IHS Honors Employees, Partners and Individuals at the 2012 Nashville Area Honor Awards

(Nashville) - - The United States Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service (IHS) is honoring employees, partners, and members of the Nashville Area Office (NAO).  The IHS Nashville services area covers the similar United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) member region from Maine to Florida and the Carolinas to Texas.  IHS Area Director Martha Ketcher states the Honor Awards and Promotion ceremony held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel Friday (December 14, 2012) is to honor and celebrate extraordinary accomplishments made in the NAO.  “This is your day to stand in the spotlight of your accomplishments and receive some well-deserved praise.  It is your day to enjoy the celebration and let your family, friends, and colleagues express their appreciation and congratulations.  We hope you never forget how much you are appreciated and how we all believe in you and support your goals,” Ketcher states.



IHS is making several award presentations including:

Nashville Area Directors Award for Excellence

This award is established to recognize service of an extraordinary nature to IHS or to a Tribal Health Program, over a sustained period of time.  This award represents the highest level of recognition by the NAO-IHS Director

Brian Patterson, USET President (Oneida Indian Nation):  For exhibiting outstanding leadership in advocating for improved Indian Health Care in numerous forums, and reinforcing transparency and accountability in IHS.

In his remarks to the IHS audience, President Patterson says, “I have served my people (Oneida Indian Nation) for more than 20 years.  I often remind them that you don’t need a title to make change for the people.  It is service that will make the greatest positive impact for Indian Country.  Service will bring a legacy for our children’s children.”



Catherine Willis, NAO (Mississippi Band of Choctaw): For outstanding service to IHS providing exceptional customer service and consistently excelling in all projects she undertakes.





Nashville Area Exceptional Performance Award

This award is established to recognize and honor an exceptional and specific contribution of significant benefit to the Nashville Area IHS or to a Tribal Health Program having substantial impact toward the advancement of its mission.

Dee Sabattus (Passamaquoddy- USET) - Citation for exceptional initiative and accomplishments in advocating for USET member Tribes health needs in multiple national forums.

Dr. Joseph Park, DDS (St. Regis Mohawk Dental) - Citation for exceptional initiative in improving the St. Regis Mohawk dental program, resulting in an increase in infection control reviews, overall program reviews and chart scores.

Abbey McCarthy (Penobscot Nation Health Department) - Citation for exceptional initiative and leadership in implementing prevention activities to help improve community awareness surrounding diabetes and the importance of exercise and good nutrition.

Lisa Henderson (Micmac Service Unit) - Citation for exceptional initiative and performance in the operation of the Micmac Service Unit’s CHS Program, and creating best CHS practices that are used for training programs in various federal Tribal sites.

Teresa Smith (Poarch Band of Creek Indians)- Citation for exceptional and unwavering devotion to improving the overall quality of care to patients, consistently going above and beyond to accommodate the needs of both patients and employees alike.

Nashville Area Employee of the Year

Dental Provider

Dr. Joe Salamon (Seneca Nation) - Citation for exceptional initiative in establishing a quality improvement program that has resulted in the Seneca Dental Program being recognized as the most improved dental program in the Nashville Area.

Environmental Health/Engineer

LCDR John Kathol (NAO-Manlius, New York Field Office)- Citation for outstanding leadership as Acting Chief, Project Engineering and Management Branch, managing the submission of 140 sanitation facility projects and the development of 19 new projects in 2012, while continuing to foster and develop successful relationships with Nashville Area Tribes.

Medical Provider

Dr. Seelan Newton (Oneida Indian Nation of New York) - Citation for exceptional initiative in leading his clinic to meet all 21 GPRA Clinical Indicators for three years in a row, while continuously providing outstanding care to the patients he serves.

Nurse

Regina Isaac (Mississippi Band of Choctaw) - Citation for outstanding service to patients at the Choctaw Health Center while continuously fostering a positive environment for all staff.

Pharmacist

Rita B. Vincent (Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana) - Citation for outstanding contributions to clinic quality, productivity and leadership efforts toward the implementation of RPM and Electronic Health Records (EHR) in the Chitimacha Health Clinic Pharmacy.

Outstanding Customer Service

Alires Price (Catawba Service Unit) - Citation for outstanding service to the Catawba Service Unit patients and staff by developing and implementing clinical process improvement projects to improve clinical flow and patient satisfaction.



Administrative Support Services

Merry Irons (Choctaw Health Center) - Citation for continuous and exceptional support to the Choctaw Center by improving Third Party Collections, as well as taking on multiple leadership roles in projects and work groups affecting the Health Center.

Behavioral Health Provider

Dr. Palmeda Taylor (Nashville Area Office) - Citation for exceptional leadership in suicide prevention and prescription drug abuse initiatives, and assuming new duties as urban coordinator.

Clinical Support Services

Lisa Martin (Catawba Health Center) - Citation for exceptional initiative in organizing and supporting programs and activities designed to help improve the healthcare of patients and employees of the Catawba Service Unit.



Special Act/Service Award (Team or Individual)

Special Act Service Awards:

Dr. Tim Ricks (Nashville Area Office) - Citation for leadership in development of the 2012 Area Five Year Strategic Plan and synchronization of the plan with Agency priorities.

Maryellen Sockabasin (Nashville Area Bangor Field Office) - Citation for continued exceptional service in the IHS Office of Environmental Health and Engineering (OEHE) and achievements in travel cost reductions.

Rosalind Chorak (Catawba Service Unit) - Citation for her initiative and mentorship efforts in the recruitment of well qualified candidates to IHS.



Team Service Awards:

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Team:  Glen Bradley & Tribal Construction Responders. Citation given for the Tribe’s effort and quick response in preventing potential public health disaster at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Mashpee Service United Team:  Kathy Bird, Denise Cardoza, Susanne Green, Lorraine Reels, Robyn Stamp, Wampsikuk Mills, Heather Rhoades. Citation is given for team initiatives in implementing successful practices for the Mashpee Health Center, providing educational opportunities and improving the quality and access of healthcare to the Tribe.

Urban Conference Team (Lindsay King, Ralph Ketcher, Donna Harjo, Phyliss Wolfe, Palmeda Taylor) - Citation for team initiatives in planning and delivering the first-ever Nashville Area Urban Program Conference providing an orientation and consultation forum for Area Urban Programs.

Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) Implementation Team:  (Ralph Ketcher, Lindsay King, Michelle Nahlee, Ashley Jernigen, Hilary Frierson-Keeley) - Citation for team initiatives in planning and delivering the first ever Nashville Area Urban Program Conference providing an orientation and consultation forum for Area Urban Programs.

Accreditation Prep Team (Harry Brown, Tim Ricks, Kit Grosch, Robin Bartlett, Palmeda Taylor, Kristina Rogers, Tonya Cornwell, Theresa Cochran)-  Citation for team efforts in providing accreditation preparation services to multiple sites resulting in 100% of the Nashville Area federal clinical programs operational at the end of 2011 securing accreditation.

Management Review Team (Martha Ketcher, Scott Helgeson, Tim Ricks, Harry Brown , Mitch Wright, Conny York, Ralph Ketcher, Joan Keith, Phil Rapp, Robin Bartlett, John Shutze)- Citation for collaborative work in successfully preparing the Nashville Area for the 2012 management review conducted by IHS Headquarters.



Tribal /Urban Program Recognition Award

Matt Lewis, Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point- Citation for his initiative in ensuring all Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point homes are accounted for and entered into the Home Inventory Tracking System (HITS), developing and sharing the methodology for gathering home information that will be used nationally by Indian Health Service Engineers and other Tribes.



Self Development Achievement Award

Toniya Denson Lay, Mississippi Band of Choctaw- Citation for attaining her Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama

Sheila Hyatt, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians- Citation for attaining her Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science from American Public University

Robin Bartlett, Nashville Area Office- Citation for attaining her Masters of Science in Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.

Kristina Rogers, Nashville Area Office- Citation for initiative and achievement in securing certification as an ICD-10 medical coder.



Volunteer Service Award

Hester Allen, Jr., Mississippi Band of Choctaw- Citation for volunteering his time and energy to the employee association activities and community planning coalition activities aimed at decreasing substance related issues among youth.

Rolf Mischker, Catawba Service Unit- Citation for volunteering his time to assist in garden design building, advising and community engagement with the Catawba Traditional Foods Garden Project during both children and senior citizen programs.

Thomas Armitage, Nashville Area Atmore Field Office (Poarch Band of Creek Indians)- Citation for volunteering his time to help develop disinfecting systems for small third world communities in which the outcomes of these projects can help the IHS in demonstrating the importance of water and wastewater treatment in our Tribal communities.

Theresa Fanning, Mississippi Band of Choctaw- Citation for volunteering her time to help organize various employee association events, as well as leading the organization of numerous events that helps to raise the morale of both community members and clinical staff.



Special Initiative Award

Nashville Area Dental BSS Group (Joyce Biberica, Brian Berg, Phillip Evans, Dana Johnson, Florance Thomas, Donna Harris, Virginia Belliard)- Citation for participation and excellent performance in the IHS national oral health surveillance project surveying 6-9 year olds.

Catawba Service Unit Pharmacy Department (Rosalind Chorak, Misti Houck, Alires Price- Citation for team initiatives in creating a stationed Pharmacist within the Medical Clinic to provide patient education at the time of the visit, as well as implementation of Pharmacy operated clinics.

NOA-GPRA Team (Kristina Rogers, Micmac Service Unit Staff, Catawba Service Unit Staff, Mashpee Service Unit staff, Tim Ricks, Max Boykin, Palmeda Taylor, Robin Bartlett, John Shutze, Harry Brown)

Human Resources Improvement Team (OJ King, Harold Jones, Tim Burden, Shirl Eastep, Ramona Dillard, Scott Helgeson, John Shutze)

NAO Social Media Team (Mitch Wright, Tammy Crawford, Scott McCoy, Max Boykin, Harry Brown, John Shutze, Tim Ricks, Palmeda Taylor)

NAO Policies Team (Martha Ketcher, Harry Brown, Scott Helgeson, Tim Ricks, Michelle Nahlee, Inetta Tiger, John Shutze, Tammy Crawford)

HSPD-12 PIV Team (Carol Bernhisel, Allen Bollinger, Dawn Canty, Perry, Ciszewski, Cheryl Corbin, Kristina Foster, Ashley Jernigen, Marla Jones, Ocfuske King, Scott McCoy, Wampsikuk Mills, Dorothy Rodgers, Inetta Tiger, Patti Welch, Mitch Wright, Chris Jones, Suzie Giampetroni, Crystal Sandoval)