Oregon Department of Human Services Director’s Office

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Director Fariborz Pakseresht addresses the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees in the executive branch of state government. During the 4-minute podcast, he touches on vaccine hesitancy among people with long histories of medical mistreatment - especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islanders and other people of color, people with disabilities and those who are unable to get the vaccine - and calls on the ODHS community to practice compassion and understanding for people of all backgrounds and faiths as we navigate the ever-changing currents of this pandemic. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Dion Jordon joins Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht for a 14-minute podcast on the Department’s adoption of an Equity North Star. Dion is the director of the Department’s Office of Equity and Multicultural Services (OEMS). Their discussion covers why advancing equity and inclusion is a Department priority, why it’s important to have an Equity North Star, how it came together and how we will put it to use. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with Phil Basso, director of organizational effectiveness at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). This 16-minute podcast gives an overview of the organizational assessment APHSA is conducting to determine where the Department is on the Human Services Value Curve today and how it can ascend this maturity model to realize the potential of the people we serve and the systems we use to do so, rooting all our work in equity. The 11-part review includes gathering staff, community partner and external stakeholder input as well as integration of past assessments to unify activities. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

One of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19 continues to be physical distancing. Back in March 2020, DHS shifted most of its staff to telework to reduce the number of people in our buildings so we could maintain physical distancing when serving the public in person. What we’re learning from the experience is that teleworking can be a standard part of how DHS conducts its business beyond the pandemic. DHS recently conducted a survey to learn what staff need to successfully telework in the short-term and to gather feedback to operationalize telework for the long-term through designing effective policies, procedures and staff supports. Nearly 4,900 staff responded to the survey and 95% reported they are satisfied with their current teleworking situation. In today’s podcast, DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht gives an update on the current state of COVID-19 in Oregon and the importance of maintaining telework during the pandemic. Chief Administrative Officer Don Erickson, sponsor of the telework survey, joins Director Pakseresht to share how the survey results will be used to make teleworking a standard operating procedure for the Department. “Our goal is to utilize telework as a standard way people in DHS do their jobs. We want to do it in a way where there’s no loss of productivity, no loss in managerial ability and the ability to support staff, and we want to make sure that people are properly equipped in home work stations to do the whole scope of their job,” Erickson said. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

When it comes to COVID-19, DHS has two main and urgent purposes: Protecting the health and safety of Oregonians and connecting people with the benefits and program supports they need to sustain themselves through this unprecedented health, social and economic crisis. With medical experts estimating COVID-19 could be among us for the next 24 months - and knowing we will remain at the forefront of the state’s response for the duration - DHS partnered with the Oregon Health Authority to create a new Shared Services unit to lead our efforts. The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Unit (CRRU) is based in Salem and is led by Jana Mclellan. In this episode, Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Jana sit down to discuss how the CRRU is taking shape. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Child Welfare works to ensure every child in Oregon grows up in a safe, permanent, and nurturing family home. The COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for families that can impact child safety, causing Child Welfare to make swift shifts in its practices to continue responding to reports of abuse and neglect 24/7, and maintain support to families and community partners. Most of the 3,000-person Child Welfare workforce transitioned to teleworking, including most of the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline team. Workers sought creative ways to safely provide in-person visitation for children in foster care and their families, and expanded virtual options for keeping families in touch. After seeing a sharp drop in calls to the hotline when the stay home orders put many mandatory reports out of touch with children, Child Welfare began a public awareness effort and developed tools to help the public and mandatory reporters check-in on children. Hotline calls are now rising. Lacey Andresen, Child Welfare deputy director of practice and program, sat down with DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht to discuss how Child Welfare staff, providers and the children and families they serve are handling the pandemic. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

The Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) is dedicated to supporting the safety and health of Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). People with I/DD are at higher-risk of being negatively impacted by COVID-19 either due to their primary disability or a secondary condition. Since the first cases were identified in Oregon, ODDS has been constantly flowing prevention resources and updates to staff and stakeholders, and making policy and practice changes to protect the health and wellbeing of people with I/DD. More guidance and resources are available on the ODDS COVID-19 Information webpage. While most ODDS services are delivered through contracted providers in communities, ODDS provides direct services to children and adults with I/DD who are experiencing a crisis that can’t be resolved with typical community supports. The Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU) operates 21 group homes with 750 staff who work with children and adults to deescalate each crisis and transition them back into their communities. Sierra Rawson, SACU interim director, joins DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht for a 10-minute podcast to describe how the SACU team is managing through the pandemic. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Circumstances are still changing quickly when it comes to Oregon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past week alone, most counties entered the first of three phases for re-opening their economies. And on May 20, 2020, the state released the first quarterly economic and revenue forecast since the pandemic reached Oregon. Both are important milestones in the path forward for rebuilding a safe and strong Oregon. These events don’t change the Department’s current operations, but they do add another level of urgency to the preparations we’re making. Chief Administrative Officer Don Erickson joined Director Fariborz Pakseresht to discuss how the Department is planning for the time when it is safe to bring staff back from teleworking and resume services put on hold when the public health crisis emerged. The podcast covers the playbooks in development to guide us through the different phases of reopening; new guidance around visitor tracking in offices and face coverings and plans to expand teleworking options beyond the pandemic. Director Pakseresht also gives a brief update on the economic forecast and its impact on the Department budget. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

When Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) staff saw what was happening with COVID-19 in long-term care facilities in neighbouring Washington, it went into planning mode to protect the Oregonians it serves who are at high risk for the coronavirus. APD was the first DHS program to launch a pandemic response, focusing on long-term care facilities. Today, 96 percent of those facilities do not have COVID-19 cases. APD Interim Director Mike McCormick and DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht discuss the program’s response. The two also discuss the program’s concerns about a 23% drop in reports of abuse and neglect; temporary policy changes, and a spike in calls to the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) hotline from people looking for help, especially for nutrition, meal delivery and medical resources. “All of us are experiencing some level of anxiety about what it’s going to look like as Oregon reopens its economy. We’re having those discussions. There’s going be a lot of uncertainties and I would hope our staff remain vigilant and continue to practice the Centers for Disease Control recommendations and give each other grace as we go through this learning process together,” McCormick said. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

A framework based in science and data is guiding the re-start of public life and business in Oregon. The framework ensures that we proceed carefully through a three-phase plan to protect public health while re-opening the economy incrementally. Resuming non-urgent medical procedures and opening state recreation areas with limitations are the first steps Governor Brown has taken. It has many of us wondering, what’s next for DHS? Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt responded to the top four questions from staff in this podcast: “The rebound of the economy is directly related to what we keep doing to stop the spread of the virus. We need to remain vigilant,” Director Pakseresht said. “Helen Keller said, ‘Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.’ I am hopeful and confident we will manage through this. We have always found a way and we still have a responsibility to serve the many people who are suffering during this pandemic.” Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Our Department has five program divisions supporting our vision for safety, health and independence for all Oregonians. Each program has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic differently to meet the unique needs of the people each program serves. This episode puts the spotlight on Self-Sufficiency Programs (SSP). SSP provides a safety net, family stability and a connection to careers that guide Oregonians out of poverty. With many losing work during the pandemic, there has been a swift and sharp increase in the demand for SSP services. The program has taken many steps to temporarily ease eligibility requirements for its services so more people can participate, to increase benefits and to expand options for applying for benefits. DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with SSP Director Dan Haun about how SSP staff, customers and providers are coping. “Self-Sufficiency Programs have a significant role in Oregon’s response to this pandemic. The safety net services it providers are a critical bridge for helping people through the pandemic,” Director Pakseresht said. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

We have five program divisions that support Oregonians and when the Governor put physical distancing requirements in place, all quickly reacted. Each program found its own way to balance our responsibility to maintain services for the public and staff safety. Each week we’ll be spotlighting a different program’s response to COVID-19. First up is Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). VR helps people with disabilities find and keep jobs that match their skills, interests and abilities. The program turns 100 this year and VR Director Keith Ozols said innovation is one reason behind the program’s longevity. It’s also why VR was able to swiftly adapt to the coronavirus public health crisis and transition its work into the virtual environment. These days, VR is focused on preparing its clients for the economy to reopen and has become a “voice of hope” to Oregonians with disabilities. Ozols and DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht discuss the successes and challenges VR is discovering in the COVID-19 environment. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

There is only one way for us to get through the COVID-19 pandemic and that is together. A growing number of Oregonians are turning to us for help and our determined workforce has found creative ways to meet the demand. We must take care of each other so we can continue serving Oregonians. Our labor unions are critical partners in helping our leadership team understand what employees need to do their best work with Oregonians in these unusual circumstances. SEIU 200 Secretary and Steward Sara Ashmore joined Director Fariborz Pakseresht for a discussion on how DHS leadership and SEIU have strengthened their collaboration to support employees, rapidly solve problems and identify opportunities for positive change during this public health crisis. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

This week the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) launched a new initiative called Trauma Aware. DHS is the first state agency in Oregon to adopt a trauma-informed organizational policy and launch a Department-wide effort to promote healing and resiliency among its workforce and the people it serves. Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Chief Administrative Officer Don Erickson, the sponsor of the initiative, said rolling out the Trauma Aware program now is a way to bring more supports and resources to staff coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss what it means to be a trauma-informed organization and how we will become one. “Regardless of what part of this organization you work with, you see a lot of trauma. We have a responsibility as an organization to help those people with the trauma they experience but as an employee, when you deal with these things, you take some of that on and begin to experience trauma yourself. Our ultimate goal with this effort to be a trauma-informed organization is to create an environment where we can minimize the trauma for staff and deal with it in a way that we can create an environment of wellbeing for anyone who works for DHS or receives services from DHS,” said Director Pakseresht. Learn more about our Trauma Aware initiative on the OWL. Find more information for staff about COVID-19 on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public about COVID-19 on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) is operating very differently than it was just a few weeks ago. Some programs are operating virtually. Others are encouraging client communication by phone or online, and limiting in-person appointments so they can practice good physical distancing. Much of our workforce quickly converted to telework. We’re doing things we’ve never done before and we’re all learning how to navigate our way through this health crisis together. Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt share stories from staff who are teleworking, many for the first time. “We want everyone to express their frustrations and their gratitude because we need to know all that so that we can take the right steps to meet their needs. We're all trying the best that we can. We're all in this together and we'll work through this together. We'll get it done,” Director Pakseresht said. Find more information for staff on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

On March 23, 2020, Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order called Stay Home, Save Lives to strengthen physical distancing requirements to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The order does not apply to much of our workforce because our Department is one that must stay open to provide the critical services Oregonians depend on during crisis. Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt share what the order means for our Department and its staff. “If we had an earthquake or a major flood instead of a pandemic, the services we would offer would be the same. Not only because we are required to do them, but because people need those things to stay safe and cover the basic necessities of life while we get past the challenge,” Director Pakseresht said. Find more information for staff on the OWL. Find more information for clients and the public on the DHS website. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

The virus that causes the disease COVID-19 has changed the way the Oregon Department of Human Services – and all of Oregon – are operating. Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt talk about the Department’s response to the pandemic and the steps being taken to balance the need to protect staff health and maintain services to Oregonians, especially those who are high-risk for COVID-19. “We all came to this organization because we had the passion of service - and we'll get back to that full force - but for right now, there are a series of different circumstances in front of us that we have to respond to and balance those with our most essential work,” Director Pakseresht said. “I only know one way out of this crisis and that is together.” Find more information on the OWL. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by clicking here.

Advancing Equity and Inclusion is a priority for the Oregon Department of Human Services. With a workforce of approximately 9,000 people serving 1.5 million Oregonians, the Department can be a leader in moving the dial to create a more equitable and inclusive Oregon. Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with Alberto Moreno, the director of the Office of Equity and Multicultural Services, about the work Alberto and his team are doing to integrate equity and inclusion in all we do. Download full script by clicking here.

Creating equity is one way we can help both staff and the people we serve reach their full potential. Equity and service equity are about each of us getting what we need to be successful such as access to opportunities, networks, resources and supports based on where we are where we want to go in life. Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with LeMont Boyd about the levers and mechanisms the Department is using to get us closer to equity in all we do, inside and outside the Department. LeMont is the Service Equity Transformation Manager in the Office of Equity and Multicultural Services. Download full script by clicking here.

Episode 2: RiSE, Part 2: Making organizational culture change stick - 2020 Positive organizational cultures don’t happen by chance. We ask Oregon DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Research Implementation Manager Kirsten Kolb what it really takes to make the organizational culture change DHS staff are asking for stick. Find out how the RiSE organizational culture is becoming reality in DHS. Download full script by clicking here.