Just like its licensees, NCMB has had to be both resilient and creative to continue working and serving the public and the profession amid the unprecedented challenges of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Most NCMB staff have been working from home on a full-time basis since mid-March and visitors to NCMB's offices in Raleigh have been prohibited since about the same time. NCMB is proud to say that its licensing and regulation work has continued without interruption.
One of the most visible changes to how NCMB does business is the bimonthly Board Meeting. Board Meetings are complicated multi-day events involving dozens of individuals - some traveling long distances to present to or meet with Board Members. In May 2020, NCMB converted to a 100 percent virtual meeting format for the first time in NCMB history. Some licensing and investigative interviews with licensees had to be rescheduled that month, but others proceeded and all standing committees of the Board met using video conferencing technology.
Open session agenda items are accessible to the public, who can call in using information provided on the meeting agenda. July's Board Meeting included a nearly full slate of interviews and featured presentations from multiple stakeholders, who were video-conferenced in. The September Board Meeting will also be 100 percent virtual.
Agendas are typically posted a week or so before the meeting, and specific call-in information for public session agenda items is added a day or two before the meeting. If you would like to "attend" the September meeting be sure to check the agenda for call information.
Although NCMB looks forward to a time when we can safely come together in person, virtual meetings have validated that many aspects of a Board Meeting can be conducted as well online as they can in person. For example, virtual licensing and investigative interviews have gone so smoothly NCMB is considering whether virtual interviews should remain an option for applicants and licensees post-pandemic.
