Director's Message

Jan. 4, 2008

To: All DHS employees

From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director

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"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
~E. B. White

January brings the bright promise of new beginnings. It's also the time of year when many of us resolve to make a positive change in our lives. It could be a resolution to exercise, eat better or stop smoking.

I am resolving to exercise more, or as Emeril Lagasse would say, "kick it up a notch" and to eat better (more fresh fruits and vegetables!). Although I have vowed to always take the stairs in our building, I have on occasion gone astray, and this year will do better. As a physician and DHS director, I want employees to have the opportunity to be healthy. And because we are an agency that promotes healthy behaviors, I believe it's important for us to set the standard for what we encourage in others.

I don't need to tell you that tobacco is a lethal addiction. If you're a tobacco user and you resolved that 2008 is the year to quit, or if you support someone who made that resolution, help is on the way. Next Tuesday DHS will launch "Project Quit," the DHS campaign to help employees who want to quit smoking or chewing tobacco.

I invite you to join me at noon, Jan. 8, for the kick-off of "Project Quit." The event takes place in Room 137 of the Human Services Building in Salem. For those of you who work outside the Salem area, we've made arrangements to link many of you to the event via video conference. (You can find the list of video conference sites here.)

More than 70 percent of smokers want to quit, but they need help. That's where Project Quit comes in. It's specifically designed to help employees who want to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. Features include informational brown bag lunch meetings, contests and other events during the coming months, all designed to connect employees with quitting resources, many of which are free.

The campaign also is designed to help tobacco users prepare for May 30, when DHS implements its tobacco-free policy.

As I've explained in previous messages, the policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products on the campuses of the approximately 50 worksites that are wholly owned or leased by DHS. As we renew leases at other sites throughout the state we will add those locations to the policy. Eventually the tobacco-free policy will cover all DHS campuses.

Both Project Quit and the tobacco-free campus policy are significant steps toward protecting the health of DHS employees, clients and the public.
I am proud that 2008 will be marked as the year we took action toward creating a healthier DHS and a healthier Oregon.

I look forward to seeing you Jan. 8, when we can talk further about Project Quit and the coming tobacco-free policy.

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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.