A Monthly Publication for Native American Health Center Employees Vol. 4, Issue 12 — December 2011
Page 1
Thanking NAHC Staff for Attending NextGen Kickoff Presentations
By Sandra Tavel, Grants & Contracts Administrator We would like to offer a warm thank you to the staff who attended a NextGen Kickoff Presentation from November 14-23. During this time, a team presented 12 NextGen Kickoff presentations to 143 employees in Oakland and San Francisco. The team is made up of Amadene Castillo, Cherie Jalipa-Shirley, Dawn Lulua-Claxton, Jan Rubin, Martin Waukazoo, and Sandra Tavel. The team formed with the intention to touch base personally with the NAHC staff at-large and have a conversation about NextGen—our new Practice Management/Electronic Medical Record system set to go live in February of 2012. Our CEO wanted to connect with direct service staff and engage them in conversation about what they think of NextGen; discuss concerns or fears; and assure everyone that we are ALL included and will be supported through this change. The presentation was delivered by the team in diverse groups of NAHC staff. Questions were collected and will be answered in various ways: in person; through media/video; and via email and the internet. During this process we really saw the positive impact made by taking information on the road and making contact. Marty assured staff that NextGen is just a tool to make patient care and service delivery more efficient. It will give us more face time with our patients and clients, as well as help us talk to each other better. Right now, a patient can spend all day registering for services, he said. “NextGen will allow a patient to register at NAHC for any service one time. Right now, we are like an old Indian Antoinette Lopez wearing the “7 Generations, car putting down the road at 40 miles-per-hour. NextGen will make it so we can get up on the 1 Direction” campaign freeway and hit 60-70 miles per hour,” for our community and for ourselves as an agency. If you did not get the chance to attend a presentation, follow-up presentations will be delivered again in mid-December to early January. Again, a very warm thank you to all staff who took the time to engage in conversation about a meaningful and positive change at NAHC.
button that signifies united, forward movement for NAHC and the community.
In this issue: ⇒ NAHC NextGen Presentations….………….......… Page 1 ⇒ HR Buzz: 403 B Retirement Plan….……..…..….. Page 2 ⇒ New Faces at NAHC………...………………..…..…. Page 3 ⇒ Employee Anniversaries…………………...….…….Page 3 ⇒ Employee Spotlight: Kelly Castel…………...........Page 4 Employee Spotlight: Kelly Castel Page 3
⇒ Safety Corner: Safety Relocation Plan……..……Page 5 ⇒ Native Wellness Center Christmas Festivities…Page 5
NAHC 403 B Retirement Plan Page 2
A Monthly Publication for Native American Health Center Employees Page 2
Vol. 4, Issue 12 — December 2011
HR Buzz: Save for your retirement! NAHC Offers the 403(b)
By: Michelle Shawnego, HR Generalist/HRIS Administrator We thought it would be a good time to encourage participation in our 403(b) Retirement Program through ING Financial Services. What is a 403 (b) plan? A 403(b) plan is a retirement plan set up by NAHC, to which you can contribute pre-tax income. It’s set up with an investment company, ING Financial Services. Most 403(b) plans let you choose from a variety of investment vehicles, from individual stocks or mutual funds to money market accounts. You can begin contributing immediately, there is no waiting or probationary period. 403(b) plans offer several advantages. First, your taxable income is reduced by the amount you contribute. Second, you don’t pay income tax on the earnings in the account, such as interest and dividends, until you start making withdrawals - presumably at retirement. Plus, NAHC will make employer sponsored contributions after you have been employed a year and are making contributions to your own 403(b) account. Not participating in a 403(b) plan in that case is like saying "no, thanks" to money from your employer. Our contribution schedule is listed below. Possibly the best feature of a 403(b) plan is that once it’s set up, it’s automatic. The contributions are taken from your paycheck come rain or shine, without you even thinking about it. Over many years, you may acquire a bigger nest egg than you dreamed possible. You may also make changes to your contribution amount and investment options at any time during the year. Joanne Redmond, our ING representative will be visiting the clinics on the following dates and times, please contact me if you are interested in meeting with Joanne: Existing Members: can schedule a 15 minute meeting with Joanne to review their current plan. New enrollees: can attend the group orientation that will last one hour. Thursday, December 15, 2011 SF Clinic: Morning Star Conference Room 2nd Floor 10:30am – 11:30am - group orientation for new enrollees interested in signing up 11:35am – 12:00pm - individual meetings for current or new plan participants 7 Directions Clinic: 2950 International Blvd., Oakland, CA – Conference Room, 1st Floor 2:30pm – 3:30pm: group orientation for new enrollees interested in signing up 3:35pm – 4:00pm - individual meetings for current or new plan participants NAHC Employer Contribution (Employee must be employed for one year and a current 403b participant in order to be eligible) Years in Service
Employer Contribution
1-4 years 4-7 years 7-10 years 10-15 years 15-20 years Over 20 years
1% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7%
Qualification Requirement: Employee must be in service for one (1) year and must be a current participant in the plan in order to be eligible for NAHC Employer Contribution. IRS has increased contribution amounts for 2012: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Oct. 20, 2011, announced cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) affecting dollar limits for defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2012. Many plan limits on contributions and benefits will rise because increases in the cost-of-living index met the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment.
A Monthly Publication for Native American Health Center Employees Page 3
Vol. 4, Issue 12 — December 2011
New Faces @NAHC:
Alexandria Kinsley Sterilization Technician Dental Dept., SF Clinic
Maggie Wong Clinical Coordinator FCGC, SF Clinic
Behzad Izadbakhsh Clinical Data Manager, Administration Dept., All Sites
Marca M. Cassity Mental Health Specialist Care Coordinator FCGC, SF Clinic
Alicia Bad Heart Bull On-Call Medical Assistant, Medical Dept. All Sites
Yesenia Deras On Call Dental Assistant, Dental Dept., All Sites
Joy Jacobs Strong Families Project Director, FCGC Dept., Oakland
Youp Yim Sin Sterilization Technician Dental Assistant, Dental Dept., Oakland
December Employment Anniversaries Esther Davis
WIC
12/27/1988 (23 Years)
Violet Lundberg
FCGC
12/16/1996 (15 Years)
Lori Antoine
Billing
12/22/1997 (14 Years)
Antonio Casis
Fiscal
12/13/1999 (12 Years)
Christine Makahili
Central Registration
12/19/2001 (10 Years)
Gloryanna Valerio
Dental SF
12/03/2001 (10 Years)
Eulalia Valerio
Dental SF
12/10/2001 (10 Years)
Ninfa Gutierrez
FCGC
12/01/2003 (8 Years)
Haydee Herrera-Sosa
WIC
12/08/2003 (8 Years)
Amadene Castillo
FCGC
12/20/2005 (6 Years)
Jason Tokumoto
Medical SF
12/12/2006 (5 Years)
Rosemary Campos
Dental Oakland
12/26/2007 (4 Years)
Fabiola Lara
Dental SF
12/18/2007 (4 Years)
Gienny Martinez
Medical SF
12/17/2007 (4 Years)
Benjamin Lee
Dental Oakland
12/08/2008 (3 Years)
Frieda Palumbo
WIC
12/14/2009 (2 Years)
April Fernandez
Medical
12/06/2010 (1 Year)
A Monthly Publication for Native American Health Center Employees Page 4
Vol. 4, Issue 12 — December 2011
Employee spotlight: Kelly Castel, Intake Coordinator
By Catherine A. Marin-Wisdom, Administrative Officer Tribe: Mathias Colomb Cree Nation of Pukatawagan, Manitoba, CANADA Title: Intake Coordinator Site/Department: SF/FCGC How long have you worked @ NAHC? 13 months Tell us a little about your job: My job has multiple tasks that includes doing intakes for all new patients seeking outpatient behavioral health services at NAHC SF, providing support to SF FCGC Clinical staff, collecting reporting data for SAMHSA, assisting with community events, providing referrals for community members, and helping out where ever I can. What is the most enjoyable part about your job? The most enjoyable part of my job is connecting with our clients and watching them transform as they grow and heal through our services. What do you do to relax on the weekends? On the weekends I love to work out at the gym, enjoy Sunday brunch with my best friend, and sleep in. What is your ideal vacation? My ideal vacation would be a two week venture to somewhere I’ve never been, and I’m hoping to visit Asia in the upcoming year. What three things would you take on a deserted island? My family, a good chef, and lots of food.
Kelly and Mona Stonefish.
Kelly and Valerie BlackCalf
The Native American Health Center, Inc. Wishes our staff, their families and our entire community a safe and Happy Holiday Season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
A Monthly Publication for Native American Health Center Employees Page 5
Vol. 4, Issue 12 — December 2011 Safety Corner: Relocation
by Dawn Lulua-Claxton Purpose:
To describe how NAHC will conduct an orderly relocation or suspension of services when inoperable or threatened with inoperability due to an emergency or threatened emergency. To inform staff of communication procedures to be used during emergencies
Scope:
All NAHC staff
Policy:
During a fire/disaster, staff will be contacted for duty assignment by Executive Director as needed.
Regulatory Citations: FR, §460.72 (c)(1); CCR, Title 22, §78423 (a) Situation and Assumptions A. This procedure will be used when threatened or actual conditions — such as severe weather, earthquake, or utility failure — are of sufficient severity or duration to make the clinic inoperable at its primary site. Warning time may range from a few hours to one day or longer. B. The goal of the relocation or suspension is to ensure safety to clinic patients and staff, increase the likelihood of rapid resumption of services at the original or alternative location, and minimize damage to clinic resources. C. The extent to which these procedures can be implemented depend on the level of emergency preparedness of the clinic (e.g., routine backup of critical data, identification of alternate operational Health Centers); the degree of automation and other business practices (e.g., electronic medical records); the severity of the emergency or threat; and the length of time between warning and onset of the emergency. D. Clinic staff has consulted with licensing agencies, funders and insurance carriers to determine regulatory and liability limitations for providing services outside the clinic facility. E. If an emergency evacuation is required, the clinic will follow the direction in its Evacuation Policy. This procedure applies only when there is sufficient time to accomplish the steps below and the Health Center remains a safe environment. F. The safety of patients, staff and visitors take precedence over all other priorities. The Executive Director will follow these procedures only to the extent it is safe to do so. G. Clinic staff will continue medical records procedures. If NAHC 2950 (Seven Directions), 3124 Oakland and SF are relocated to an alternate Health Center: ◊
The Executive Director surveys Health Center to identify hazards and assess functioning of utilities.
◊
The RN Clinic Manager determines patient flow and supervises unpacking and the setup of medical supplies and equipment.
The Family and Child Guidance Clinic ~ Native Wellness Center Will be hosting a Holiday Community Dinner Monday December 19th, 2011 from 5:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m. 260 23rd Street, Richmond, California 94804 Call (510) 232-7020 for more information
Attention Staff: Do you want to contribute to @NAHC?? If you have an article, suggestion, or comment about future newsletters, please contact Cathy Wisdom at 510-434-5481 or via email: CatherineW@NativeHealth.org