Director's Message

August 12, 2005

To: DHS employees

From: Bryan Johnston, Interim DHS Director

I'm having trouble believing this is my 12th message! Three months is enough time to get a reasonably firm grasp of a community. I'm pleased my initial impressions of DHS have held firm. It is an organization populated with talented, hard-working people committed to the folks we serve. I'm proud to be part of this Department. Before we turn to this week's message, I want to quote from a thoughtful email response to my last message: “Thank you for recognizing the people who contributed to the legislative effort for DHS. I'd also like to see thanks extended to the staff who carried on their usual workloads while also analyzing bills, listening to hearings, tracking down and understanding proposed amendments, and preparing blue sheets, and the support staff who churned out Linus reports and kept all our ever-changing records up to date. My experience was only in SPD, but it was definitely a team effort here, without which we couldn't have pulled it off!" I agree and I wish I had said it.

The message this week is mostly business: Cabinet update, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary's visit, SDA's 2 effort toward Self-help stress reduction.

Cabinet update --I mentioned that I had added two goals to my original list of six. The DHS cabinet held a special meeting on Monday to work on putting together an 18-month strategic plan for the department. This is one of those goals. All clusters spent time looking ahead at what key initiatives need to be accomplished in the next year and a half. It was a productive session and the cabinet will turn next to refining what was proposed into an overall planning document for the department.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary's visit -- On Monday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt will be in Portland to discuss the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, the Medicare Modernization Act. (MMA). Several events are planned for the afternoon stop including a partner meeting and a town hall meeting.

Secretary Leavitt is traveling around the country to help educate the public on the new law, which brings the most dramatic and innovative changes to the Medicare program since it began in 1965. I was at a meeting with department heads from around the U.S. recently, and one of them confessed that he can't figure out how to get his aged mother properly signed up. The Secretary has his work cut out for him.

DHS will be represented at the event and I have been asked to introduce the Secretary and speak with him about this effort. The department has been working diligently with DAS and other partners to plan for this upcoming change.

Self help stress reduction -- Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in one of a series of lunchtime meetings with staff from SDA 2 (Multnomah County) led by SDA Manager Jerry Burns regarding retention of staff. The focus was on identifying "stressors" or barriers and, more importantly, sharing solutions and ideas about what we can all do to improve the environment within which we work. If you get the chance, ask Jerry to tell you his "pizza" story -- more stress.

Topics discussed included communication, workload, management skills, recognition, appreciation and more. The next step in this process involves the development of an overall plan, which will include roles and responsibilities for all -- staff, SDA leaders, CAF administration staff and human resources staff.

Although there are many aspects of our work where we do not have ultimate control, there is one area that we do -- and that's the amount of respect we give the people we work with and the people we serve every day. Taking care of each other can have an immense positive impact on how we feel about our work and the many challenges we face. Compliments to all who are taking positive steps toward creating a healthier work environment for themselves and for the future workforce of DHS.

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.

If you have a disability and need this message to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-5107. You can also fax your request to (503) 373-7690, or call (503) 947-5080 for TTY service. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.