• Section 1: Name

  • The name and title of the organization shall be the Washington Society of Addiction Medicine, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Society, and it shall be a chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Its abbreviation shall be WSAM.

• Section 2

  • Mission, Purposes, and Goals The Mission of the Society is: To provide a medium for physicians and associated professionals dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians, other medical professionals and the public; supporting research and prevention; and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addiction.

• The Purposes of The Society are:

  • to enable networking with colleagues in addiction medicine;

  • to provide closer liaison between members and the national activities of ASAM;

  • to provide closer liaison to other physicians, associated professionals and professional societies regarding addiction medicine issues;

  • to increase public awareness in/about the existence and vitality of the physician specialty of addiction medicine;

  • to increase public awareness in/about problems related to addiction;

  • to promote professionalism in the delivery of services to patients with problems which result from addiction and

  • to be a physician resource for state and national public policy issues that affect addiction medicine services and patients with addiction.

• The Goals of the Society are to provide:

  • a forum for sharing the ideas between addiction medicine specialists, especially regarding clinical management strategies and strategies for interfacing with managed care organizations;

  • a vehicle for increased professionalism and higher quality information, prevention, training, and treatment regarding addiction problems;

  • an enhancement of knowledge and attitudes among citizens and institutions about the primary nature of the disease of addiction;

  • a channel for WSAM input into national standards of care in addiction medicine; and

  • a channel for WSAM input into health care reform initiatives.

• Section 3: Organization

  • The Society is an organization of individual members, and is comprised of a Board of Directors, Officers, and Committees as defined elsewhere in this Constitution and in the Society’s Bylaws.

• Section 1: Classes of Membership

  • The membership of the Society shall be divided into classes, as provided in the Bylaws.

• Section 2: Membership Qualifications, Rights, Privileges, Duties and Obligations

  • The qualifications, rights, privileges, duties, and obligations of the several classes of membership are as stated in the Bylaws.

Part A: Board of Directors

• Section 1: Composition

  • The Board of Directors shall consist of elected Officers of the Society as defined in this Constitution and as further defined in the Bylaws.

• Section 2: Powers and Duties

  • Subject to provisions of this Constitution and the Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall be vested with full and complete power and authority to manage, control, use, invest, reinvest, lease, make contracts in respect of and concerning, convey, give, grant, transfer or otherwise dispose of all property and assets of whatever kind and nature owned by the Society, and shall also be vested with full and complete power and authority to do and perform all acts and to transact all business for and on behalf of the Society and to manage and conduct all the work and activities of the Society in carrying out the
    purposes thereof. The Board of Directors shall have such additional duties, powers, and functions as are prescribed in the Bylaws.

Part B: Executive Committee

• There shall be no Executive Committee, unless later specified by the members as prescribed in the Bylaws, to facilitate the business of the Society.

• Section 1: Composition

  • The Officers of the Society shall consist of the President, Immediate Past-President and Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer shall assume the role of President-elect.

• Section 2: Term of Office

  • Officers of the Society shall be elected for a term of 2 years. Upon completion of the President’s term of office, the President-Elect shall assume the office of the President and the President shall assume the office of Immediate Past-President. Should any Officer’s position become vacant prior to the end of the prescribed term of office, the vacant position shall be filled as prescribed in the Bylaws.

• Section 3: Powers and Duties

  • The powers and duties of the Officers of the Society shall be as prescribed in the Bylaws.

• Section 1: Annual Meeting

  • In each year, there shall be an Annual Meeting of the membership as provided in the Bylaws. Special meetings of the membership may be called and held as provided in the Bylaws.

• Section 2: Board of Directors

  • The Board of Directors shall meet as prescribed in the Bylaws.

Procedures for hearing and petition shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

• Section 1: Annual Dues

  • Dues for various classes of members shall be established by the Board of Directors.

• Section 2: Other Sources of Revenue

  • Funds may be raised by any means approved by the Board of Directors and as set forth in the Bylaws.

• Section 3: Funds of the Society

  • The Treasurer shall be responsible for the security of all funds and monies received by the Society. The treasurer shall be responsible for the handling, depositing and investing of the Society funds as directed by the Board of Directors and defined by the Bylaws. The Treasurer shall cause funds to be dispensed only as authorized by the Board of Directors. An accurate account of all transactions of the Treasury shall be reported at the annual meeting of the Society and at each meeting of the Board of Directors.

• Section 4: Dispensation of Assets at Dissolution

  • In the event that this Society should dissolve its corporate status, any and all of its assets shall be remitted to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Any member of the Board of Directors or any group of at least 10 active members in good standing may propose one or more amendments to the Constitution. The proposed amendment shall first be submitted to the Board of Directors in written form at least sixty (60) days prior to the next regularly-scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors for approval.

Once approved by the Board of Directors, the proposed amendment must be submitted in written form (print or digital) within thirty (30) days to the active members of the Society, at their addresses on file (physical or digital) at the society’s office, for ratification. A proposed amendment is ratified if at least two- thirds (2/3) of the members whose responses are received no later than thirty (30) days from the date of the mailing vote in the affirmative.