members. The affiliate member class is for those individuals who would like to be associated with the SPPM, but do not wish to take an active role in shaping the society through voting and holding of office. Affiliate members will pay dues that are half of member dues.

Affiliate A:

- Physicians who are ineligible to be active members of ASA and non-physicians, who in each case have an interest in pain
- Are affiliate members of SPA
- May not vote or hold office

Affiliate B:

- Physicians practicing in the US and Canada who are ineligible to be members of ASA and persons who are not physicians, who have an interest in pediatric pain medicine, but are not practicing or interested in pediatric anesthesia.
- Ineligible for active membership in the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA).
- May not vote or hold office

(c) Trainee Members. The Trainee Member class shall include all Residents/ Fellow Members of SPA. Additionally, non-SPA members who are physicians, scientists and other healthcare professionals in training may apply separately to the SPPM if they have an interest in research into or the practice of pediatric pain medicine. These members shall have satisfactorily completed the membership application process described in 10.4 of these Bylaws. No person may hold membership in SPPM as a Trainee Member for more than six (6) years. Trainee members shall not be entitled to vote on any matter submitted.

(d) International Members. The International Member class will include all International Members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia. Additionally, the International Member class may include scientists involved in research, as well as physicians and other health care professionals practicing outside of the United States and Canada, who in each case have an interest in pediatric pain medicine and have satisfactorily completed the membership application process described in Section 10.4 of these bylaws. Their names are shown as International Members of SPPM on the membership records of SPPM, but not on the membership record of SPA unless they also choose to become International Members of SPA. Each International Member of SPPM shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to the membership of SPPM for a vote and are eligible to hold office on the Board of Directors.

(e) Retired Members. The Retired Member class shall be comprised of individuals who, as of the date of the request for the change in status of their membership (as described below), have been Active Members or Affiliate Members of SPPM for ten (10) or more consecutive years and who have completely retired from professional practice. Individuals meeting the above criteria may have their membership classification changed to status as a Retired Member by delivering a written request for such change in status to the Secretary-Treasurer of SPPM. Retired Members shall be assessed membership dues as determined by the SPPM Board of Directors and shall not be entitled to vote on any matters submitted to the membership of SPPM for a vote.

Section 4. Application for SPPM Membership. An individual desiring membership in SPPM as an Active Member, Affiliate Member, Resident/Fellow/Trainee Member, or International Member shall submit to the Secretary-Treasurer of SPPM a membership application in such form and on such terms, including the submission of an initiation fee (if any) and dues, as the Board of SPPM may designate from time to time. Any person who has filed such application and paid any required initiation fee and/or dues, and who otherwise meets the qualifications for membership with respect to the class of membership applied for, shall be designated as a member of SPPM.

Section 5. Termination, Resignation and Reinstatement of SPPM Membership. Membership in SPPM shall be automatically terminated for nonpayment of SPPM dues and may otherwise be terminated by the SPPM Board for other reasons by pursuant to procedures identical to those set forth in Section 4.4 of the SPA Bylaws with respect to termination of SPA membership. Any member may resign from SPPM by delivery of a written resignation to the SPPM Secretary, but such resignation shall not relieve the member so resigning from the obligation to pay any unpaid dues, assessments or other charges which accrued on or before the date of such resignation. Reinstatement may ensue upon written request signed by the former member and filed with the Secretary of SPPM, by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of all members of the SPPM Board, and upon such terms as the SPPM Board may deem appropriate, including receipt of any dues, assessment or other charges imposed by the SPPM Board, including, but not limited to, those previously accrued.

Section 6. SPPM Officers and Directors. SPPM shall elect, from among its membership, officers and directors of SPPM. The officers of SPPM shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and such other officers as may, from time to time, be deemed appropriate by the SPPM Board. The SPPM Board shall be composed of the SPPM President, the SPPM Vice-President, the SPPM Secretary-Treasurer, a member of the Executive Committee of SPA designated by such Executive Committee to serve as its representative on the SPPM Board, and at least two (2) and no more than eight (8) directors-at-large elected from SPPM membership. One (1) of the directors-at large shall be a representative of the SPPM Affiliate membership. With respect to its officers and directors, SPPM shall, insofar as reasonably possible, function in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.4 through 6.16 and Sections 7.2 through 7.8 of the SPA Bylaws, provided, however, that the officers and directors of SPPM shall take office at the spring meeting of SPPM held in conjunction with the spring meeting of SPA and all terms of office shall run accordingly, and further provided that the SPPM Nominating Committee be appointed at least 180 days prior to the spring meeting date at which officers and directors are to take office. The person serving as SPPM President shall, during his/her term as such, serve on the Board of Directors of SPA. The SPPM President shall report to the Board of Directors of SPA and shall provide SPA President and Board of Directors with such updates regarding SPPM affairs as may be requested from time to time.

Section .7. Committees of SPPM

(a) Standing Committees of SPPM. The following committees are designated as Standing Committees of SPPM and which report to the SPPM Board:

(i) SPPM Executive Committee. The SPPM Executive Committee shall consist of the SPPM President, the SPPM Vice-President, the SPPM Secretary-Treasurer and SPA Executive Committee representative on the SPPM Board. The SPPM Executive Committee may act in the event of an emergency and, otherwise, when time does not permit a meeting of the SPPM Board to be held in advance of the requisite action. The SPPM Executive Committee shall also be responsible for overseeing other standing committees and reporting to the SPPM President and the SPPM Board.

(ii) SPPM Education Committee. The SPPM Education Committee shall be responsible for the planning of the SPPM curriculum and program at the biannual meeting of SPA and other conferences or symposia planned by SPPM and approved by SPA Board of Directors. SPA shall be responsible for obtaining Continuing Medical Education (CME) accreditation for programs and educational offerings from SPPM. The SPPM Education Committee shall consist of the SPPM President and four (4) other members; the SPPM President need not be chair of the committee.

(iii) SPPM Nominating Committee. Not later than 180 days before the date of each spring meeting of the members of SPA at which any directors-at-large or officers of SPPM are to be elected, the SPPM Board shall appoint a five (5) member nominating committee which shall be responsible to identify a slate of recommended candidates for election as officers and directors of SPPM.

(iv) SPPM Communications Committee. The SPPM Communications Committee shall be responsible for all content, maintenance, and improvements of the SPPM website, the SPPM newsletter, social media, and the distribution of SPPM educational materials and initiatives. This Committee reports to the SPPM Board of Directors to ensure alignment with the overall educational mission of SPPM. The Chair of the Committee will be appointed by the SPPM President, with approval from the SPPM Board of Directors.

(v) SPPM Research Committee. The SPPM Research Committee shall promote and encourage basic science, translational and clinical research related to pediatric pain medicine. The committee will be responsible for evaluating/approving surveys submitted to SPPM for distribution to the membership. The committee will also act to advise and participate in the planning of SPPM Annual Meeting on basic, translation, and clinical research and quality improvement science. This may include lecture presentations, research in progress, and abstract selection processes. The Chair of the Committee will be appointed by the SPPM President, with approval from the SPPM Board of Directors.

(vi) SPPM Advocacy Committee. The SPPM Advocacy Committee is dedicated to advocating for and improving the quality of acute and chronic pain-related conditions in children by vetting advocacy issues and developing consensus statements on behalf of SPPM as they arise. The Committee will work with outside societies to increase awareness of the mission of SPPM and take advantage of mutually beneficial collaborations. The Chair of the Committee will be appointed by the SPPM President, with approval from the SPPM Board of Directors.

(vii) SPPM Finance & Membership Committee. The SPPM Finance and Membership Committee shall include as chair the Secretary-Treasurer of SPPM. The committee shall study and recommend means of strengthening the financial status of SPPM, make recommendations concerning investment of SPPM funds, and assist the Secretary-Treasurer in the preparation of the annual budget, which shall be submitted by the Secretary-Treasurer to the Board of Directors for approval. The committee shall develop and maintain liaison with corporate sponsors of educational grants. The committee shall also oversee the maintenance of records of members and shall facilitate the processing of membership applications as well as make efforts to increase the numerical strength of SPPM.

Unless otherwise specified, there shall be no limit upon the number of terms which a person may serve upon any standing committee of SPPM.

(b). Ad Hoc SPPM Committees. The SPPM Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of its members, may designate and appoint one (1) or more additional committees to carry out such duties or activities, as it may deem necessary. Committee actions will be reported to the SPPM Board and shall be subject to the approval of the SPPM Board before implementation. A chair of each committee will be designated by the SPPM President, and at least one (1) member of each committee shall be a member of the SPPM Board. The term of any such committee or chair shall not extend beyond the term of the SPPM President.

(c). Miscellaneous Provisions Regarding SPPM Committees. Elections, notices of meeting, quorum requirements, filling of vacancies and other matters, actions and limitations of committees of SPPM, not specifically defined in this Section 10.7 shall be conducted as provided in Article VIII, as if such committees were a committee appointed directly by the Board of Directors of SPA.

Section 8. Meetings of SPPM Members. Meetings of the membership of SPPM shall be held in conjunction with each meeting of the membership of SPA and at such other times and places as determined by the SPPM Board.

Section 9. Incorporation of Various Articles by Reference. For the purposes of the operation, administration, and management of SPPM, the provisions of Articles IX (Contracts, Checks, Deposits and Funds), X (Certificates of Membership), XI (Books and Records), XII (Fiscal Year), XIII (Dues), XV (Waiver of Notice), XVI (Indemnification), XVII (Prohibited Activities), and XVIII (Gender) of the SPA Bylaws are incorporated in these Bylaws and shall apply to SPPM, provided that in interpreting the provisions of such Articles whenever reference is made therein to SPA such reference shall be deemed to refer to SPPM.

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