AAPA

The Constituent Organization Development division of AAPA serves chapters, specialty organizations, caucuses, and special interest groups (SIGs). Staff consults and advises organizations on a number of issues and provides assistance in developing constituent organizations to become stronger.

The Constituent Organization Development staff serve as experts on all of the services and resources available to constituent organizations and their leaders throughout the Academy. The staff also manages specific resources:

• Fulfills Mailing Label and E-mail Blast requests
• Maintains the Constituent Organization Officers Directory
• Provides association management through the Constituent Organization Management Solutions (COMS) program
• Guides groups interested in becoming a constituent organization through the process
• Develops assessment tools and performance plans for constituent organization progression
• Reviews bylaws and policies and procedures
• Archives corporate and governing documents and newsletters
• Develops E-Newsletters and E-Newsbrief for distribution to constituent organizations
• Provides administrative support to the Constituent Relations Committee (CRC) and the PPAP sub-committee

Constituent Relations Committee

The mission of the Constituent Relations Committee (CRC) is to strengthen AAPA through its officially recognized constituent organization - chapters, specialty organizations, caucuses, and congress - to enhance and advance constituent organization development, and to serve as a resource to members and leaders.

CRC represents constituent organizations and focuses on the inclusiveness of all AAPA constituent organizations. CRC is composed of: five regional representatives (Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central and West), a specialty organization representative, a caucus representative, and a representative from the Student Academy of AAPA (SAAAPA).

Visit the Constituent Relations Committee webpage to view contact information for representative, regional meeting minutes, and regional policies.

PPAP - Your Peer-to-Peer Resource

Take your organization to the next level. PPAP is a resource available to all constituent organizations, working as peers with PA volunteer leaders to sustain and/or increase their constituent organization's continual improvement. PPAP facilitators meet with constituent organization leaders for a day-and-a-half site visit with your board officers, committee members, and potential leaders. The organization's strengths, challenges, structure, and processes are assessed and fine-tuned through planning.

There are six objectives for a PPAP site visit:

• Build the confidence of the organization
• Conduct guided self-assessment of the organization's functioning status
• Customize the visit to the organization's wants, needs, preferences, and resources
• Assist in the identification and prioritization of goals
• Facilitate an organization's ability to develop a process for goal achievement
• Create firsthand knowledge of existing resources for support of organization efforts

For more information about PPAP, view the PPAP Full Program Description. To schedule a site visit, contact Constituent Organization Development at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Membership Marketing Support

AAPA is available to assist constituent organizations with membership marketing and outreach. The Strategic Business Development & Marketing Division offers a valuable consulting service to constituent organizations needing assistance with membership efforts. Constituent organizations may contact Melissa Cwiertniewicz, Manager Membership Marketing and Promotion at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 703-836-2272, ext. 3306 for consultation on the development and enhancement of membership campaigns.

To view step-by-step guides on membership recruitment, retention, tracking campaign success and personalizing campaign, visit Constituent Organization Membership Marketing Resources.

Constituent Organization Awards Program

AAPA offers two award programs recognizing the accomplishments of constituent organizations. For more information about these awards, visit the AAPA Awards web page.

• Constituent Organization Award of Achievement: Up to five award recipients may be selected annually honoring innovative projects that have had positive impact on health care and/or the PA profession and encouraged leadership and constituent organization growth. These awards are judged by AAPA's Constituent Relations Committee.
• SAAAPA Constituent Organization: One award honoring a constituent organization demonstrating outstanding support to students. The award is judged by SAAAPA board members.

Chapter Lecture Series/Chapter Product Theater Series

The Chapter Lecture Series Program provides the opportunity for constituent organizations to have an AAPA-approved speaker present on the current topics. A stipend is also provided to the organization. For more information, visit the Chapter Lecture Series webpage.

The Chapter Product Theater Series Program provides the opportunity for constituent organizations to have a speaker on a variety of topics. The CPTS sessions are not approved for CME credit. For more information, visit Chapter Product Theater Serieswebpage.

Other Resources

AAPA provides support in other areas that are critical to the success of constituent organizations.

• Diversity Issue Resources:Through the Committee on Diversity, AAPA is committed to increasing support to constituent organizations by providing tools for leaders and members to use to build diversity and disparity projects on local levels. For more information, visit AAPA's Diversity webpage.
• Leadership Development: AAPA sponsors meetings and programs aimed at enhancing leadership skills, including: Constituent Organization Resource Exchange (CORE), and the PA Professional Development Toolbox.
• Reimbursement Templates: AAPA's Reimbursement Policy staff developed a template of reimbursement policy information to add to constituent organization Web sites. Information on Medicare, private payer, Medicaid, and Workers' Compensation reimbursement policy, found through the links below, will help members answer reimbursement questions and will direct them to the AAPA's Reimbursement Policy staff members to solve more difficult reimbursement problems.
  • Medicaid Web Copy
  • Medicare Web Copy
  • Private Payer Web Copy
  • Worker's Comp Web Copy
• State Government Affairs Center: The AAPA State Government Affairs Center is designed to assist state chapter leaders with advocacy issues on the state and local level. Visit the State Government Affairs Center for more information.