May, 2004
Elizabeth contributes to HCA's key projects - Page 1
Betsy White Award presented to Villegas - Page 2
Maher receives award for Exemplary Service - Page 2
Gerald A. Wagner Award presented - Page 3
Spotlight on Excellence - Page 3
Employees honored at Awards Ceremony - Page 4-5
Support those who serve - Page 5
Animals Adopted at Pet Fair 2004 - Page 6
PH Week Hunt winners chosen - Page 6
By working with several key areas of Correctional Mental Health (CMH), Elizabeth Bausman's multifaceted position as Staff Assistant provides her with the opportunity to serve as Lead Integrated Records Information System (IRIS) Coordinator for Institutional Health Services and also work at Orange County's Central Jail complex.
Elizabeth is actively involved in the development, design and implementation of the IRIS computer system and has worked alongside CMH staff during the transition process to minimize any impacts on patient care. As Lead Coordinator, Elizabeth is available to handle problems with the system, contribute suggestions, and implement changes to make the system fully functional.
"The goal is to make sure that CMH staff feel well supported and to be an advocate for CMH patients in continuing to provide high quality care," said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth also participates in several key committees of HCA including the Labor Management Committee (LMC), Forms Committee, and Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) workgroup. She also works with the new online purchasing system and oversees, collates and orders major CMH equipment. Other projects include reviewing and updating the Agency Code of Conduct and working with IT, the Sheriff's Department and CMH in preparation for an electronic charting system.
Prior to joining the County, Elizabeth worked as a Program Coordinator for Group Homes Inc. in collaboration with Social Services, Probation and HCA's Children and Youth Services program.
"With my previous experience at Group Homes, I was already familiar with HCA and its programs when I first began my career with the Agency 14½ years ago, starting in CMH as an office technician," said Elizabeth.
After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San Jose State University, Elizabeth's interest in healthcare grew out of a therapist position she held at a teenage girls group home.
"I discovered that, while I could do counseling, I had more skills in the organizational and administrative areas than in the therapy arena," Elizabeth said. "So, I decided to use the knowledge gained from my schooling to help me be better at what I was gifted in."
Elizabeth views her current position at CMH as an awarding opportunity to work with a group of team-oriented professionals who encourage creative solutions in a non-traditional worksite. She also enjoys the variety in her job and also appreciates the flexibility of working at a 24-hour facility.
Elizabeth is acknowledged by her peers as ready and willing to accept new challenges, and she often plays an integral role in the development of new programs within Correctional Mental Health and HCA. She has fostered positive working relationships with her co-workers as well as the management team.
Frank Madrigal, Division Manager for Institutional Health Services adds that Elizabeth is a quick learner, outstanding supervisor and innovator of ideas in training her staff. Frank also finds that staff often model their own behaviors after Elizabeth's professional and personable attributes.
"She shows a passion for her assignments, which is reflective of a personal work ethic to do the best she can and to have value in what she does," said Frank Madrigal. "This is why she's so committed to the tasks assigned."
In the future, Elizabeth would like to go back to school and obtain a masters degree in Health Administration to tie together the support, administrative, clerical and technological experience she has.
She also plans to retire after both her children, Matthew and Mikayla have finished college and would like to spend several months out of the year as a national or state park campground host along with her husband of 22 years, Mark. She would also like to spend some time teaching crafts, cooking and computers to children in after school programs.
The 2004 Betsy White Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award was presented to Lyvia Villegas, Public Health Nurse for the Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health (MCAH) program.
Chosen from a group of outstanding nominees, Lyvia rated highly in leadership, community service and professional organization participation, three categories the Award acknowledges its candidates for. She holds an impressive nursing career along with participating in several leadership roles for MCAH, and is a community mentor and member of several professional organizations.
Prior to joining HCA, Lyvia served as a nursing instructor at Azusa Pacific University and was head of their masters program. In her current position, she chairs the Nurse Practitioner Committee and is an active member of the Quality Improvement Team. Lyvia also leads the development and implementation of the V-Model for MCAH's Family Planning Clinics, which improves clinic flow, increases clinic capacity and decreases client waiting time.
Lyvia is an active member of Help One Student to Succeed (HOST), where she tutors a learning-disabled 6 year-old boy at El Camino Real Elementary School. She additionally serves as a member of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners and the University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International.
The annual Betsy White Nurse of the Year Award is presented to nurses who demonstrate outstanding service and perpetuate the legacy of Betsy White, a now retired supervising public health nurse. Betsy is remembered as a well-respected supervisor whose leadership, service to the community, and association with professional organizations became the hallmark of her long public service career. Past recipients of this award beginning in 1998 include Kathy Eldred, Tiffany Huynh, Charmaine West, Cathy Smith, Shirley Halbur and Andrea Anzalone.
Congratulations to Terry Maher, Mental Health Worker III on receiving the Orange County Mental Health Board's quarterly Exemplary Service Award, during a monthly meeting on April 28. Supervisor Norby also presented Terry with a proclamation acknowledging his endeavors and contributions to the community.
For the past 4 ½ years, Terry has worked for the Agency's Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) program, which provides intensive one-to-one behavioral interventions for the most seriously disturbed youth in the County. Started in 1999, Terry served as one of the first TBS coaches, who are often required to intervene in volatile situations where parents and children have reached the end of their resources.
Terry is acknowledged for his ability to enter in the most difficult situations and bring calm to everyone almost immediately. The children and teens Terry counsels admire him for his gentle nature, and parents appreciate his ability to set limits, which they often model their own behavior on.
Terry has had a high success rate over the past years with a wide variety of clients. Through Terry's efforts, youth who have been hospitalized many times are able to stay in their homes or group homes without further crisis, and placements outside of the home have been averted.
The Mental Health Board's quarterly Exemplary Service Award acknowledges individuals who demonstrate a personal commitment to quality and who serve as an example to others.
Congratulations to Dr. Christopher Ried of Disease Control & Epidemiology/Special Diseases, on receiving this year's Gerald A. Wagner Excellence in Health Education Award.
As Medical Director for Special Diseases, Dr. Ried is acknowledged for his commitment to providing clients with the most up to date medical care possible, and for ensuring that complicated medical information is conveyed to them in a way they can hear and understand it.
Serving such a diverse population, Dr. Ried learned how to speak and understand Spanish to better communicate with many of his monolingual Spanish clients. Not only can he examine patients, but now can carry a meaningful conversation with them in the language they feel most comfortable speaking.
According to his colleagues, the information Dr. Ried provides not only enhances their knowledge, but allows them to do a better job in educating others in preventing the spread of HIV and STDs in the community. Furthermore, he has a unique ability of instilling in clients and staff a feeling of hope, and helps them learn ways to create and promote positive changes in their life and in the workplace.
Dr. Ried's medical knowledge, client centered health education, compassion and empathy for people living with HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, has enriched the lives of both HCA staff and clients.
The Gerald A. Wagner Excellence in Health
Education Award was first established in 2000 by the Orange County
Coalition for Health Educators (OCCHE) and honors Orange
County professionals who have demonstrated excellence in
the healthcare field. OCCHE was founded in 1997 to
promote health and provide leadership in order to improve the health
of the community through education, policy, collaboration and
consultation.
Behavioral Health's Cultural Competency program presented its April Spotlight on Excellence Award to Mark Lawrenz, Clinical Social Worker II with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services' Drug Court program.
In his position at ADAS, Mark provides treatment at three of five Drug Court locations in the County and has developed curricula for several specialty groups including Assertiveness Training, Relapse Prevention and Alcohol Education.
Mark received a masters degree in Social Work from Cal State University, Long Beach in 2000 and volunteered as a Social Service intern for the AIDS Services Foundation prior to joining HCA. Mark is recognized for his attentiveness to cultural competency issues at all levels, and for continually being self-motivating and proactive in learning more to contribute to the diverse population he works with.
continued from page 1
"Being a two-parent working family, my kids have been in childcare most of their lives and I have seen what a difference good ones can make," said Elizabeth. "I would like to offer some of the same advantages to kids whose families cannot afford childcare through normal channels."
In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband and participating in her children's school and church events. She also enjoys reading, camping with her family, rubber stamping and shopping.
The HCA Compliance Program offers a
confidential telephone hotline to voice your concerns about
any situation that may conflict with Compliance
Program principles. You may call the hotline 24 hours a day, 7
days a week at: (866) 260-5636
HCA employees were acknowledged for their dedicated years of service and outstanding contributions
to HCA at an Employee Recognition Awards ceremony held at the Hall of Administration on April 15. The
ceremony also recognized the first LMC Team Excellence
Award winners from Environmental Health's Certified Unified
Program Agency (CUPA) Used Oil Program. The following is a list
of awards presented:
5 Years of service 50
10 Years of service 28
15 Years of service 16
20 Years of service 11
25 Years of service 6
30 Years of service 3
35 Years of service 1
With Memorial Day just around the corner, we are reminded that thousands of American troops are stationed around the world serving our country. Many HCA employees have a member of their own family or a friend of the family serving in the Armed Forces and there are many ways that all of us can show our support for those in the military. Here are some examples:
• Operation Gratitude is sending personal letters of appreciation and care packages to those stationed around the world. The care packages will be assembled in Van Nuys over the Memorial Day weekend. For more information, visit their website at www.opgratitude.com.
• The United Service Organization has a Care Package program, with information available at www.usocares.org.
• You can send a letter of support on-line at www.operationdearabby.net.
• A number of suggestions on ways to support those is America's Armed Forces are available on the website http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
• Take part in the Million Letters of Appreciation campaign led by Shauna Fleming, a 15-year old local Orange County student, by sending a letter and/or e-mail of gratitude to current and past military service members as part of National Military Appreciation month celebrated in May. Visit www.amillionthanks.org for more information.
As we enjoy our freedom on this important holiday recognizing those who have given their lives in service to the United States, we hope you will take a moment to reflect on the blessings of liberty that we enjoy and will take a moment to thank a veteran or active service member for their sacrifice.
You can check out the latest issues of the Health Care Agency's newsletters by using this URL: http://www.ochealthinfo.com/newsletters
We will keep current issues on line for a year. Let us know how you like the convenience!
Congratulations to this year's Public Health Week Scavenger Hunt winners! In March's issue of What's Up, we included a mini scavenger hunt that led HCA employees on both the Agency's internet and intranet to locate answers to the questions.
Six lucky winners were randomly chosen among a handful that submitted correct answers. Winners were presented with various prizes including Starbuck's gift cards, movie tickets and a six-week puppy training course. Special thanks to Amy Dale, Kelly Broberg, Kim Pickering and Ryan Drabek for donating prizes and helping to make this year's scavenger hunt a huge success!
Congratulations to the following winners:
• Chuck Peters
• Vincent Sholl
• Lorraine Olson
• Linda Moore
• Myra Kanter
• Harriet Leavitt
June Health Observances
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Vision Research Month
National Cancer Survivors Day - 6
National Headache Awareness - Week 6-12
National Men's Health Week - 14-20
Helen Keller Deaf -Blind Awareness - Week 20-26
Editors
Tricia Landquist Landquist
Howard Sutter
Anne Fialcowitz
Your Input
Phone (714) 834-6644
E-mail TLandquist@ochca.com
FAX (714) 834-7644
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