The heart of Wasatch Mental Health has always been the employees. Auditors and visitors comment positively on it all the time and report that that same spirit and commitment isn’t seen everywhere they go. As a recovering administrator, I was always amazed at the good that employees do and how many will go above and beyond to meet the needs of a client or program. Reading through the nominations and the reasons that they were nominated by their peers was inspiring and recognizing them at our annual Christmas Party used to be a favorite part of my year! I miss that but get to recognize them thru writing which is almost as good! We are lucky to have a lot of staff members with big hearts and a commitment to the well being of our clients despite having a difficult job at times and high performance expectations. Thank you to ALL of our employees, but WMH would like to recognize those that were nominated by their peers and selected as Employee of the Year in different categories for 2015.
I asked several of those selected why they work at WMH and what they have learned and got some great responses. Kirsten (Human Service Worker) at Vantage Point agrees that WMH is “a great company with good values and great employees. I work with stellar people, who constantly teach me, make me laugh, and help me let go of stress when I need it. I’ve learned that parents have more influence good or bad, on their kids than I ever knew possible. And in order to help our kids, we have to start with the source, the parents/ourselves. Everyday is completely different. New kids, new scenarios, and I am always kept on my toes. I enjoy the differences and challenges that each kid brings to Vantage Point. But most of all, I love the people I work with; you couldn’t find a better group anywhere.”
Cari (Wellness Coordinator) is appreciative of her opportunity to “assist in the recovery process of so many amazing individuals in our community. I love being able to help people access resources they need to overcome obstacles and progress with their goals—especially the ones they never thought they would achieve!”
Janene (Therapist) says “I have learned that with hurt there is healing. What I do today is what I have learned from the great examples and experiences around me on a daily basis”.
Working with great staff and being able to assist so many wonderful individuals with their recovery process are reasons echoed by many employees in explaining why they work in this field and why they choose to work at WMH. I echo those same sentiments myself. So, without further ado…on to the winners…
[Drumroll please]…
The 2015 WMH Employees of the Year are:
Adult Services Support: Jill Curcio. Administrative Assistant. Westpark Family Clinic. Jill was nominated due to the support she has given to the growing nursing home/assisted living outreach team this past year. She has helped to improve the way time is used in meetings and facilitated a quicker way to do intakes and get more clients into services.
Adult Services Clinical: Darsi Powell, SSW. Case Manager for the Bridge Program. Darsi is extremely effective working with her clients, very proactive and always will to serve. Being on the BRIDGE team is not easy—the toughest clients are assigned to the team and they require intensive services. Darsi’s attitude towards her job and towards her clients is always positive. She has built effective community alliances with landlords which have allowed many clients to obtain housing who would otherwise be on the streets.
Adult Services Direct Care: Janalee Eyre. Representative Payee Services. Janalee has worked at WMH for five years and has become the lead RPS budget specialist with over 100 Level 4 clients who respect her a great deal. Her ability to remain well-organized and caught up on her huge responsibility of managing client’s funds amidst their ever-changing rental situations, utility changes, and changes in mental status demonstrate super human powers! She has taken on the lead RPS budget specialist role and does a great job in training and mentoring of new employees.
Children and Family Services Clinical: Elizabeth Lewin-Shepley, LCSW. Therapist at New Vista and Aspire. Elizabeth is incredibly in-tune with her clients’ needs. She has worked hard to collaborate with the Clothesline Project at Utah Valley University in order to have our youth’s hard work recognized and admired by the community.
Children and Family Services Direct Care: Kirsten Walton. Human Service Worker at Vantage Point. Kirsten goes above and beyond the standard at Vantage Point. Kirsten implements the structure in the program and provides our kids with the consistency that so many of them need and sets each day off on the right note. She knows how the program is run and is able to teach others while being open to learning new skills or making modifications to the program based on the needs of the clients.
Administration: Jeremiah. IT Department. Jeremiah always goes the extra mile to help out other programs. He has written special computer programs for several department and ensures that they meet program needs and also makes necessary changes right away when needed. Always with a positive attitude, Jeremiah makes staff feel like they are a top priority for him.
Extra Mile Award: Cari Greenwood. Wellness Coordinator. Med Services. Cari has accepted and excelled in her position of WMH liaison to the Mountainland Health Clinic co-located in the Westpark Building. She works well with the medical staff from both Mountainlands and WMH in coordinating care for our clients. Cari has an infectious and unique laugh that is easily recognized and enjoyed. Cari is genuine and promotes an atmosphere of cooperation and teamwork.
Behind the Scenes Award (Dedicated to the memory of Judy Guilbert): Starr Moran, RN. Nurse at the Provo Family Clinic. Starr is always smiling and pleasant to staff and clients. She is willing to stay late or come in on her days off in order to meet the needs of the clients and does a great job following up with them. She is very organized and completes tasks in the timeliest manner possible. She is also very good at talking and resolving issues with parents that are unhappy or angry.
Embracing Wellness Award: Janene Candalot, LCSW. Supervisor at the Provo Family Clinic. Janene is involved in an intensive training program on how to become a trauma informed center. She has attended trainings and then come back and shared with many departments in youth services as well as training the program managers/supervisors. She has been influential in adding a trauma survey to the assessments done at intake and is working hard to improve treatment for clients. A dream of hers is to build a sensory playground outside the Provo Family Clinic to aid in the treatment of all children, particularly those who have been traumatized and those with autism. She is actively soliciting bids and designs for this while maintaining her own 100% productivity level.
Congratulations to All!
By Lisa Schumacher, MFT