The Beacon

Published by:  Bethesda Day Treatment Center, Inc.

 

 ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good

deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

February 2007                      Vol. 11 Issue #2    

From the President’s Desk…
 

This month I would like to share an article that Corporate Business Manager Stacey Kifolo distributed at the February’s Manager’s Meeting.  The article is so good that I want to give all our staff the opportunity to read it! 

Play Well With Others: Develop Effective 

Work Relationships

 From Susan M. Heathfield

 

Board of Directors

Joseph Pugliese

Chairman

Jerilyn Keen

President

Timothy Gage

Director

Fred Martin

Director

Mary Tiffin

Director  

Chris Bingaman

Director  

Collette Benner

Secretary

Gene McCarty

Treasurer

 

Advisory Committee

Jerilyn Keen

Scott Constantini

Stephen Gaito

Robert Vanderwall

Jennifer Napp

Don Coleman

Connie Shoop

William Rossnock

Joseph Talarico

Dr. Elizabth Ciaravino

Thomas Bell

Agent William Weber

Larry Weidman

John Gigunto

 

Consultants

Dr. Vikas Passi

D&A Medical Director

Dr. Frederick Maue

Mental Health Director

You can submarine your career and work relationships by the actions you take and the behaviors you exhibit at work.  No matter your education, your experience, or your title, if you can't play well with others, you will never accomplish your work mission.

Effective work relationships form the cornerstone for success and satisfaction with your job and your career.  How important are effective work relationships?  Effective work relationships form the basis for promotion, pay increases, goal accomplishment, and job satisfaction.

The Gallup organization studied indicators of work satisfaction.  They found that whether you have a best friend at work was one of the twelve key questions that predicted job satisfaction.

A supervisor in a several hundred person company quickly earned a reputation for not playing well with others.

He collected data and used the data to find fault, place blame, and make other employees look bad.  He enjoyed identifying problems but rarely suggested solutions.

He bugged his supervisor weekly for a bigger title and more money so he could tell other employees what to do.  When he announced he was job hunting, not a single employee suggested that the company take action to convince him to stay.  He had burned his bridges.

These are the top seven ways you can play well with others at work.  They form the basis for effective work relationships.  These are the actions you want to take to create a positive, empowering, motivational work environment for people.

Bring suggested solutions with the problems to the meeting table.  Some employees spend an inordinate amount of time identifying problems.  Honestly?  That's the easy part.  Thoughtful solutions are the challenge that will earn respect and admiration from coworkers and bosses

Don't ever play the blame game.  You alienate coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.  Yes, you may need to identify who was involved in a problem.  You may even ask the Deming question: what about the work system caused the employee to fail?  But, not my fault and publicly identifying and blaming others for failures will earn enemies.  These enemies will, in turn, help you to fail.  You do need allies at work.

Your verbal and nonverbal communication matters.  If you talk down to another employee, use sarcasm, or sound nasty, the other employee hears you.  We are all radar machines that constantly scope out our environment.

In one organization a high level manager said to me, "I know you don't think I should scream at my employees.  But, sometimes, they make me so mad.  When is it appropriate for me to scream at the employees?" Answer?   Never, of course, if respect for people is a hallmark of your organization.

Never blind side a coworker, boss, or reporting staff person.  If the first time a coworker hears about a problem is in a staff meeting or from an email sent to his supervisor, you have blind sided the coworker.  Always discuss problems, first, with the people directly involved who "own" the work system.  Also called lynching or ambushing your coworkers, you will never build effective work alliances unless your coworkers trust you.  And, without alliances, you never accomplish the most important goals.

Keep your commitments.  In an organization, work is interconnected.  If you fail to meet deadlines and commitments, you affect the work of other employees.  Always keep commitments, and if you can't, make sure all affected employees know what happened.  Provide a new due date and make every possible effort to honor the new deadline.

Share credit for accomplishments, ideas, and contributions.  How often do you accomplish a goal or complete a project with no help from others?  If you are a manager, how many of the great ideas you promote were contributed by staff members?  Take the time, and expend the energy, to thank, reward, recognize and specify contributions of the people who help you succeed.  This is a no-fail approach to building effective work relationships.

Help other employees find their greatness.  Every employee in your organization has talents, skills, and experience.  If you can help fellow employees harness their best abilities, you benefit the organization immeasurably.  The growth of individual employees benefits the whole.  Compliment, recognize, praise, and notice contributions.  You don't have to be a manager to help create a positive, motivating environment for employees.  In this environment, employees do find and contribute their greatness.

If you regularly carry out these seven actions, you will play well with others and develop effective work relationships.  Coworkers will value you as a colleague.  Bosses will believe you play on the right team.  You'll accomplish your work goals, and you may even experience fun, recognition, and personal motivation.  Work can't get any better than that.

From my heart to yours,

Jerilyn

Jerilyn A. Keen, M.A.

President

 

News from our Administrative Office…

The month of February reminded us that winter was still here as we saw the majority of the season's snowfall this month.  Regional Manager Scott Constantini shared a picture (on the right) that was taken at the Scranton Center on February 14th. 

We extend our appreciation to Connie Shoop for her three years of service as a member of the Advisory Committee.  Connie has resigned from our Advisory Committee to commit her time as a counselor with Beyond Violence, Inc.  We wish Connie the best!

We congratulate Regional Manager Jennifer Napp on her recent engagement to Kurt Evans.  An October 13th wedding is being planned.  We wish them all of the best as they start this new journey together!

Bethesda Highlights

President Keen and Regional Manager Jennifer Napp trained our new clinical supervisors and casework staff in Family Systems during the month of February.  We thank these ladies for taking the time out of their busy schedules to train these staff!  Check out the picture on the left of Jeri’s training on February 15th.

On February 21st, Medical Assistance Specialist/Administrative Drug & Alcohol Supervisor Michele Barrows conducted a Drug & Alcohol Training/Meeting with the Drug & Alcohol staff to discuss some changes to the Drug & Alcohol Manual as well as the procedures for Managed Care and Medical Assistance Billing. 

This is “What’s Happening” at Our Centers…

Bloomsburg:  We welcome Marlene Finney as our new Clinical Supervisor at the Bloomsburg Center.  The Day Treatment clients are gearing up to assist the Salvation Army with their community service efforts.  The question around the Bloomsburg Center is, "Who ate John's cheese steak?"  Drug & Alcohol Counselor John O'Brien went to the fridge to get his cheese steak for lunch and it was gone!  No one has confessed to eating it so the saga continues of the tale of the missing cheese steak!

East Stroudsburg:  The Monroe County District Attorney's office once again made a generous donation to the East Stroudsburg Center in the amount of $480 to fund uniforms for the basketball program.  We thank them for all of their support and generous contributions.  The Day Treatment clients continue to participate in a weekly group with Carbon, Monroe, Pike Drug & Alcohol Commission.  The group covers issues ranging from drug and alcohol to sex education.  The clients have responded positively to this group.  We welcome Anthony Ross as the new Caseworker at the East Stroudsburg Center.

Honesdale:  The Honesdale staff continue to pull together as a team to keep the AEP and Day Treatment Program running smoothly.  We thank Lee Viola for continuing to assist in the AEP.  Community service continues at the Waymart Recycling Center when the weather permits and around the center.  Day Treatment Supervisor Jeanine Marcello and Caseworker Tracy Greco combined their efforts to expand on the existing group curriculum for use in the Day Treatment.  Good job!

Lehighton:  We welcome Jessy Miller as the new Drug & Alcohol Counselor of the Lehighton Center.  Jessy had been previously employed at the Sciota Center as a Caseworker.  Teacher Tami Weaver organized a bake sale to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with the assistance of Megan Goff and Michele Conley.  The staff enjoyed the wonderful treats!  The Day Treatment clients are enjoying their social skills groups conducted by Megan Goff and their cultural diversity groups conducted by Kevin Loch.  The Lehighton staff congratulate Kari Hartman on being selected as the Employee of the Month for February.

Lewistown:  The Lewistown Center held a fundraiser selling pizza kits, which netted over $800.  The funds will be utilized for upcoming field trips and the end of year picnic.  Way to go!  The daily Reading program continues to progress with noticeable results in the students' reading levels.  The Day Treatment clients are assisting the Belleville Fire Department and the Big Valley Ambulance Club with their community service efforts.

Group Home - Middleburg:  February finally brought some snow for the boys to go sled riding.  Only a few of them ventured outside!  The residents are working hard on their independent living assessments and projects.  The boys continue to assist the United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen.  The staff are currently seeking to expand their community service options in the Snyder County area.  Thanks to all of the staff for working hard and being flexile to cover shifts.  It is appreciated!

Milton:  The AEP is starting its annual "Pennies for Patients" campaign.  The students have set some lofty goals that far surpass last year's amounts.  Good luck!  The AEP recently held an "around the world" cooking class.  Each student chose a different country to prepare an authentic meal from.  The results were fantastic!  We welcome Clinical Supervisor Jennifer Sheptock to the Milton Center.  We look forward to working with her.

Montoursville:  We welcome Marj Wonderlich and David Dimoff as the new Teachers in the AEP to assist with the increase in AEP referrals.  We congratulate Todd Puderbach on his promotion to the Community Service Coordinator position.  Todd had previously been a Caseworker at the Milton Center.  Regional Manager Bob Vanderwall recently got himself into a real “twist.”  Bob took some time to enjoy a game of Twister with the students!  Check out the picture!

Scranton:  We welcome student intern Nicole Anastasi to the Scranton Center.  Nicole is working on her Master's Degree in Community Counseling from the University of Scranton.  Sje will be with the Day Treatment Program until May.  We welcome Tim Micel as their new Teacher in the AEP.  The Scranton Center has teamed up with the South Montrose Center to begin using the Weinberg Food Bank in Wilkes-Barre.  They have a wide variety of items to choose from and it has proven to be beneficial.

South Montrose:  During the month of February, the South Montrose AEP continued with their Black History Month theme by having all the students write individual "I have a dream" speeches in their English classes to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.  The students also viewed the film "Malcolm X" for a special Friday activity.  Several groups of students completed research assignments to learn about other nations and gain more cultural awareness.  The students finished their posters for a local "Anti-Tobaco" campaign.  The posters will be submitted in early March and will be used as billboards throughout Susquehanna County.  The positive and above level students spent a morning bowling at the local bowling alley as a reward.  Good job!

Congratulations To…  

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH….

Kari Hartman, Teacher's Aide at the Lehighton Center, was selected as Bethesda's Exceptional Employee of the Month for February.  We give this honor to Kari for her outstanding work ethic and her dependability to the Lehighton Center.  The professional manner in which Kari represents herself with the staff and clients is admirable.  Her caring attitude has gained her the respect among the students.  We commend Kari for being a team player!

The following staff were also nominated for Employee of the Month for February.  

Karen Brenchley, Secretary at the Bloomsburg Center

Dwight Evans, Family Systems Specialist at the East Stroudsburg and Lehighton Centers

Kelly Maree, Secretary at the Honesdale Center

Angela Trude, Special Education Teacher at the Lewistown Center

Heather Heiney, Caseworker at the Milton Center

We thank these staff for their hard work and dedication! 

Welcome to our family…

Marlene Finney, Clinical Supervisor, Bloomsburg  

Megan MacDonald, Teacher, South Montrose

Jennifer Sheptock, Clinical Supervisor, Milton                         

Tim Micek, Teacher, Scranton

Marj Wonderlich, Teacher, Montoursville                                      

David Dimoff, Teacher, Montoursville

Jessy Miller, Drug & Alcohol Counselor, Lehighton                                

Jeremy Haas, Support Staff, Middleburg
Kristy Snyder, Caseworker/Clinical Supervisor, Lehighton                   

 Joshua Finfinger, Support Staff, Middleburg

Dominick DeSanto, Caseworker, Milton

Each month we will be sharing about a member of our Management Team as a way to learn a little more about the lives of the dedicated and committed team of managers who make Bethesda the best it can be!  This month we will be highlighting our Regional Manager for the Honesdale, Scranton and South Montrose Centers – Scott Constantini.

Scott joined the Bethesda family in 1997 as a Caseworker at the Hawley Center and will celebrate his 10th year of employment in May.  Scott was the first Program Manager at the Scranton Center and was an integral part of the opening of this new center in 1998.  Scott was then promoted to Regional Manager in September 2002.  Prior to Bethesda, Scott was a Mental Health Supervisor and part-time TSS worker for Friendship House Children’s Center for approximately 6 years.  He also worked for the Catholic Social Services Federal/State Halfway House as a Residential Correction Specialist.  Scott earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology and Sociology from Penn State University.

When Scott isn’t devoting his time to making a difference in other’s lives, you will find him relaxing in his boat hoping for a big catch!  He also enjoys hunting and spending time with his family.  Scott is a member of the PA Bass Federation.  Through this organization, the members work on lake conservation and introducing fishing to youth.  

Scott shares what Bethesda means to him, “We strive each day to heal those who have been rejected their whole life.  Bethesda brings value to someone every day!  Bethesda is very similar to a quote by William Barclay, “In the time we have it is surely our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in all the ways we can!”

Thank you, Scott, for all you do for our agency.  You are dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of so many!

We extend our appreciation to President Keen and her family for their continued monetary support in February.  A portion of this donation was used to purchase Sex Offender videos.  Thank you for your generosity!
We thank Kathy Klose, Lewistown Intern, for her assistance at the Administrative Office answering phones and doing various computer work in the interim of filling our vacant Administrative Assistant position.  We appreciate your help!
The Administrative Office has been recognized by SUNCOM’s Community Integrated Employment Services for our continued support of providing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.  Their mobile work force cleaning crew provides cleaning services to the Administrative Office on a weekly basis.
We thank Yoder Builders, Inc., for their generous donation of chairs and tables.  Thanks for your kindness!
We thank Caseworker Dan Beesley for donating a foosball/air hockey table to be used in the Honor Club lounge at the South Montrose Center.  The kids will put this to good use in their free time!

Our Therapeutic Touch!

Each month we will be sharing about the “therapeutic touch” that is incorporated in the treatment of our clients.  This month we will be focusing on a group recently held with the clients at the South Montrose Center conducted by Regional Manager Scott Constantini and Caseworker Dan Beesley.

Scott and Dan conducted a group entitled “Change – Why People Resist.”  The group material was taken out of the Bethesda Group Curriculum Binder.  A handout was reviewed with the clients and the clients learned why people resist change.  Some of the reasons discussed for resisting change included loss of control, excess uncertainty, surprises, The Howard Johnson’s effect, loss of face, the ripple effect, more work, past resentments, the possibility of threat and the insecurity of “can I do it?”

The clients were then challenged with several questions that they needed to answer which included:

“What mistakes have I made in my life that I wish I could change?”

“Why do people fear change and do you fear change?  Why?”

“What changes have I made in my life and do I need to change anything else?”

“Why is change an important part of our life?”

“What is the biggest reason you want to change?”

The clients completed a collage on poster board pertaining to change and the changes that they have made or are going to make in their lives.  Check out the picture of the group!