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Director's Message
June 4, 2004
To: DHS Employees
From: Gary Weeks, Director
1. Five Key Objectives for DHS
In 2001 and 2002, I had a chance to work for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a national organization that helps state and local governments strengthen their services to disadvantaged families and children.
I was gratified to find huge interest across the nation in the very things we have focused on in Oregon — such as working closely with communities, and lowering the barriers that divide various programs and services.
Clearly, we are on a path that leads to a more responsive human services system. It's important that we acknowledge our progress, and that we set out objectives that will guide us as we continue on this course.
Where we go from here. I'd like to do that today, by letting you know about five key objectives for our department and our work.
Some of you may recognize the first three objectives. They were developed during my previous time as DHS director, from 1995 to 2000. During those years, we were beginning to move away from a structure based on separate divisions, and toward a single, unified department.
These objectives are just as important today, and they continue to form the core of our approach to our work.
Of the remaining two, one reflects the expectations that Oregonians, and our governor, have of us. The other addresses things we must do to ensure that DHS can meet its responsibilities today and in the years ahead.
Our Five Key Objectives
1. Integration
As I mentioned to you in my first message after I returned to DHS as director, the recent organizational changes at DHS have increased our ability to share resources and work collaboratively.
We should continue in this direction. Although I don't expect any more major structural changes, we must continue to work toward coordinating or blending services in ways that help us meet our clients' needs. Wherever possible, we should work in teams, share information, and take other measures to provide clients and families with a full range of necessary supports.
Integration has a special meaning for those of you involved in administrative support services, such as human resources, information technology or contracting. We have made enormous strides in standardizing this work across the agency, and that, too, is an important task that we will continue.
2. Community focus
It's important to acknowledge that whether our work involves serving clients or providing public health services that benefit all Oregonians, our success depends on close relationships with the communities we serve.
In public health and other areas, of course, it is local government that takes the lead in providing our services. But even in areas such as child protection or self-sufficiency, where our department has lead responsibility, local schools and community colleges, law enforcement and others are vital partners.
And in all cases, communities have their own strengths, needs, interests and ideas.
To put it simply, not all good ideas come from Salem. To succeed in any area of our work — from planning for bioterrorism attacks to building safety nets of vital services — it's essential that we continue to engage people in communities across Oregon.
3. Results
We must be able to show that our work produces measurable outcomes, that it produces value for Oregonians and for their communities.
Are we succeeding in serving seniors and people with disabilities in community settings rather than in institutions whenever we can? Is the teen pregnancy rate falling? How are we doing in finding adoptive families for children who can't return to their biological parents?
These are a few of the many ways in which we measure performance. We will continue to track our progress, to find better ways to measure results, and to share this information both within and beyond the department.
How we do our work. To these three core objectives — integrating services, a community focus, and results — I add two others:
4. Accountability
Oregonians expect state government that is responsive, efficient and credible. Ensuring that government delivers on these expectations is one of Governor Kulongoski's priorities.
I'm proud to have worked in Oregon state government for almost 30 years. I believe that the vast majority of public employees are hardworking, skilled, and dedicated to public service.
However, building and maintaining accountability is a daily challenge, and we must do more in this area.
Accountability means many things. It means producing accurate, credible data. It means putting sound policies and standards into place and applying them consistently. It means being the best possible stewards of the funds entrusted to us.
Ultimately, it involves a commitment to continuous improvement on the part of each person in our department.
5. Investment in our workforce
Although this objective appears fifth on the list, it is no less important than the others.
To meet the challenges I've outlined here, we need a workforce that is diverse and well trained. We need to provide career paths that challenge and motivate our employees, and that will produce new leaders as more and more of us retire.
It's important that we recognize your successes, that we keep you informed, and that we listen to your ideas.
In closing. We're in an era of scarce resources. We face difficult choices about reducing our services to Oregonians.
But these five objectives still apply. There are things that we can do to move ahead in each of these areas. In fact, meeting these objectives will enable us to provide the best possible service with the resources we have.
You will be hearing more about the objectives in the future. As we discuss them further, I hope they will provide a way for each of you to connect your own job with our agency's overall direction.
I know that the changes at DHS in the past few years have been challenging for many of you. But they are helping us to do our work in a more integrated way. And as my time at the Casey Foundation made clear, they have led a trend that now is unfolding across the country.
I appreciate all you have done — not only in making and adjusting to major change, but in continuing to provide services every day that are essential to Oregonians and their communities.
2. Food for thought
"Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be."
— Kahlil Gibran, "A Handful of Sand on the Shore"
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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 a document on this Web site to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us or call (503) 945-7021, fax (503) 373-7690 or TTY (503) 947-5080. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.
Oregon Department of Human Services
Director's Office
500 Summer St. NE E15, Salem, OR 97301-1097
Phone: (503) 945-5944
Fax: (503) 378-2897
TTY: (503) 947-6214
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