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IAHCSMM Chapters
If you're looking for local or regional educational and networking opportunities, IAHCSMM Chapters are for you. IAHCSMM Chapters provide Sterile Processing professionals with an ideal opportunity to stay educated to the profession, participate in various Chapter events and committees, and network with fellow SP peers in their region. Currently, there are more than 50 IAHCSMM Chapters across 37 states and three countries, a far-reaching presence that provides SP professionals in virtually any location with more direct access to meetings, educational events and networking opportunities.
Chapter Listing
Currently, there are more than 60 IAHCSMM Chapters across 37 states and five countries, a far-reaching presence that provides CS professionals in virtually any location with more direct access to meetings, educational events and networking opportunities.
Chapter meetings and other educational and social events held throughout the year feature well-respected speakers who address a range of pertinent and timely topics impacting the CS profession. Vendor sponsors and exhibitors are also often on hand to educate attendees and share their latest product and service offerings. Collectively, Chapter involvement affords an opportunity for CS professionals to build enduring relationships with their peers while engaging in satisfying professional development programs that advance the CS discipline, and foster continued Chapter growth and success.
To locate a chapter near you, click your local state on this interactive map, or, click on the state listing below. States pictured in green do not currently have a chapter.
International Chapters: China Chapter of IAHCSMM • Central Sterile Processing Association of Ghana • Pakistan Chapter of IAHCSMM • Taiwan Chapter of IAHCSMM
Managing Your Local Chapter: Guidelines and Resources
All IAHCSMM Constituent Chapters act autonomously and are responsible for providing programs of regional interest, collecting local dues and handling all business relevant to the chapter.
Chapters must submit an Annual Chapter Recharter to continue affiliation with IAHCSMM. See further details in the section below.
IAHCSMM currently has Constituent Chapters in the United States and abroad. Each chapter appoints or elects a liaison to IAHCSMM. This is usually the Chapter President. This member represents the chapter on the Chapter Committee. If a chapter has 300 or more active members, they will be allowed to have a maximum of two committee members from the same constituent chapter. Elected officers of constituent chapters must be active members of IAHCSMM.
IAHCSMM headquarters receives several inquiries regarding Chapter activities. To help answer these questions Chapters should provide headquarters staff with:
- • Changes in officers and contact information
- • Updates of chapter information posted on the IAHCSMM website
- • Dates and brochures of any upcoming chapter programs
Annual Recharter Process
All IAHCSMM Chapters are required to complete the Annual Chapter Recharter by February 1st to continue affiliation with IAHCSMM. The Annual Recharter process was developed to:
- • Demonstrate you are an active Chapter and meeting the requirements of a Constituent Chapter of IAHCSMM
- • Readily identify your current Board and Chapter Members
- • Make note of the activity level of your Chapter
- • Maintain accurate records of your bylaws, in accordance with the Association's bylaws
All Chapters submitting a Recharter will be eligible to win a Chapter of the Year Award. These Awards recognize an IAHCSMM Chapter that has significantly advanced and embraced the SP profession. Winners of each category will receive an engraved plaque, plus $1,500 from the STERIS Corporation. There are three categories for the Chapter of the Year Award:
- • Large Chapter of the Year – Chapters with over 150 members
- • Medium Chapter of the Year - Chapters with 50-150 members
- • Small Chapter of the Year – Chapters with under 50 members
Chapter of the Year Awards Sponsored By: 
General Information: Form a Chapter with IAHCSMM
Please Note: IAHCSMM is currently in the process of assessing our strategy for Chapter development to best serve our communities. New Chapter applications are on hold until this assessment is complete. Please check back for further information. In the meantime, please direct all inquiries to chapters@iahcsmm.org.
All IAHCSMM Constituent Chapters act autonomously. They are responsible for providing programs of regional interest, collecting local dues and handling all business relevant to the Chapter. Programs may take the form of educational, commercial or social as warranted by the local chapter program committee.
Interested in Establishing a Local Chapter?
IAHCSMM-sponsored meetings are a great way to learn the basics of and keep-up with your profession. However, attendance at these national or regional meetings typically requires the time and cost commitment for travel to, often, distant meeting site locations.
IAHCSMM local chapters provide additional opportunities to learn and network on a closer-to-home and more frequent basis. Like the national meetings, local chapter sessions can be educational and enjoyable and, with your team of dedicated and creative leaders and other volunteers, they will be.
Why is an active IAHCSMM chapter important to you and other SP professionals in your area? Several reasons include:
- Information learned and shared will benefit the members' healthcare facilities.
- A localized network of SP professionals will be formed, and members can help each other to address their departments' challenges.
- Meetings allow professionals with common interests to enjoy social opportunities.
- Attendance at approved chapter educational sessions provides additional opportunities for members to earn re-certification points.
In many areas, SP professionals already know some of their peers in other facilities because they meet at seminars, hospital open-houses, local training programs, or other meetings. They use these venues as opportunities to share ideas and to keep-up with the world of healthcare in general and the Central Service profession more specifically. For many, these informal conversations lead to the question: "Why don't we organize a more formal and on-going method to interact with other SP professionals?" This idea about forming an IAHCSMM chapter can then lead to the process of determining if others are interested in establishing an IAHCSMM local chapter.
Needs Assessment Survey
A needs assessment survey can help to assess the extent of interest in chapter formation, and a simple survey that can be distributed (e-mailed) to those in nearby facilities is shown below. Note: state hospital associations can assist with mailing lists for initial contacts, and vendors who visit many hospitals may also be able to provide contact information, if necessary. It will be helpful if members of the chapter organizing team who know some potential members contact potential members in advance of the survey to review the potential benefits of an IAHCSMM local chapter and to indicate that the survey will be forthcoming.
If survey results suggest significant potential interest, the next step can be to schedule a date and time for an informational meeting and to send out a notice indicating that the purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the formation of the local chapter. The agenda can include:
- A discussion about the purpose of and possible activities to be sponsored by the local chapter.
- A review of a local chapter's possible Bylaws.
Local Chapter Officer Duties
Examples of the basic duties and responsibilities of local chapter officers on the local chapter's Board are provided below:
All Board Members:
- Agree to serve for the time of their appointment, if possible.
- Attend the majority of board meetings and contribute ideas to benefit the local chapter.
- Serve as a chairperson or coordinator on a local chapter committee if requested by the President.
- Participate in projects of the local chapter if requested by the President. Note: The Immediate Past President may serve as an advisor to the board because of his/her past experience with the local chapter.
The President:
- The President should be familiar with the local chapter's BYLAWS and should have a basic understanding of parliamentary procedure. However, it is important to be tactful and use "common sense," especially with small groups and when Board members are not familiar with parliamentary procedure.
- Other potential duties and responsibilities of the President may include:
- Assist board members in the planning and scheduling of chapter meetings.
- Coordinate correspondence with the local chapter secretary.
- Consistently comply with local chapter BYLAWS.
- Coordinate the formulation of a proposed annual budget.
- Coordinate the development of short and long-term goals and the plans to attain them.
Guidelines for Chapter Presidents
The Vice President:
- Assist the President with his/her responsibilities when requested to do so.
- Act as chairperson, coordinator, or advisor on committees as appointed by the President.
The Secretary:
- Write appreciation letters to speakers, those organizing meetings, and the representatives of facilities that sponsor meetings.
- Assure the BYLAW amendments and/or additions are recorded in the BYLAWS.
- Maintain each member's activity record.
- Send a welcoming letter and membership certificate to new members and maintain a record of certificates distributed.
- Gather information from surveys and studies and develop this input into a report form.
The Treasurer:
- Maintain a balanced checkbook and proof of receipts, bills, bank statements, and other financial records.
- Assure that paid members have a current membership card.
- Prepare renewal notices to be sent to members.
- Submit records to auidtors as directed by the local chapter's Board.
- Develop reports of receipts, advertisements, assets, liabilities, and cash balances.
Legal Disclaimer
IAHCSMM Executive Board Approved the Following Chapter Disclaimer on March 4, 2011: "IAHCSMM is an Illinois corporation exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code. Although IAHCSMM's bylaws make provision for participation by "constituent chapters," IAHCSMM's corporate standing is separate and independent of each of those chapters. As such, IAHCSMM has no involvement in, direction over, or responsibility for the business affairs of any chapter. Each chapter is responsible for overseeing and conducting its operations, including without limitation: establishing its organizational existence in compliance with any applicable state law, seeking independent tax exempt status separate from IAHCSMM; maintaining its own financial accounts, books and records; and submitting its own tax filings independent of IAHCSMM. As a matter of policy, IAHCSMM refrains from any interference in any of the business affairs of any of its constituents so as to, inter alia, specifically preserve the separate and independent identities of the organizations. The only standard to which constituent chapters are held by IAHCSMM is that, as a member of IAHCSMM, the chapter acts in compliance with the bylaws and objectives of IAHCSMM. As such, IAHCSMM disclaims any responsibility, legal or otherwise, for any matter, claim or dispute involving, arising from, or relating to any of the activities or business affairs or operations of any of its constituent chapters."