Adverse Weather Leave Policy ‘Raise the Age’ Increases DPS Workforce Needs WalkSmartNC Pedestrian Safety Initiative
Message from T HE
DIRECTO R On behalf of everyone at the Office of State Human Resources, it is my pleasure to wish all state employees a very happy holiday season and joyful new year. We are especially grateful to our agency partners in human resources, who have worked hard to advance the state’s new compensation system by updating job descriptions, ensuring fairness and equity, and making state government workplaces more welcoming, diverse and inclusive. This is no easy task. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, is keenly aware of this challenge as her agency strives to provide vital services to vulnerable populations across our state. Read about her life and what motivates her to act in the best interest of all North Carolinians in Meet the Secretary.
Barbara Gibson
In keeping with Governor Cooper’s recent proclamation of Winter Weather Preparedness Week, I encourage you to read the article on Adverse Weather. With concern for the safety and well-being of all state employees, the State of North Carolina provides options for Non-Mandatory Employees who feel they are unable to safely travel to or from work to use Adverse Weather Leave to account for work missed. Be sure you know how to contact your supervisor in such situations, and plan accordingly if you are a Mandatory Employee who supports mandatory operations. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other holidays, please enjoy a safe and happy time with your friends and loved ones.
Barbara Gibson, Director Office of State Human Resources
Staff changes at the Office of State Human Resources The Office of State Human Resources announced an internal reorganization in November. After conducting interviews with external candidates to fill our Chief Deputy position, State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson decided to look again at the exceptional talent within our own ranks – people who are committed to helping us both strengthen and streamline our organizational effectiveness, as well as build upon the positive relationships that key members of the team have already established with so many of our employees. Gibson announced that Glenda Farrell, who brought state and local government as well as university HR experience to OSHR when she joined our team in October as Deputy Director for Human Resources Programs, agreed to become Chief Deputy. In this role, she will supervise the majority of OSHR Divisions. “I am grateful to Glenda for accepting this responsibility, and for the positive and welcoming approach she already has demonstrated in creating solutions to OSHR challenges,” Gibson said.
The Office of State Human Resources has switched to a new phone system and all phone numbers were updated this month. Our full employee directory is available online (https://oshr. nc.gov/employee-directory), but here are our new main numbers: OSHR, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 984-236-0800, fax 984-236-0949 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER 984-236-1000 TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS 984-236-1040; fax 984-236-1099
Twanetta Lytle Alston (left) and Glenda Farrell
Twanetta Lytle Alston, who had been serving as Human Resources Director for OSHR, the Office of State Budget and Management, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Office of the Governor, is now OSHR Deputy Director. In addition to her HR Director experience, Alston served in leadership and managerial roles at the departments of Environment and Natural Resources (now, Environmental Quality) and Health and Human Services. Additionally, Elizabeth John is OSHR’s new Business Operations Director. John came to us from the Judicial Branch, where she served as the Controller/Financial Manager for the past four years. She is a graduate of East Carolina University with a master’s degree in accounting. She is also a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Public Manager and Certified Government Financial Manager.
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Additionally, note that Temporary Solutions relocated in November to 1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609. The office is situated near Wake Forest Road and I-440, behind Denny’s.
Governor’s Awards for Excellence Recognize Dedicated Service
These nine state employees were celebrated with videos that document their extraordinary service to the people of North Carolina.
Nine state employees were honored in October with Governor’s Awards for Excellence, the highest honor a state employee
all today for their commitment to improving North Carolina communities.”
may receive for dedicated service to the state and the people of North Carolina.
The honorees attended a luncheon in the Executive Mansion before receiving their awards at a ceremony in the auditorium of the N.C. Museum of History. WRAL news anchor Debra Morgan emceed the event. The Office of State
Recipients are recognized for accomplishments and actions that are outside of the usual scope of their job duties. A full description of each recipient’s winning qualities and videos that share their story are posted to the Office of State Human Resources website. “Dedicated service going above and beyond the call of duty is the theme of this year’s award winners,” said Governor Roy Cooper, who was represented at the event by Deputy Chief of Staff Noelle Talley. “Some saved taxpayer dollars and some have saved lives. We honor them
Dr. Susan Kansagra was accompanied by her parents, Sudha (left) and Manu Kansagra.
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Human Resources presented the ceremony with the support of the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation. “The honorees being recognized today stand out for their exceptionalism, for bringing improved efficiencies, sharing resources through technology, and reminding us that kindness and care can enrich the lives of people experiencing significant challenges,” said State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson. “They teach us important lessons in leadership, empathy and courage.” Volunteers who helped to organize and present the ceremony include (from left) Joanne Sullivan, Bailey Hodgin, Pamela Taylor Shaw, Carol Battle, Jasmine Robinson, Kristin Siemek and Patty Garcia.
Click on photos to view videos featuring the 2019 Governor’s Awards for Excellence honorees:
CUSTOMER SERVICE Mindy Jane Coleman Department of Health and Human Services, Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center
EFFICIENCY AND INNOVATION Tim Bucknall UNC Greensboro
PUBLIC SERVICE PUBLIC SERVICE Edward F. Mussler III Ann Berry Somers Department of Environmental UNC Greensboro Quality, Solid Waste Section
EFFICIENCY AND INNOVATION Steven C. King Department of Health and Human Services, Broughton Hospital
HUMAN RELATIONS Martha Swindell Brown Department of Health and Human Services, Cherry Hospital
PUBLIC SERVICE Jack Calvin Waters Jr. University of North Carolina School of the Arts
SAFETY AND HEROISM Trooper Daniel C. Harrell Department of Public Safety, State Highway Patrol
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OUTSTANDING STATE GOVERNMENT SERVICE Susan M. Kansagra Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health: Chronic Disease and Injury
DOG TRAINING PROGRAM
Helps Offenders Develop Job-Ready Skills Dewy eyes, a wet nose and a wagging tail
all add up to something that touches souls and transcends even the toughest exterior. That “something” – part of the Division of Prisons’ At Both Ends of the Leash (ABEL) program – connects groups of people in profoundly different positions. The program, a partnership with nonprofit Eyes Ears Nose & Paws (EENP) of Carrboro, allows offenders at Warren Correctional Institution in Manson and Caswell Correctional Center in Blanch to train service and medical alert dogs, working with EENP to develop the training regimen. The program’s end goal is to place the dog in a home of an EENP client with assistance needs during a “leash ceremony.” It also provides offenders an opportunity to learn job skills that may make them more marketable once they leave prison. “This is one of the favorite things about my job,” said Correctional Case Manager Lindsay Crumpton, the ABEL dog training coordinator at Caswell Correctional. “It’s a tremendous privilege and worthwhile thing. I love that offenders can contribute in this way. I’ve heard them say it not only helps them personally but it shows they have a purpose. They’re not stuck in limbo and not just treading water.” From puppyhood, a dog in the program is trained for months as the companion of an offender trainer, with phases where the dog also trains in the home of an EENP volunteer. The passing of the leash signifies the teamwork that extends to both sides of facility gates.
One of the offenders presents a trained service dog to an Eyes Ears Nose & Paws client. Offenders at Warren Correctional Institution spend 18 months training dogs to work as service dogs. Photos by Jerry Higgins.
Cristel Vaughan, assistant warden of programs at Warren Correctional, called the program “mutually beneficial.” “Our main goal at DPS is to keep the community safe,” said Vaughan, who helped start the program at Franklin Correctional Center in Bunn in 2014 before moving to Warren a couple of years ago. “But we also want to provide positive reinforcement to the offenders. I’ve seen so many guys change from negative behavior to positive behavior. I see possibilities and I see teamwork. They’re learning skills that other offenders don’t know anything about.” Training any dog, let alone a service dog, requires a tremendous amount of time and dedication. Offenders who serve as trainers can fulfill a need and bring purpose into their days. Participating offenders must qualify and commit 18 months to the program, spending nearly every moment with their canine training companion.
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A trained service dog responds to a command from a Warren Correctional Institution offender to pick up items and present to the handler.
“I love working with the dogs. I can help serve the community,” said offender Matthew Hutcheson, who is scheduled to be released in 2023. “To think I can help people and meet the people I help is incredible.”
“In speaking with staff, they speak about what a morale boost it is to have dogs in prisons,” Crowley said during a leash ceremony at Warren Correctional in May. During a leash ceremony, the offenders and dogs display the skills learned by both. It may be turning a light switch on or off, assisting someone to get up if they’ve fallen, or retrieving items from a store or medicine chest. An offender is chosen to speak on behalf of the program and, at the end, the dogs are given to clients.
EENP Executive Director Marie Ikenberry acknowledged the mutual benefit of the program. “There’s a lot of power in what these guys are doing,” she said. As positive as the program is to the offender, it also has a great effect on staff according to Dee Crowley, the director of the Prison Dog Training Program.
EENP Program Director Deb Cunningham characterized the “culture of trust” that the program facilitates. Through training dogs, the workgroup of offenders develops its own community of reliance upon one another to progress through levels of training, signified by colors of leash. A red leash signifies a mastery of basic commands, while blue and then silver leashes represent more advanced levels. The ABEL program is one of two dog-training programs in certain North Carolina Adult Correction facilities. The other program, New Leash on Life, socializes and trains homeless dogs to prepare them for adoption by families. ____________________________________________ By Jerry Higgins and George McCue of the Department of Public Safety Communications Office.
A trained service dog responds to a command to turn off/turn on a light switch.
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Meet the new DIRECT OR
O F THE NO RTH CARO LI NA MUSEUM OF NATU RAL SCI ENCES The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) has named Eric Dorfman as its next museum director. Currently the director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Powdermill Nature Reserve in Pittsburgh, he will join the museum in early 2020. Dorfman’s appointment follows an extensive national search led by a search committee chaired by Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Chief Deputy Secretary Reid Wilson. “Eric Dorfman brings extensive experience that will help grow the reputation of our state’s most-visited museum and joins the talented team of people working to preserve natural history and resources across our state,” Governor Roy Cooper said. Under Dorfman’s leadership as director since 2015 of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Powdermill Nature Reserve, the museum broke annual visitation records, created a live animal program, increased curatorial staff to leverage the museum’s collections strengths, initiated an education scholarship program to provide access to underserved communities, and raised over $24 million in four years to support the museum’s mission. “We are thrilled to welcome Eric Dorfman as the new director for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences,” said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “He has a demonstrated track record in bold strategic planning, successful fundraising, and community engagement. Most importantly, he has a true passion for scientific research, education and environmental conservation – the very strengths of our outstanding natural sciences museum.” Prior to joining the Carnegie Museum, he spent 13 years in New Zealand, including as the director of the Whanganui Regional Museum and Ward Observatory, senior manager of Science Development at the Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa, and at the New Zealand Department of Conservation. He was a postdoctoral fellow in both Australia and South Africa.
Eric Dorfman (Photo courtesy DNCR)
Originally from California, Dorfman received a Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from the University of California-San Diego, Master of Marine Science from San Jose State University, and PhD in Ecology from the University of Sydney. “I am deeply honored to lead the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences,” Dorfman said. “Since 1879, the museum has solidified its role as one of the nation’s leaders in natural history and become an iconic institution in Raleigh and across the state. I am impressed by the talented and hard-working staff, the Friends and volunteers who serve this organization, as well as by the many partnerships with North Carolina’s academic institutions. I am eager to work with them to continue the legacy they’ve built, furthering the museum’s opportunities for world-class research and for sharing a love of nature with future generations. I can’t wait to get started.” The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the largest natural history museum in the Southeast, is Raleigh’s top-rated tourist attraction, the state’s most popular museum, and a leader in progressive trends in nature and science museums globally. Featuring world-class exhibits, learning centers, live animals, and hands-on investigative labs, the museum combines elements of a natural history museum, science technology center, children’s museum, aquarium, and zoo. It is state-owned and managed, residing within the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
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The State of North Carolina Provides Flexibility for Employees in Adverse Weather Events. State government provides an option for Non-Mandatory Employees who feel they are unable to safely travel to or from work to use Adverse Weather Leave to account for missed time. and transportation or provide direct patient care and related services, but also may include other agency-specific positions. If you are uncertain if this applies to you, check with your supervisor. Non-Mandatory Employees who think that they cannot safely travel to or from work during adverse weather may, with supervisor approval, make up time under Adverse Weather Leave.
Monitor Conditions, Visit ReadyNC State employees should monitor evolving weather forecasts from a reliable news or weather source and know how to contact their supervisor outside of the office, such as by cell or home phone number. Employees are encouraged to take work resources home as appropriate to continue working offsite.
With concern for the safety and well-being of all state employees, the State of North Carolina has an Adverse Weather Leave Policy that sets guidelines for state employees to account for work hours during adverse weather events and outlines their responsibilities: https://files.nc.gov/ncoshr/documents/files/Agency_ Adverse_Weather_Policy_0.pdf Even if a State of Emergency is declared and people are encouraged to stay home and keep roads clear – or if an agency temporarily suspends its public services – state government employees are required to use leave to cover time for work missed. Employees who are approved for Adverse Weather Leave have 90 days to make up lost time. Employees are responsible for discussing options with their supervisor when adverse weather – including but not limited to snow, ice, high winds, storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding and other events that may create safety risk – is forecast for an area where they work or live. Mandatory Employees are required to working during extreme weather conditions and should plan accordingly. Typically, this includes positions that maintain public safety
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Visit ReadyNC.org for the latest emergency information, or download the ReadyNC app to your smartphone. A service of N.C. Emergency Management, ReadyNC provides guidelines for preparing emergency kits, including medications and important papers, a three-day supply of food and water, and cash.
Emergency Closing Policy Non-Mandatory Employees who live or work in areas declared by emergency officials to be under mandatory evacuation are to follow the Emergency Closing Policy: https://oshr.nc.gov/policies-forms/leave/emergency-closing In rare cases when an Emergency Closing becomes necessary due to mandatory evacuation or an unsafe building structure, impacted employees will be notified by their agency.
26 Public Sector Employees from 12 Agencies: Earn Certified Public Manager Certificates Public sector employees from state agencies, universities and local government were honored in October for completing the rigorous North Carolina Certified Public Manager® Program in a ceremony and reception at the North Carolina Museum of History. Managed by the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), the program was established in 1982 to enhance the effectiveness of public sector organizations across our state by developing the leadership capabilities of mid-level managers. Since then, more than 2,385 mid-level managers across state and local governments Department of Administration Secretary have completed the Machelle Sanders program. To date, 1,587 of those graduates have been awarded the Certified Public Manager designation following the program’s accreditation by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium in 1988.
Honorees gather on the steps of the North Carolina Museum of History before rec Department of Transportation.
Graduates were commended by State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson, Administration Secretary Machelle Sanders, and Terry Bell, outgoing president of the North Carolina Society of Certified Public Managers. Certificates were presented by Reed Altman, director of the Certified Public Manager Program at OSHR’s Learning and Development Center, and senior leaders from each graduate’s agency.
All honorees are based in Raleigh unless otherwise noted: ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS:
Faith S. Taylor DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION:
Grant Franklin Braley; David O’Neal DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES:
Andrew McKinney DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE:
Agreta Limerick; Sandra Kay Webster (Clinton) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY:
Jeremy Poplawski DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:
Deanna Dillon (Greensboro); Angela Dunaway; Tracy B. Ginn, Jennifer Pounds; Melissa Stevenson
Jason Wimmer of the Department of Public Safety accepted his certificate from Caroline Valand, Executive Director of the Governor’s Crime Commission (right), and State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson.
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
Kevin Harris; Tulasi Maddi
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DMVA Secretary Larry D. Hall at the Dec. 12 groundbreaking for the new State Veterans Home in Kernersville.
Groundbreaking FOR NEW STATE VETERANS NURSING HOME IN KERNERSVILLE
The N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
ceiving the Certified Public Manager certification. Photos by Katy Warner,
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:
(DMVA) held a formal groundbreaking on Dec. 12 for a new State Veterans Home at 459 Veterans Way, Kernersville. Upon completion, the new home will have 120 private rooms, all with skilled nursing care. The facility will also include a Memory Care unit for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Karen Morrow; Elizabeth Patel DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY:
Jason Wimmer DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE:
Elaine Bednarz; Michael S. Connolly; Richard Gilbert; Barrett Morris DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
Pareshkumar Patel; Larry Sanders, PE; John E. Sandor (Durham); Peter Wan (Asheville) UNC SYSTEM OFFICE:
Dr. Dharam P. Singla (Chapel Hill) For additional information about the North Carolina Certified Public Manager Program, visit https://oshr. nc.gov/document/certified-public-manager-program.
With a projected cost of more than $50 million, the facility is projected to be N.C. American Legion Adjutant Randy Cash (left) completed in greets Forsyth County Commissioner Chair David Plyler. the of spring of 2021. It will generate approximately 200 new jobs in the surrounding area. “The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs continues to strive in making our state the most military and veteran friendly in the nation,” said DMVA Secretary Larry D. Hall. “Our state veterans homes are consistently ranked among the best in the nation, and we are excited to expand the program and provide even more support for families who have already given so much to defend our freedom.” The new nursing home is a cooperative effort between the State of North Carolina and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which provided over $27 million in grant funds for the project.
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M E E T
T H E
S E C R E T A R Y :
Secretary Cohan speaks in October 2018 in Asheville about work being done at DHHS to integrate physical and behavioral health.
Family focus on service inspired career that blends clinical medicine and public policy
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The people of North Carolina can thank two bumps in the road for leading Mandy Cohen to a dual career of clinical medicine and public service leadership as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Tell us about your family. I grew up in New York, on Long Island, in a town called Baldwin. I’m the oldest of three kids in a super close family. My mom is a nurse practitioner and has been for over 40 years – before they officially had a term for that job. My dad is a guidance counselor in the New York City school system. You can tell by my parents’ career choices that they were very focused on service in roles that focused on giving back to their community. They also were very politically aware and engaged. Some of my earliest memories involve going to rallies to advocate for human rights issues. My parents have pictures of me in a stroller at a rally to end world hunger. There was always very much of a service mindset and being involved in your community. I grew up understanding that it was important to make your voice heard and to work to build a better world. I also was given the confidence by my parents that there were no limitations on what I could do. With that kind of background, I suppose it’s not surprising that I wound up here.
Secretary Cohen encourages her daughters as they prepare to receive flu shots this year.
Describe your childhood and where you grew up. My parents are New Yorkers to the core. They were very big on accessing all the cultural and educational opportunities. Although we lived in the suburbs on Long Island, we were in Manhattan every weekend, whether it was to see the
First, her youthful dream of becoming a marine biologist changed when she discovered that spending time on boats on open water – a job requisite – left her seasick. And next, years later, when the Healthcare.gov website crashed at the launch of Obamacare in 2013 – amid a federal government shutdown – when she was called in as part of the team to help resolve the crisis. From lessons learned at her childhood dinner table to experiences gained in training at elite academic and medical institutions, Cohen developed skills that guide her work in directing more than 17,000 DHHS employees to manage the delivery of health- and human-related services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable citizens.
Secretary Cohen joins DHHS colleagues for a selfie during a teambuilding Joy at Work activity.
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Natural History Museum, whatever was the latest cultural exhibit, or to go to Zabar’s for lox and bagels. We all were encouraged to discover what interested us and would make us happy. I followed my mother’s lead and went into the healthcare space. My brother is a professional French horn player and is currently president of the largest musician’s union in New York. My sister followed in my father’s footsteps and taught second grade with Teach for America, later becoming a leader in the organization and now works for the New York City Board of Education helping principals be the best they can be. Who and what most influenced you? I was incredibly influenced by both of my parents. They were both first generation college and grad school graduates. Education was very important in their lives and their upbringing. They always wanted to leave the world a better place in the jobs they did. There was a clear message that we could make an impact that was positive.
Mandy Cohen participates in a panel discussion with Andy Slavitt, a mentor and former boss at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
relationships and how to build and value the culture of an organization. To this day, he remains a mentor and friend and a resource when I consider hard problems. He really helped me to mature my leadership skills. He saw something in me before I saw it in myself.
Back when my mom was young, girls weren’t encouraged to go to medical school, as her older brother did, but she did pursue the most rigorous nursing training she could. She did a lot of advocacy for nurse practitioners to practice independently, in New York and around the country. I remember seeing her go to the legislature in Albany to push for change.
You advanced rapidly in your career, earning an opportunity to intervene in a national crisis. Some of it was being in the right place at the right time, like being involved with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). When the website Healthcare.gov, or Obamacare, faltered, I got my biggest advance in my career.
That was a very formative experience. Even as someone who has gone to medical school and trained at elite places, if I have a medical situation, I still call my mom. My parents put so much of themselves into giving us every exposure to different kinds of people and learning opportunities and supporting us to live our dreams. The support there is just unparalleled.
I was working on another part of the ACA, designing and implementing new Medicare payment policy at the CMS Innovation Center. But when the Healthcare.gov website didn’t turn on as planned on Oct. 1, 2013, I got a call. I was asked to run a lot of parts of the insurance enrollment process that did not involve the broken website, creating strategies to get us through that rocky period. By the end of March 2014, I was asked to take over running all of the federal marketplaces from policy development to technology implementation.
Who were your professional mentors? The first was Bruce Vladeck, who I met when I was doing a semester of college in Washington, D.C. He was running the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – CMS, the agency that I would help run 15 years later. He was just getting ready to set up programs in New York City. He was the first person who said I could integrate the clinical world and the policy world to address the serious issues I was seeing. He said I could not only marry the two, but that it was an important bridge to achieving positive change. This was when I was 20 years old. Having someone of his stature validate what I believed was very important. Bringing the clinical experience to government leadership is not uncommon today, but it wasn’t the norm then.
It was a very intense period. There were a number of people who left the organization, and it gave me a chance to move up. It wasn’t my area of expertise. I had never run something this big and complex and I was pregnant with my second daughter. I embraced the “lean-in” philosophy and I had incredible people around me who helped us be a success. I feel very grateful for that opportunity and learned a lot from it.
When I was chief operating officer and chief of staff at CMS, my boss and mentor was Andy Slavitt. I worked very closely with him running a very large, complex enterprise at the federal level. I watched him role model how to work through hard decisions, cultivate key stakeholder
Do your daughters see you as a role model, as you saw your mother? My daughters are 5 and 7, and I think they are very proud of the role I have. They know mom can’t go on every field trip, but they know I am working for Governor Cooper to
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make a healthier North Carolina. I couldn’t be successful in this role without the support of my husband, Sam Cohen, who was the first to say I have to do this. You need that person in your corner. He didn’t hesitate when I interviewed for this job and we moved the family to Raleigh.
and eat. For our 10th wedding anniversary, we went to Paris and had several amazing meals. We also love the outdoors and a great hike. This is why we love Asheville – great restaurants and beautiful mountains. It’s a place that my husband and I like to go.
Sam is a healthcare regulatory attorney. We met when I was finishing my residency at Mass General and he was finishing law school at Harvard. He is incredibly brilliant, has amazing clarity of thought and the ability to be strategic.
Favorite book? An important book that I continually think about, especially in this role, is the memoir “Educated” by Tara Westover. She’s a young woman who grew up in rural Idaho. She had no formal education. The memoir dives into her experiences and it pulls in elements of all of our work here in the department: Trust in government, trust in the healthcare system, trust in the education system. It’s an eye-opening read and I really recommend it. She’s a phenomenal writer and I think about it often.
How did your studies guide your career? I went to Cornell as an undergrad for policy analysis and management. I also did all the medical prerequisites because I saw the potential of merging policy management and medicine. I went to Yale Medical School and also did a graduate degree in management at the Harvard School of Public Health. Combined, that learning did propel me toward this career.
How do you see your role as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services? What motivates me to get out My original career path was of bed every day are the people With husband Sam Cohen, a healthcare regulatory to be a doctor. I loved being at we serve and who need our attorney. The couple met while she was finishing her medical school and training to help. There is so much need in medical residency at Mass General and he was finishing be a physician. My first job after I our communities. People who law school at Harvard. trained as a doctor was with the don’t have the opportunity to be Veterans Administration (VA). They are a really interesting healthy, who don’t have the sets of parents I was lucky to example; they deliver medical care but are completely have, or the opportunities. We want to use all the tools at government sponsored. They were way ahead of other our disposal to help everyone to succeed. systems in using electronic health records and exploring ways to use technology to drive quality service delivery. I I am also inspired by the hard-working team at DHHS. I also think the VA was a leader in integrated medical care believe it is important to make connections and find joy for physical and mental health. in our work. We are often helping those experiencing a hard time in their life. We, as public servants, have to bring It sounds like I followed a nice clear path, but I just walked through doors that I found exciting and interesting. Now I can look back and create a narrative that ties them together. There were people who told me to go different directions, but this route just made sense to me and ultimately brought me here. What hobbies do you enjoy? When I’m not at work I love to spend time with my kids. I enjoy cooking and still try to cook most of the meals my family eats. I spend most of my Sundays cooking for the week. I do yoga, which is very helpful for mental and physical balance. My husband and I are both foodies so we like to travel
Secretary Cohen visits with health care providers in August 2017 at Advance Community Health Center in Raleigh.
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Secretary Mandy Cohen joined Governor Roy Cooper for the launch of his annual School Supply Drive, which helps teachers across North Carolina ensure that they and their students have access to adequate classroom supplies.
What is your vision for the DHHS? For it to be a fully integrated department thinking holistically about delivering health and well-being for all North Carolinians. We can’t just think about the one program in which any of us work, but need many different solutions to often complex problems. We work on fixing hard problems across silos and across divisions, whether it’s solving the opioid crisis or improving early childhood education, we think about every lever we can pull.
our A-Game every day, which is not always easy with the 24/7 nature of our some of our hospitals and facilities. We recognize that the staff at DHHS takes on that burden and we need to say thank you to the people who do the hard work. I appreciate them and the people of North Carolina appreciate them.
Everyone has a role to play. I would like to continue to see us strengthen the cross functional nature of how we work to improve our communities. We want to use every tool at our disposal to improve the health and well-being of all North Carolinians. ____________________________________________ By Jill Warren Lucas, Communications Director for the Office of State Human Resources. Photos provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. Secretary Cohen meets DHHS staffers after a meeting in 2017 to introduce her to employees.
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Earned sick and vacation leave may be applied for ‘Safe Days’
children in a new school, employees had to use earned vacation leave. The Safe Days Executive Directive now allows eligible employees to use earned sick or vacation leave to manage work-time absences related to domestic violence recovery without jeopardizing their employment status.
Recognizing the challenges faced by state employees experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, Governor Roy Cooper issued his “Safe Days” Executive Directive on Oct. 23. The directive permits eligible state employees in cabinet agencies to use earned leave for Safe Days, which are defined as necessary absences from work due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
The Office of State Human Resources has developed guidelines to assist state agencies in the administration of earned sick and vacation leave as Safe Days and is working with participating agency Human Resources offices to ensure effective administration that respects the privacy of employees already experiencing significant duress.
“Domestic violence survivors should have the flexibility they need to recover and protect the safety of their families,” Governor Cooper said in October. This Executive Directive “is an important signal to state employees affected by domestic violence that we are here to support them as they rebuild their lives.”
Employees of North Carolina departments, agencies, boards and commissions under the Governor’s oversight are eligible to use earned sick or vacation leave for Safe Days. Individuals interested in confidential information regarding the use of sick or vacation leave as Safe Days are encouraged to contact their agency’s Human Resources office.
Previously, eligible state employees could use sick leave only to deal with the medical effects of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, such as to seek psychological counseling or medical attention. To address non-medical effects, such as to meet with a lawyer, attend court proceedings, or relocate and enroll
Agencies not subject to the Governor’s oversight may opt in and offer its employees the flexibility to use sick and vacation leave as needed while experiencing the effects of domestic violence. 15
The Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) launched a new pedestrian safety initiative, WalkSmartNC, in October by encouraging state employees and others who live in, work in or visit the State Capitol to provide feedback to the online Downtown Raleigh Pedestrian Safety Study. “We urge everyone who spends time walking in and near the Downtown State Government Complex to let us know about areas where they believe safety can be improved for pedestrians,” stated State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson, who joined representatives from several state agencies in pre-dawn darkness to provide handouts and engage pedestrians in the study. In addition to pedestrian-motorist crashes, Gibson said WalkSmartNC will focus on the frequency of near misses that could have become devastating tragedies. “Drivers sometimes rush pedestrians in crosswalks, or don’t see them because they are driving too fast. And pedestrians sometimes are too distracted by their phones or devices to be sufficiently aware of their
surroundings,” Gibson said. “It’s not unusual to see other pedestrians shout or reach out and grab someone to stop them from walking right into traffic.” The number of pedestrians injured in collisions with cars is going up, not just in Raleigh but also statewide and nationally. The Division of Motor Vehicles reports that 225 pedestrians were killed in North Carolina in 2018, a jump of 12.5% from 2017. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that pedestrian deaths increased nationally from 12% of all fatalities in 2009 to 16% in 2017. In 2018, U.S. pedestrian deaths hit a 28year high, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. OSHR’s Safety, Health and Workers’ Compensation Division convened a group of safety leaders and representatives of state and local organizations earlier this year with the goal of reducing traffic-related injuries to state employees and other pedestrians. To collect data that would inform an effective awareness campaign, interactive technology was used to allow pedestrians to provide feedback, track walking routes and
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even “pin” potentially hazardous locations on a map. More than 1,700 responses to the Downtown Raleigh Pedestrian Safety Study, which was managed by the Department of Transportation, were counted when the online study concluded on Nov. 8. This included more than 1,200 respondents who identified themselves as state employees. Data is being analyzed to identify dangerous intersections and ways that pedestrians and motorists can more safely co-exist. Findings will inform a pilot awareness campaign and best practices guide that may be used statewide and by other safety-minded communities and organizations. “Through WalkSmartNC, we are creating a model program that can really make a difference,” said Mark Ezzell, Director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, which provided a grant to fund the program. “This collaborative, cross-agency initiative will use robust data to identify safety problems and inform solutions. We want to create a model program that can be implemented by other large employers statewide and beyond.”
N C F L E X PA R T I C I PAT I O N
Increased During Open Enrollment Tia Chapman near the location where a driver hit her while she was using the crosswalk
DPS Employee
BECOMES ADVOCATE FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CAMPAIGN Tia Chapman had just picked up her new state employee identification badge and was walking back to work when she was hit by a distracted driver in November 2018.
Stepped up outreach from the NCFlex team in the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) to state employees across North Carolina led to increased participation in the optional pre-tax insurance benefits. Enrollment across all NCFlex categories showed growth over last year’s data; in some cases, significant growth of 10% or more. Especially noteworthy is the 9% jump in the Healthcare Flexible Spending Account. Since eligible costs are paid with pre-tax dollars, State Benefits Manager Linda Forsberg compares not participating in the program to unnecessarily leaving money on the table every time a state employee sees a doctor, fills a prescription or purchases eligible supplies. Nearly 4,000 additional state employees signed up during Open Enrollment, bringing the number of participants to 45,259.
It was her sixth day on the job at the Department of Public Safety, where she is employed in the Human Resources Office. Chapman was in a marked crosswalk and had the right of way when the incident occurred, leaving her with painful injuries that caused her to miss a few days of work.
Nine percent growth also was recorded in Group Term Life Spouse coverage, and there was a 10% increase in Group Term Life Child coverage. There also was a 7% bump in the number of employees who opted in to insure themselves.
“The driver paused to ask if I was all right, then fled the scene after I said we should call the police to file a report,” Chapman recalls. “He was never caught.”
There was a 10% increase in Accident coverage, which means that 4,856 additional state employees will be eligible for payment to cover eligible out-of-pocket costs, including emergency room visits and physical therapy.
Chapman’s experience, and countless more near-misses, occur with alarming frequency in the Downtown State Government Complex. She shared her story in the campaign’s October launch to support the new WalkSmartNC pedestrian safety initiative. “I feel like this is my chance to help people understand what it’s like to get hit by a car when you’re following the rules and just trying to walk to work,” said Chapman, who spoke with several reporters as well as state employees and others walking to work. “Pedestrians and drivers both need to do their part to keep people safe.”
Other programs that saw considerable growth include Cancer and Critical Illness, and TRICARE. NCFlex introduced a new product this Open Enrollment period for Short-Term and Long-Term Disability. The NCFlex team negotiated a strong plan for state employees, and more than 11,000 of them signed up. OSHR recognizes that benefits are a key part of our Total Rewards program and represent a substantial part of our total compensation as state employees. NCFlex programs not only benefit current employees but help state agencies to recruit top talent to public service careers. 17
The holidays can be a hectic time of year – buying gifts online, making travel arrangements and wanting to give back to charitable organizations. It’s also a busy time for cybercriminals who are trying to take advantage of you. The N.C. Department of Information Technology shares tips to help you fight back against thieves and better protect your personal information.
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Safety Tips for Shopping Online According to the National Retail Federation, 73% of consumers plan to use their smartphone or tablet to research or make a purchase in the 2019 holiday season. Follow these simple cybersecurity tips and practices before and while shopping online.
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• Keep a clean machine. Before picking out that perfect gift, be sure that all internet-connected devices – including PCs, smartphones and tablets – are free from malware and infections by running only the most current versions of software, web browsers and other apps. • Use secure Wi-Fi. Using free public Wi-Fi to shop online while at your favorite coffee shop is tremendously convenient, but it is not cyber safe. Don’t make purchases while connected to public Wi-Fi; instead use a virtual private network (VPN) or your phone as a hotspot. • Lock down your login. Create long and unique passphrases for all accounts and use multi-factor authentication wherever possible. Multi-factor authentication will
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fortify your online accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics or a unique one-time code sent to your phone or mobile device. Resist the urge. Be wary of offers too good to be true – no matter how tempting they might be. Buy only from trusted and established online retailers and avoid websites of retailers you’ve never heard of. Think before you click. Pay attention to emails you receive. Don’t open emails from unknown senders or click on links in suspicious messages. Shop securely. In addition to ensuring your internet connection is secure, check to make sure you’re shopping on a site that uses SSL protection. The easiest way to tell is to check your browser’s address bar. Look for https in the URL. Sites without the s are not safe to submit payment information or other personal details. Pay wisely. Use a credit card or pre-paid debit card instead of a debit card linked to your bank account. Or, use a reliable, established third-party payment service, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal. Monitor your accounts. Check your online financial accounts regularly for suspicious spending. Also, take advantage of text- and email-alerting services that many banks and credit card companies now offer.
____________________________________________ Provided by the Department of Information Technology.
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‘Raise the Age’ Increases Workforce Needs, Creates Job Opportunities for the Department of Public Safety A competitive job market and a shortage of candidates able to meet criminal justice standards are two challenges faced by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The agency needs to grow its Juvenile Justice staff roster by nearly 14% to meet the projected demands of the recent increase of the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 16- and 17-year-old children. The DPS Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has hired about one-third of the new staff members that they believe will be necessary over the coming months to properly implement the increase in the age of juvenile jurisdiction (known as “Raise the Age”) that went into effect on Dec. 1. So far statewide, DPS has hired 75 of the 244 staff members needed to fill the positions allocated over the past two legislative sessions to ensure that Juvenile Justice has the capacity to handle complaints against 16- and 17-year-old children accused of minor criminal offenses. Juvenile Justice leaders have projected that “Raise the Age” could bring in nearly 8,700 new juveniles, who will need the services of juvenile court counselors for intake and case management services, and direct care if referred to detention or youth development centers. Juvenile facilities in Butner and Concord need to hire qualified youth services behavioral specialists; statewide, people with the skills needed to become juvenile court counselors are most in demand, as are educators and certified transportation drivers. Juvenile Justice leaders have worked with DPS Human Resources and the Office of State Human Resources to create a juvenile court counselor trainee position, to expand the number of people who otherwise would not be viable juvenile court counselor candidates. The Juvenile Justice section is also working with DPS recruiters in the field to find appropriate applicants and is participating in college and DPS-specific job fairs throughout North Carolina. Targeted outreach is taking place, through creating location-specific recruitment brochures and advertising vacancies using social media sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn (for specialized positions) and SchoolSpring (for teaching vacancies). Finally, the DPS Communications Office has developed videos (Court Services, Facility Operations) that describe the special mission of Juvenile Justice, using testimonials from existing staff to bring feeling and color into what it means to serve the community as a staff member in the distinct functions of the juvenile justice system. ____________________________________________ By Diana Kees, Deputy Communications Director for the Department of Public Safety.
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Additional information about careers with Juvenile Justice can be found online at https://www. ncdps.gov/careers-matter/ juvenile-justice-careers.
N ORT H CA ROL I N A OFFICE O F STATE HUM AN RESO URCES
BA R BA R A G IB S O N , Director, Office of State Human Resources JILL WA R R E N LUCAS, Communications Director
the.resource@nc.gov Design by Patricia Campbell | Cover photograph by Jim Jones, Department of Health and Human Safety