Our People
building our team from within
BUILDING OUR TEAM FROM WITHIN

Exemplifying the NHS Mission and Core Values
  • Employee Stats
  • LDS
  • EOM
  • Leadership Development Series (LDS)
    Supportive Learning for Tomorrow's Leaders

    In 2009, NHS launched the NHS Leadership Development Series (LDS), a 12 month program designed to prepare NHS leaders with the skills necessary to lead the organization into the next decade. The LDS is a comprehensive initiative designed around the NHS Core Values and other carefully selected Leadership Principles. The LDS is an ongoing, supportive learning experience that focuses on the practice and application of key leadership skills. Participants attend monthly sessions spanning a variety of leadership competencies including: Leadership, Accountability, Understanding Professional Behavior, Delegation, Building Engagement, Resolving Conflict and Managing Change. Each session focuses on the implementation and practice of those competencies and provides a mechanism for immediate and useable feedback.

    lds

    Between sessions, participants put their skills into action on the job where, through real-world practice, these skills transform into habits. The participant's immediate supervisor plays a critical role in the success of the participant by meeting with him/her regularly to reinforce the implementation of newly acquired skills. LDS participants are also supported by a vast network of leaders called the "Learning Community," an on-line networking and resource center.

    Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive an LDS Certification of Mastery. Since its inception, LDS has awarded 440 Certificates of Mastery and 37 Certificates of Completion, preparing, mentoring and supporting the future leaders of NHS.
  • Employee Recognition Program
    Recognizing Excellence!

    This year, NHS implemented a new Employee Recognition Program to identify individuals and teams who exhibit the Core Values and Leadership Principles that NHS strives towards. The program encourages coworkers, managers, consumers, and consumer families to nominate employees and teams that work in either direct care positions (directly working with consumers) or in non-direct care positions (administrative and support) in the categories of Adult Behavioral Health, Children's Services, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Corporate/Regional. The expanded program provides an opportunity to have a total of 11 winners each month. Winners are recognized by the CEO, the COO, and the respective Executive Vice President, and are announced in the company's newsletter.


    FY2013: Total number of nominations - 166 | Total number of winners - 74

    EOM-direct care

    DIRECT CARE
    (includes ABH, Children's, and IDD)
    EOM-NonDirect care

    NON-DIRECT CARE
    (includes administrative and support staff)
    EOM-team


    TEAM     (includes teams of two or more employees in both direct care and non direct care)

    Meet Dona Freeman – NHS Employee of the Year for Direct Care, Adult Behavioral Health
    A cook at the PCH in Apollo, recognized for her leadership skills, dedication to the individuals in our care, and commitment to the NHS mission.

    eom2013After a long day of cooking, baking and cleaning, Dona Freeman sits down to plan her shopping list for the following week. That list includes more than just the groceries for the individuals at the Russellton Personal Care Home (PCH), where she works as the head cook, it also includes supplies for holiday baskets full of sweet treats and baked goods for consumers in the neighboring NHS Long Term Structured Residence (LTSR) and Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) group homes. Dona collects donations and Provides Support to volunteers who deliver holiday cheer to NHS consumers.

    Dona is an excellent cook with the cleanest kitchen, neatest pantry, most organized, Quality daily reports on the food budget, and a great menu each week, taking Accountability for all things that happen in her kitchen. Since joining NHS in 2008, Dona has made is a habit of going beyond to help those in need.

    When a newsletter announced the need for food donations for NHS Schools students, Dona was the first person across NHS to organize a canned food drive. She called and emailed people to find out what was needed to adopt a school. Thanks to Dona's Stewardship, the Russellton PCH has adopted the NHS School Apollo. She has a large plastic container set up in the activities room for people to donate foods. She sent out emails to every staff member to bring food in for the children and what types of food is needed. Dona also explained what we were doing to the residents and they became excited to donate food. She then took it one step further, Encouraging Involvement with the neighboring LTSR to donate food for the children, saying, "Of course they would want to donate food for the children and would be upset if we didn't ask them to participate."

    Dona embraces the NHS Core Value of Diversity. She celebrates individual uniqueness, utilizing different perspectives and strengths, treating everybody with dignity and fairness while teaching consumers how to cook at the PCH Cooking Club. Dona instructs this cooking club twice a month. The group meets for a cooking demonstration with tips and tricks. The Quality of her work is evident as she helps the residents with their social skills, activities of daily living (ADLs), and coping strategies.

    There is no challenge too large for Dona. She has raised money for an ill coworker by organizing a spaghetti dinner and baking and selling peanut butter pies. Her commitment to Social Responsibility goes above and beyond what is expected of a cook. Dona is a joy to work with. She Sets the Example for coworkers by always coming to work with a smile on her face, spreading that happiness to others. Dona Listens to the residents when they want to talk, when they need help with a project, and anything else they request. She digs in and helps - even shoveling snow.

    Dona Freeman is now the beacon of NHS Core Values and Leadership Principles and a true pleasure to have as a member of the NHS family.