Director's Message

March 17, 2006

To: DHS employees

From: Dr. Bruce Goldberg, DHS Director

"That best portion of a good man's life,

His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love."

William Wordsworth

Our everyday actions are indeed important. So it is fitting that next week, on March 22 at 11 a.m., we'll be having a special ceremony here at the Human Services Building in Salem, to officially rename the building after someone whose everyday actions benefited so many Oregonians, Governor Barbara Roberts.

It's a wonderful thing to name one of our buildings and it would be difficult to find someone more deserving of this honor than Governor Roberts, who has spent much of her career advocating for Oregonians' unmet human services needs. She began her many years of public service as a legislative advocate for disabled children, fighting for the educational rights of her autistic son.

Among the many firsts she accomplished, Governor Roberts worked to secure federal waivers and funding for the Oregon Health Plan -- the first such plan in the United States.

During her term as governor, she also led the effort to increase the number of children in the Head Start program; advocated for programs to help move Oregonians from welfare to the workplace, ensuring healthcare and childcare needs continue to be met; fought for insurance to cover outpatient drug and alcohol treatment; and advocated for teen pregnancy prevention programs, among many other accomplishments.

Our building's new name came during the 2005 legislative session when a bill was passed naming our building. We will be officially commemorating that effort and the new name at our ceremony next week.  There will be remarks and speeches and a permanent display unveiled in our lobby for future generations to learn about what Governor Roberts did for the needy among us.  The ceremony will include statewide and elected officials, former DHS directors, and others -- and will involve former Governor Roberts, Governor Atiyeh, and Governor Kulongoski.

While we will be having the ceremony in the Human Services "headquarters" building in Salem, the best way we can honor Governor Roberts and what she tried to accomplish is through our work every day, in more than 100 DHS locations across the state.

Although Governor Roberts is appreciative of the building re-dedication ceremony that is planned, what she really wants us to keep in mind are all the people she cared so much about -- whether they need a warm place to live, medical treatment, food on the table, or the security that they are free from harm.

That is the challenge that this building renaming presents for us here at DHS. Past the pomp and circumstance of the March 22 ceremony, we can honor Governor Roberts and the good works she did every day -- by continuing to be dedicated to making a positive difference in lives of Oregonians statewide.   

To provide feedback email: DHS.Directorsoffice@state.or.us

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.

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