ဟံၣ်My WebLinkဘၣ်ဃးဒီး1994-08 ---- 1-- 7 A Newsletter for ,...... Employees and Retirees of Tompkins County cif 1 a L -7 \ 0 Into ANIL,!) AUGUST 1994 Volume 7 Number 8 CAN YOU HELP? LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ESTABLISHED On August 9 CAMILLA FELLOWS, DSS, and ... holds first tweeting by Scott Heyman her family lost their home and all of its contents to (See story on page 2) fire. Donations are being collected by David Chase at DSS for the Fellows family. If you send .,440 w;.., a check, please make it payable to Camilla. _4, r Clothing is also appreciated: 9 -10 womens; 12-14 —.., k girls; medium mens shirts and 32W -34I. mens �, pants. THANK YOU!! a • } 1 � i t u. `' Robert I ampman, Tony Denmark, Ward ITungerjord, Nancy 7ahler ' k • sue, ' r 1 S ',4a te r .. s . r' R _ . 1 `- `" 'V�w ,i., i ', 1 a s - S j, L� s 4. X " ._. Back Row: David Chase, Charlie Evans Front Row: Penny VanShoick, Mary Pat Dolan, Irene Stein, Loretta Bernal it y " 0.'" „; . may ,. * „ ,4y J "• E , �. Y *, � �" �� s3 Mom Anna and son Andrew Vainchtein waiting at Clinic photo by Sigrid Kerr, IT.D. Tompkins County Health Department was IN 4 f / recognized by the New York State Department of Health for improving the immunization rate of two year olds by 55% from 1992 to 1993 - the most y • improved County throughout NY State! w4.. te n'`' (See story on page 3) , ' ' Barbara Mink, Scott Heyman, Leighann Baldwin, Emery Guest photos by Bill Chapp, DSS • air LEADERSHIP COUNCIL continued from page one P Wil FIRST MEETING itt1 _ ;-, = V ±' '' .:.:;is Ei . r g J I There were months of meetings with unions and Employee ti,, -- A Council about what it should be and who should be on it, but at long last the Tompkins County Leadership Council was created by . '[r��'' ' Z4 ° 1 ' t 1 0 the Board of Representatives on July 12 and held its kickoff /'r'_:. meeting on August 5. \ y The Council has two charges: 1) To recommend and oversee a reorganization and restructuring of the ways Tompkins County BUS TRIP SUB - COMMITTEE carries out its responsibilities based on the principles of "total quality management "; and 2) To recommend a process, that will OF THE VENDING COMMITTEE likely be carried out by others, that leads to adoption of a statement Bus trips to the Renaissance Festival (July 9) of purpose and of goals for County government as a whole. and Darien Lake (August 6) were great successes. In January, Board Chair Stu Stein appointed Barbara Mink to The trip to the State Fair has been cancelled as Chair the group, and on July 12 he appointed Charlie Evans to fill there weren't enough people signed up to send a the other Board member position. The full County Board bus. appointed three department head representatives, Mary Pat Dolan The Radio City Music Hall bus is full. from Social Services, Irene Stein from COFA, and Emery Guest, Sheriff; one middle manager, Ward Hungerford, Highway Manager; There are a few seats left on the bus to the and created one slot for the County Administrator. The bargaining Buffalo Bills 1 p.m. game against Kansas City on units appointed David Chase, Penny VanSchoick, and Leighann Sunday, October 30. Baldwin (CSEA white collar), Tony Denmark (CSEA blue collar), and Robert Lampman (Deputy Sheriffs Association). Confidential There is still room on the bus to the Franklin employees appointed Loretta Bernal. Mills Outlet Shopping Mall in Philadelphia on Youth Bureau Director Nancy Zahler and Personnel November 12. Commissioner Anita Fitzpatrick are attending the group's meetings and providing staff support to the Council. If you would like to reserve a place or have your The Leadership Council held its kickoff meeting at the Transit name put on a waiting list, please call Leighann as Center and heard presentations from Marcia Calicchia and Ipek soon as possible at 274 -6674 Kursat, both affiliated with Cornell Industrial and Labor Relations Extension in Albany. The two have extensive experience with We have had approximately 90 quality improvement efforts in the public sector and are strong employees /retirees and 115 guests attend the bus 1 advocates of establishing formal labor /management cooperative trips or make reservations for the trips remaining agreements at the beginning of the process. for the year. Calicchia and Kursat emphasized the importance of planning the quality improvement process carefully and systematically and with Possible trips for next year include: Boston, broad input from employees. They said the process they advocate Niagara Falls, Atlantic City, Corning Glass Center, has three key elements: 1)shared leadership /employee involvement; Buffalo Sabres, New York Mets, and Buffalo Bills. 2)identification of "who is the customer" and an organization -wide We are considering a bus trip to see Phantom of emphasis on improvement of the quality of services provided to the Opera at the end of February, 1995. that customer; and 3)a focus on teaching and learning and on the use of facts (not just "impressions ") to solve problems. If you are interested in any of these trips, or The Council decided that its next meeting on August 26 will be have any ideas for 1995, please contact either a working session to develop a communications system to make sure Leighann at 274 -6674 that all County employees are fully informed about its work. The or Peter Coats at 274 - 6688. We are hoping to Council will also decide how to find out from all employees what have a tentative 1995 schedule by October 1. they think most needs to be improved. Based on that information a calendar will be developed for when, where and how to get The cost of the transportation for some of the startedwith employee orientations and training to enable employees bus trips for 1994 was funded by the Vending to work on selected improvement projects or as teams within their Committee in place of the County picnic. The departments. Vending Committee will be providing partial The charge to transform Tompkins County as an organization is funding for the transportation and a portion of a large and important one and will take time and planning to some of the entrance fees for next year's trips. We succeed. Based on the 100% attendance and enthusiam of would like to thank the Vending Committee for Leadership Council members at their first meeting, the group is off their wonderful support. With their help, we have to a great start. had a very successful year with the bus trips and are looking forward to another great year in 1995. IMMUNIZATION RATE SOARS .....b, Karen Bishop, H.D. (picture on left - page one) WOW! How did we improve the immunization rate of two year olds by 55% from 1992 to 1993? Health w1 x 7 Department staff reviewed records on all two year olds y :- served in our public clinics ... 916 in all! We found "gaps" in our records indicating shots were given elsewhere, but 04..„ !Ai, lacked proper documentation. Health Department staff „x • then contacted local doctors' offices requesting they fill in the "gaps ". Due to the great working relationship we share with the pediatric offices and the diligence of their staff LIFE SKILLS KIDS and ours, records were completed. In addition, Health Fostra CARE Department staff entered immunization records onto a computerized immunization tracking program called KITS. . �a) Atii As a result of countless hours of data entry, 3500 records 1111104 ' are now computerized! A big THANK YOU to Kelly Nickerson, Laura Ellis, Patty Stamm and Michelle Sturm � for a job well done. It is due to their efforts that the from left: Charlene Dorsett,Georgeo'Hagan, Barbara Jacklitsh, Kathy Tompkins County Health Department has received a merit Sweeney (Independent Living Center at Rockefeller College), and award of $4900 from New York State! This is a first for us Dodie Smith and how proud we are! A lap top computer will be purchased for clinic site use which will allow us accessibility CONNECTING TOMPKINS COUNTY to all of our immunization records during the operation of Staff from more than two dozen local human services a clinic. This will enable clinic staff to determine what agencies got together June 30 at Tompkins County vaccine a child needs should a parent not bring the child's Department of Social Services to share information about record with them. services available to youth in Tompkins County. We are also exploring the possibility of the Health The Youth Services Fair was organized by Charlene Department becoming a "central registry" for Dorsett and Dodie Smith (DSS), Nancy Zook (Tompkins immunization records of all kids in Tompkins County. If County Youth Bureau), and Wendy Shillington (GIAC), as feasible, a compatible computer program will be developed well as staff from the DSS Independent Living Center at to share immunization records between doctors' offices, the Rockefeller College, Albany. hospital and the Health Department. Of the approximately 170 children in foster care in To immunize children on time takes a commitment from Tompkins County, about 12% are teens who have a parents, providers and the community. Help us make primary goal of becoming prepared to live independently Tompkins County a better place by preventing childhood once they leave foster care. Both Ms. Dorsett and Ms. diseases like polio, measles, mumps, rubella and pertussis. Smith work with these teens to assist them in mastering REMEMBER, ... healthy tots need all their shots. The skills they'll need to become self- sufficient adults. Tompkins County Health Department offers FREE More information about DSS's independent living vaccines for children ages two months to five years at program can be obtained from Charlene Dorsett, various clinic times and sites located throughout the county. Independent Living Coordinator, 274 -5271. For more information on vaccines or clinic services, call the Tompkins County Health Department 274 -6616. C i o A, tots BIKE HELMETS Healthy IT'S THE LAW FOR CHILDREN UNDER 14 need all The Health Department has coupons availablewhich can be used to order safety tested bike helmets for under $20. their shots. Local efforts are underway to obtain and provide hehnets '; at lower cost for children who can't afford them. If you would like to help, you are invited to join the Bike Helmet Project group. h eck tt out! Please contact Sue Kilgore at 274 -6710 to obtain coupons or for more information. PERSONNEL PERSONALS WORKOUT FOR WELLNESS 1994 COUNTY COMPETITION GOODBYE: Sponsored By Your Please join us at the Office for the Aging on August 29 to Employee Wellness Committee say goodbye to Michelle Gladu, long -time EISEP Case Manager! As EISEP (Expanded In -Home Services for the • c • Elderly) Case Manager, Michelle has been employed by ` M �A both the Office for the Aging and the Health Department for the past five years. She decided to return to graduate Don't say goodbye to summer yet! Continue being school at Syracuse University full-time in the fall to finish active through the fall by signing up for the Sth Annual her M.S.W. Work Out for Wellness competition. August 29th will be Michelle's last day and her Get your team together - 6 -8 people and call the Healthy colleagues are inviting all who know Michelle to stop by Ileart Program now for entry forms. the Office for the Aging, in the basement of the The Wellness Committee will once again pay the entry Courthouse, that Monday to enjoy some refreshments and fee of $4.00 for each County employee. And, for extra fun, say... "happy studying!" the committee will provide prizes prizes for the top County teams and for the most improved participants. What is it? A five week program, from September 26 to October 30, 0 1994. Teams consist of 6 to 8 people. It is OK to have friends or family on your team. To be eligible for a team prize within the county's internal competition at least half A�` � of your team must work for Tompkins County. The Work Out for Wellness provides an opportunity for iti�'� r you to take your "next step "... by either starting to become (MC v more physically active, or by increasing the amout of 1 0 exercise you are currently doing. You get one point for r each 20 minutes of aerobic activity. How do you sign up? Call the Healthy Heart Program at 274 -6710 Call now SEND A CARD PLEASE to get y our entry forms. Entry deadline is Friday, September 16. }low good it feels to get a card from someone who says, "i was thinking about you ". Here's a chance to send a card of encouragement to a 15 year old boy who has leukemia. Joey Lukosavich is the nephew of Linnett Warner, S.W. who says he also enjoys a good laugh. Joey's address is: JOEY LUKOSAVICII % 402 EAST CORTLAND STREET _ - — r GROTON, NY 13073 � COMPUTER TRAINING by Pal Nowakowski Additional computer training courses will start in UNCLASSIFIEDS September: DOS and Hard Disk Management Introduction to Quattro Pro for DOS FOR SALE: Word Perfect for Windows, Keeshound pups born 6/1 and ready to go - first shots, each at a cost of $95 per employee. Call Paul Williams at worming. Parents on premises. No papers. $75 each. 274 -5417 for additional information. Call Kate at 387 -9503. If there is enough interest, we will also schedule classes in: '87 Caravan, body great condition. Approx. 120,000 miles. Introduction to Windows $2,500 O.B.O. Call 546 -2323 after 6 p.m. Word for Windows Excel for Windows. WANTED: If you have any other computer training needs, please Queen size futon frame. Call 257 -2568. notify Pat Nowakowski at 274 -5407.