July 3, 2008 DHS Director's messages on the web
To: All DHS employees
From: Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
~Nelson Mandela

With the Independence Day holiday upon us, it's a short work week and hence a short message today. Furthermore, it's the last you will hear from me over the next month or so…. you don’t have to be that exuberant.

I've written about the DHS Transformation Initiative several times in my weekly messages, and I've heard from many employees that you would like more details. You would like to know what we will achieve and what DHS will look like in the years ahead as we work to become the leading health and human services agency in the nation.

In answer to that request I am going to step away from the mike for the next few weeks, so to speak, and give each of our division heads the opportunity to discuss Transformation from their perspective. You hear from me every week; this will be an opportunity to hear from other agency leaders and to get a more nuts-and-bolts sense of how Transformation will play out.

As you will see, Transformation is about reducing the barriers you face in doing your jobs. It's about making it easier for you to improve the lives of Oregonians and allowing us to be more efficient and effective in our daily work. It's about living our Core Values.

And, as we enjoy this holiday weekend, I hope you will think about another important value -- independence -- and how it plays out in our collective lives. Also, please take a moment to reflect on and thank those serving our country and their families. Independence is a value that helped create this country, and one we should never take for granted.

Please have a safe, enjoyable and sunburn-free Fourth of July!

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DHS on the web