Human Touch Newsletter

2008

April 2008
April is a month dedicated to increasing awareness about autism, alcohol abuse, sexual assault and child abuse prevention - all topics that are featured in this month's newsletter.
Also featured this month are several "people of interest":

Standard features include the director's message, health information and training tidbits. Thanks for your reading!

March 2008
This month's Human Touch focuses on a division that fared very well during the session, Division of Services for People with Disabilities. March is Disabilities Awareness Month and Utah Developmental Disability Council graciously assisted in the articles and postcards featured in the newsletter. Also featured this month is information on overtime changes, eating well (March is also National Nutrition Month) and income tax preparation assistance. Newsletter standards include the Director's Message (addressing employee pay, communicating our work positively and recognition of community partners), crossword puzzle and training tidbits.

February 2008
This month features:

January 2008
This month features:

2007

December 2007
This month features:

November 2007
This issue features the breadth of our services across the state provided by each employee working hard.
You can learn more about Juvenile Justice Services in Roosevelt, Cedar City and Price; the Division of Child and Family Services, Indian Child Welfare Administrator or Division of Services for People with Disabilities partners recognized across the state.
And - first person stories of employees enjoying and pursuing greater health and well-being! It's fun and amazing what people have done - check out the PostCards section on page 6 & 7.

October 2007
This month's issue features:

September 2007
The Annual Executive Director's Awards issue of the Human Touch is here!

Thank you for all your story ideas and feedback! Please keep them coming.

August 2007
What's better than a road trip in August? Not much in my book!
The August Human Touch offers you a "Road Trip" around the Department of Human Services.
Our first stop is the Director's Message, then we head down the road to the Office of Recovery Services and Juvenile Justice Services. The Office of Licensing is sending postcards along the way from Price, St. George and Salt Lake City. Followed by a stop at the Annual Drug Endangered Children Conference and of course Training Tidbits.
"Rollin' On" is Sharon Ross's story of many, many of life's road trips via her wheel chair. She sums up her story with this quote, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

July 2007
It's here! Your July Human Touch is hot off the press and ready for your cool reading.
Ever heard of "Cowboy Action Shooting?" Well, check out the "Wish you were here - Postcards" from Lynn Whitman, Duchesne County Receiving Center, to learn more about it.
Also, discover which JJS staff person is a "karaoke disc jockey."
Please continue to write and call with your ideas, thoughts and feedback!
Remember Tuesday, July 31st is the deadline to submit your nominations for the Executive Director's Awards. All the information you need is on Page 8.

June 2007
This month's Human Touch features stories from across the broad range of Human Services we provide.
You can learn about the Meth and Families workshops, A Quest for Success in Blanding and the heart-warming story of Amy Relf in Foster Care: Inside and "Out"
Lastly, the 2007 Executive Director's Awards nominations will open July 2, 2007. Page 8 of the Human Touch has all the information you need to begin preparing nominations of your co-workers for this special recognition award.
Of course the regular features - Training Tidbits, The Limelight and the ever-popular "Wish you were here!" postcards.
Special thanks to Liz Sollis as guest editor this month.
Thank you for all your feedback and keep it coming!

May 2007
"We are ready to move forward with our discretionary salary increases . . . " begins Lisa-Michele Church in the Director's Message of the May Human Touch. A special person, A Quiet Hero - Americo Leiva of Slate Canyon Youth Center is featured. On a recent visit to Slate Canyon it became clear real quick that Americo was well liked and so important to everyone there - the staff and the youth. You'll enjoy reading more about him on page 2. All around us are Quiet Heros like Americo. In addition, The Department of Human Services Manager of the Year and two Finalists are announced in this edition. May's "Wish You Were Here" Postcards are from the Southwest Region of the Division of Child and Family Services.

April 2007
April's Human Touch will take you from Monument Valley, Utah to The Marshall Islands, with a stop into the Price Department of Human Services office. Next, enjoy the talent of youth spotlighted in "Governing Youth Council Summit Learn Prevention Strategies" and art on display in the new juvenile Justice Services Gallery. Of particular note is "Aftermath of Meth" KUED's documentary, a "hard-hitting probe of the drug that is devastating many small, rural communities in the West." And of course, the regular features are ready for your reading: PostCards from Office of Recovery Services - Training Tidbits - Word of Mouse

March 2007
IT'S ALL ABOUT ADVENTURE! The March Human Touch will inspire you to go out try something new! "There's always an excuse not to do things, but if you really want to - you find a way!" Check out the rest of Janell Pugh's Profile in Adventure on page 4. Or read about adventurous new employees in Manti, Ogden and Salt Lake in "Postcards - Wish you here" on pages 6 & 7. Perhaps you are looking for the adventure of learning more - The Training Calendar is full of opportunities. And then, we say "Bon Voyage" to Richard Anderson, former DCFS Director as he moves onto his next life adventure, on page 2.

February 2007
"Employee compensation is one of the most pressing issues at this year's legislative session." You can read Lisa-Michele Church's Director's Message for more highlights of her speech to the legislative appropriations committee. And of course, much more and updates from across our department.

January 2007
"The response was overwhelming," begins the story on the first Guardian Angel Project Holiday Gift Drive - and you will wish you were there when Jay smiled so big when he received his wished for fishing pole.

2006

December 2006 Holiday Human Touch
We've had an incredible year helping people at Human Services this year. A young woman formerly prone to aggressive outbursts and depression is taking care of herself and ready to leave the Developmental Center for the community; 95 percent of children born to unwed moms last year learned who their dads are; older youth leaving foster care have more support than ever with medical insurance, advanced education and adult mentors and a major campaign was launched targeting underage drinking.

November 2006
"Sock It To Em", "The Price is Right", Word of Mouse, "Giving Back", Training Tidbits and more.

October 2006
Awards Lunch, Award Winners, Service Awards, Kris Urry, Miss America, Training Tidbits and more.

September 2006
Laughter and Wellness, USH Volunteers, Training Tidbits, Mother Superior, Recovery Day and more.

August 2006
Nutrition on the Run, Charitable Fund, USH Recognized, Training Synergy, Ucare, 2-1-1 and more.

July 2006
Crayons For Kids, Stories of Hope, JJS Art Contest, Utah's Centenarians, Self Advocacy and more.

June 2006
Emmett White recieves the PRIDE award, Mill Creek Chapel dedication and more.

May 2006
Pinewood Derby Cars for Kids in Iraq, Meals on Wheels Volunteers, etc.

April 2006
Manager of the year award, Commission on Aging, and more.

March 2006
Message from the wellness council, read about the Vernal Garden, etc

February 2006
Read about our wellness committee USDC awards, etc

January 2006 - Winter Edition
Meet Mark Brasher, new ORS director, read an article on Leadership and more!

2005

December 2005 - Holiday Edition!
Read about Human Services participation in the 2005 Festival of the Trees, the Transition To Adult Living (TAL) initiative, and more.

November 2005 - Great New Stories
Read the director's message, learn more about our new JJS director, Dan Maldonado and more!

October 2005 - A new look and feel to the newsletter!
Read about cross-division success at Camp Williams, senior art contest winners, the new Human Resources training website, and other great stories.

2005 #3 - Learn more about new directors in DHS.
Read about DAAS director Alan Ormsby and DSPD director George Kelner. Also learn interview techniques from Craig Monson.

2005 #2 - Speaker Barbara Blum Bring's APHSA's History to Life
WASHINGTON - Barbara Blum was born in 1930, the year that human services administrators first came together to seek assistance for the nation's most vulnerable residents: children, the poor and the elderly. Who better to open the American Public Human Services Association's 75th anniversary here in March than the director of the Research Forum at the National Center for Children in Poverty.

Lisa-Michele Church2005 #1 - Lisa-Michele Church Becomes DHS Director Feb. 15
Lisa-Michele Church will approach her new job as a problem-solver who enjoys dealing with complex issues that affect people's lives.

"Employees should know I'm a problem solver, I have high expectations and I'm fair," the new Human Services executive
director said in an interview. "I'm very interested in learning what
our employees do and in getting to know them."

2004

Governor Walker with Robin Arnold Williams 2004 #3 - Governor Walker says goodbye to Human Services
2004 #2
2004 #1

2003

2003 #2
2003 #1