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Hello, DHS. I got a lot of positive response to the video -- thanks for that -- so here
I am back with another weekly message. It’s great to see you.
I wanted to talk today a little bit about something that has come up a lot this last
week, and that is the fact that we are a new DHS. House Bill 2009 when it passed didn't
just create a new agency in the Oregon Health Authority, it created a new agency here in
the Department. And even though we are not small, we are leaner and meaner, and we've
been focusing a lot this last year on ways for CAF, SPD and our shared services folks
to be more coordinated and in synch.
As we've done that it's really struck me by how much we have in common across the agency.
We all work to: 1) Keep people safe; 2) Preserve people's dignity; 3) Promote independence
and 4) Empower people to be self sufficient.
At the same time that we do that work, we don't do it on our own. We do it in partnership
with others -- something we also have in common. We can;t be successful without our communities
and our providers and us all working together.
I just want to acknowledge that I know there is a lot of change right now, and change is
not easy, particularly when our staffing is low, our community partners are stretched
thin and more and more people are coming in our doors everyday. So I think it's important
in this time of change and transition that you be able to count on me for a couple of
things.
Those things are, from my perspective: 1) Communication -- you can always count on me
to communicate frequently and often about what I know and what I don’t know. And you
should communicate to me as well. 2) Honesty -- I'm always going to be honest with you
about what I think, whether it's good or bad, what's working well and what's not, and I
hope you're honest with me as well. And finally, Accountability - I would never ask you to
do something I wouldn't do myself, so watch out: these videos may be coming your way soon
as well.
With that in mind, I do want to mention one thing. Last week, I ran into someone who said,
"You know, Erinn, more and more people are coming through our door every day, and you
need us to come in the door every day as well to serve them."
She is absolutely right, so I want you to do something for me today. I want you to take
care of yourselves. I want you to take time for yourself and to be well, because if you
don't show up every day through those doors, the people who need us won't have anyone to
serve them.
With that I just want to say again we have a lot in common, and I'm hoping right now
as we go into this time of transition we can really renew our sense of common purpose.
I am really confident that if we do that, we can hold on to what's working, fix what's
not and lead together into the future.
Thanks. See you soon.