Director's Message

Nov. 16, 2007

To: All DHS employees

From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director

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"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."
~Marie Curie

One of my greatest pleasures during the past two years has been my association with the dedicated, caring individuals who staff our agency. I know from personal experience how much you care about the populations we serve -- seniors, individuals on low incomes, those needing medical care, children and families, people with physical or developmental disabilities, and those with mental illness.

These are among the most vulnerable groups of people in our society, and they deserve our very best efforts to serve them.

Carrying out our mission -- to make it possible for all Oregonians to become independent, healthy and safe -- is vitally important. It must be more than a slogan. It must be a way of doing business and a way of life for this agency and for all of us. It must be at the forefront of everything we do, the measure of every decision we make.

Recent news reports, such as those about the safety of people with developmental disabilities, have pointed out that, despite our best intentions, our systems are not flawless. Systems as complex as ours rarely are. But that's no excuse for not doing better. It is crucial that we continue to strive to improve our ability to serve Oregonians and to keep people safe. Where we find shortcomings, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to correct them.

The goal of safety, in particular, is one that requires our best efforts. Everyone deserves to lead a life free from the threat of any form of harm or abuse. When we fail to ensure people's safety, we fail at a basic tenet of our calling.

Now is when we must redouble our efforts to ensure that the people who receive our services are safe. One of the ways we are doing this is by working with legislators and key stakeholders to identify additional system reforms to both prevent abuse and root it out when it occurs. We can do better, and we must do better, to ensure the safety of the many individuals who depend on our help.

Our mission defines us. It is both a goal and a challenge to be met. People's lives depend on us, and we must continue to rise to that challenge.

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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.