Health Compass Newsletter
Back to Winter 2022
Caregiver Appreciation Day
Caregiver Appreciation Day was celebrated Thursday, Aug. 26. It started with a video message from CEO Erik Thorsen announcing a generous retention bonus and additional vacation days for full- and part-time CMH caregivers, who have displayed remarkable resilience over the past two years. All caregivers were encouraged to wear jeans and CMH logo shirts for two days, and every hour on the hour, a virtual raffle drawing was held for a fantastic prize.
The mayor of Astoria, Bruce Jones, read a proclamation declaring Aug. 26, 2021, to be CMH Caregiver Appreciation Day in Astoria. Many community members, including State Senator Betsy Johnson, filmed video messages of thanks to caregivers.
Ongoing support
There will be additional acts of appreciation in the weeks and months to come. The CMH Executive and Leadership teams recently conducted listening sessions. They increased rounding throughout the organization, sometimes bringing snacks and treats but, most importantly, offering support and direct communication to caregivers.
Care Management has provided hours of counseling support for CMH caregivers dealing with the increased stress of the COVID-19 response. Allison Whisenhunt, director of Care Management and Behavioral Health, and her team have done this in addition to their routine workload, and feedback from caregivers has been positive.
The CMH Executive Team also implemented a sign-on bonus for hard-to-fill positions and incentive pay for additional shift work. In the fall, 27 National Guard troops temporarily filled vacant positions throughout the organization. We were glad to have them here and are grateful for their service.
As we move into 2022, there will be more programs and activities to help support staff and improve the experience of working at CMH. Again, thanks to the CMH Executive Team and to Kristen Moss, Kelli Brenden, Kimberly Thomas, Allison Whisenhunt, Misty Ingram, Nancee Long, Sarah Bello, Alyssa Evans, Megan Hutchinson and Noelle Lund for all they've done to support our caregivers.
Categories: Caregiver appreciation