A Message From Dr. Shelp...

As we commemorate our second anniversary, we continue to move forward with the mission, visions and values of the agency. Much has been accomplished, but there is also more work to be done.

Technology has been a priority for this department and we have made significant strides in establishing electronic medical records, telemedicine, teleconferencing, and updating our procurement processes. I am pleased to announce a technology investment that will improve our best practices and keep employees current with requirements in our industry: DBHDD University - a learning management system.

DBHDD University's system is an educational tool for all DBHDD staff. The system will offer a wide variety of classes, allowing each employee to grow professionally and gain additional knowledge in areas that are constantly evolving.

You will learn more about DBHDD University's learning management system in the coming weeks and months and each employee will have the opportunity to take full advantage of the system.

Sincerely,

Dr. Frank E. Shelp
DBHDD Commissioner

DBHDD University's NEW LMS

DBHDD University has a new online learning management system which will have something for everyone! We are working to have the system available as early as August 2011. A learning management system for an organization typically features e-learning options, and offers a way to track required training including classroom training as well.  The new DBHDD University system will do all of this and more.
 
Each employee has an individual learning page, and assigned training will be located on that page. As an employee completes the training requirement, the assignment shows up as complete on the employee's transcript.  Managers and supervisors can view their team's progress, and can also look at their individual staff members. Various reports allow managers and supervisors to easily track training compliance, and to plan more efficiently for training needs.

DBHDD University will start out with only a few courses available for e-learning. Hospital employees will soon have the option to take some required courses online in the system. Other courses will still be held as instructor-led courses with an online option available in the future. Some courses such as Safety-Care will always be instructor-led.  "Attendance" in both e-learning and instructor-led classes will be captured and reported in the learning management system.

Initially, online courses that are offered in the DBHDD Learning Management System will be courses that hospital employees need related to the Department's CRIPA Settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Courses will be added as they are converted or developed, and eventually programs will be available for state and regional office staff on a wide range of topics. There will be opportunities for staff at all levels to get involved in online learning! 

The new learning management system will feature the name "DBHDD University" at the top of each screen with the new tagline in the banner. See the article in this newsletter with information about the DBHDD University Tagline Contest winner. To contact us at DBHDD University about the new learning management system, please email dbhddlms@dhr.state.ga.us. We look forward to hearing from you. 

DBHDD Reveals Tagline Winner!

DBHDD University Tagline Contest Winner - "Portal to Excellence"
 
DBHDD employees were invited to participate in a contest during June 2011 to determine a tagline for the newly formed "DBHDD University".  DBHDD University includes departmental training of all types, from classroom training to e-learning.  All DBHDD University materials will have the tagline written on them, including the new DBHDD University e-learning system.
   
Employees were asked to think of a tagline that will help communicate what DBHDD University is all about.  Familiar company taglines were given as examples so that employees would know what is needed to create a successful tagline.  Burger King lets you "Have It Your Way", Taco Bell asks you to "Think Outside the Bun" and Subway encourages you to "Eat Fresh".
 
Across the state, 140 DBHDD employees submitted a total of 337 taglines for consideration. The taglines submitted were thoughtful, creative, and enthusiastic.  They truly demonstrated the positive energy of DBHDD employees.  Thank you to everyone who took time to enter the contest!  Entries came from every hospital, several regional offices and from the state office. Employees in various types of jobs and roles submitted entries.  Contest participants included hospital administrators, physicians, psychologists,housekeeping staff, maintenance staff, IT staff, operation analysts, pharmacy staff, administrative support staff, nurses, other administrators, and other clinical staff.  There were entrants from each of the Department's three divisions, which are the Division of Mental Health, the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Division of Addictive Diseases! 

The tagline selection committee was made up of staff from the DBHDD University & Policy Office, DBHDD Office of Communications and from the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government.  Committee members were given the list of taglines to review without any identifying information.  Each committee member identified their top three nominees, and the list was narrowed down from there through a series of votes and discussion.

Taglines were judged on the basis of their meaning and how well that meaning corresponds to DBHDD University's scope and goals.  The length of the taglines was considered as well, with a short, concise message winning out.
 
The winner of the tagline contest is (drum roll, please) Kathy Jarosz, Operations Analyst 3 at the Region 4 Office in Thomasville.  Her tagline was "Portal to Excellence".  This tagline suggests a doorway to learning, and that doorway could be a physical doorway to a classroom or a virtual "portal" to access e-learning.  The portal will allow each DBHDD employee access to the education they need to achieve excellence in services to individuals, and excellence in every aspect of their job.
 
Kathy will receive a Certificate and a DBHDD University t-shirt for her winning submission.  To all those who participated in the tagline contest, thank you again for taking the time to submit an entry!  DBHDD University - Portal to Excellence will be displayed on the new e-learning system's banner and also will be on written materials distributed by DBHDD University.

Please view this link http://dbhdd.net/enews/docs/Tagline%20participants.pdf  for the list of all DBHDD employees who submitted ideas.

About the LMS Pilot...

Before launching the new DBHDD University learning management system, the project team conducted a pilot of the system.

We asked training departments at each hospital to identify various types of people who will be using the system in the future - people who will be using it as learners, as supervisors and as system administrators. We wanted to test the system for ease of use and satisfaction.

Pilot participants were asked to try to "break the system." They completed a series of assigned tasks and gave their responses on those tasks.  They were given sample e-learning courses to take,including tests.
   
Preliminary findings from the pilot were that most people were able to use the system successfully. We need to have various methods in place to assist people with login in particular. We need to have an array of training aids available to give people step-by-step instructions for various tasks. We found some updates that need to be made, and we got feedback about the readability of the sample courses.  The participants provided valuable information that we will use to refine the system going forward!  Thank you to each person who assisted with the pilot.  Please click here for a list of participant names and locations.

DBHDD In the News

Group homes already serving some former NWGRH patients
7/3/2011

He helps imprisoned mentally ill Advocate seeks reforms in Georgia
7/3/2011

Only 4 patients still at NWGRH
7/2/2011