Director's Message

Aug. 31, 2007

To: All DHS employees

From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director

"If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend."
~Doug Larson

During the past few weeks I've had the pleasure of visiting over 20 DHS field offices. This has been an opportunity for me to personally thank many of you for the hard work you do on behalf of our customers, and to listen to your concerns and ideas. I always come back so appreciative of the dedication I see among our staff.

And with Labor Day upon us, this is an appropriate time to recognize the contributions everyone at DHS makes toward creating positive change in people's lives and adding value to our communities.

For too many people these days, Labor Day represents the end of summer, the beginning of the school year, the opportunity to shop at store sales. But the real purpose of the holiday is to pay tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. And, for those of us who are part of the DHS family, those contributions include making it possible for people to lead lives that are independent, healthy and safe.

We sometimes labor in the face of adversity. Many face increasing workloads. We work in an era when appreciation for government services is not what it should be. Added to that is the type of work we do -- it can be emotionally challenging to see individuals with so many needs and to not have the resources to meet those needs. And despite these difficulties, we all keep trying, keep caring.

We do this because we believe in our mission and know the value we bring to our clients and communities. Whenever I have the opportunity to visit with staff, I meet people who understand what is needed to create the kind of organization where everything we do adds value to our work and the lives of the people we serve. Everyone I encounter cares deeply about the work and mission of DHS and wants to make us an even better organization than we already are. We will do that.

As we continue to look at ways to improve the health and safety of Oregonians and the effectiveness of the services we provide, I expect that the best ideas will come from our employees, our partners and our clients. I am also confident that we will develop the means to lead and bring about that change.

And, in the spirit of the coming holiday, thank you for all the work you do to make people's lives better. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for your contributions. Thank you for the commitment you bring to our organization, our clients, our mission, and our communities. Thank you for the creativity and dedication you bring to your work.

Thank you!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

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.