Episodes

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Director Fariborz Pakseresht addresses the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees in the executive branch of state government. During the 4-minute podcast, he touches on vaccine hesitancy among people with long histories of medical mistreatment - especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islanders and other people of color, people with disabilities and those who are unable to get the vaccine - and calls on the ODHS community to practi...

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Director Fariborz Pakseresht addresses the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for employees in the executive branch of state government. During the 4-minute podcast, he touches on vaccine hesitancy among people with long histories of medical mistreatment - especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islanders and other people of color, people with disabilities and those who are unable to get the vaccine - and calls on the ODHS community to practi...

Dion Jordon joins Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht for a 14-minute podcast on the Department’s adoption of an Equity North Star. Dion is the director of the Department’s Office of Equity and Multicultural Services (OEMS). Their discussion covers why advancing equity and inclusion is a Department priority, why it’s important to have an Equity North Star, how it came together and how we will put it to use. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by ...

Dion Jordon joins Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht for a 14-minute podcast on the Department’s adoption of an Equity North Star. Dion is the director of the Department’s Office of Equity and Multicultural Services (OEMS). Their discussion covers why advancing equity and inclusion is a Department priority, why it’s important to have an Equity North Star, how it came together and how we will put it to use. Follow DHS on Twitter @OregonDHS. Download full script by ...

Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with Phil Basso, director of organizational effectiveness at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). This 16-minute podcast gives an overview of the organizational assessment APHSA is conducting to determine where the Department is on the Human Services Value Curve today and how it can ascend this maturity model to realize the potential of the people we serve and the systems we use to do so, rooting all our wo...

Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht talks with Phil Basso, director of organizational effectiveness at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). This 16-minute podcast gives an overview of the organizational assessment APHSA is conducting to determine where the Department is on the Human Services Value Curve today and how it can ascend this maturity model to realize the potential of the people we serve and the systems we use to do so, rooting all our wo...

One of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19 continues to be physical distancing. Back in March 2020, DHS shifted most of its staff to telework to reduce the number of people in our buildings so we could maintain physical distancing when serving the public in person. What we’re learning from the experience is that teleworking can be a standard part of how DHS conducts its business beyond the pandemic. DHS recently conducted a survey to learn what staff need to successfully telework...

One of our best tools for stopping the spread of COVID-19 continues to be physical distancing. Back in March 2020, DHS shifted most of its staff to telework to reduce the number of people in our buildings so we could maintain physical distancing when serving the public in person. What we’re learning from the experience is that teleworking can be a standard part of how DHS conducts its business beyond the pandemic. DHS recently conducted a survey to learn what staff need to successfully telework...

When it comes to COVID-19, DHS has two main and urgent purposes: Protecting the health and safety of Oregonians and connecting people with the benefits and program supports they need to sustain themselves through this unprecedented health, social and economic crisis. With medical experts estimating COVID-19 could be among us for the next 24 months - and knowing we will remain at the forefront of the state’s response for the duration - DHS partnered with the Oregon Health Authority to create a n...

When it comes to COVID-19, DHS has two main and urgent purposes: Protecting the health and safety of Oregonians and connecting people with the benefits and program supports they need to sustain themselves through this unprecedented health, social and economic crisis. With medical experts estimating COVID-19 could be among us for the next 24 months - and knowing we will remain at the forefront of the state’s response for the duration - DHS partnered with the Oregon Health Authority to create a n...

Child Welfare works to ensure every child in Oregon grows up in a safe, permanent, and nurturing family home. The COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for families that can impact child safety, causing Child Welfare to make swift shifts in its practices to continue responding to reports of abuse and neglect 24/7, and maintain support to families and community partners. Most of the 3,000-person Child Welfare workforce transitioned to teleworking, including most of the Oregon Child Abuse Hot...

Child Welfare works to ensure every child in Oregon grows up in a safe, permanent, and nurturing family home. The COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for families that can impact child safety, causing Child Welfare to make swift shifts in its practices to continue responding to reports of abuse and neglect 24/7, and maintain support to families and community partners. Most of the 3,000-person Child Welfare workforce transitioned to teleworking, including most of the Oregon Child Abuse Hot...

The Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) is dedicated to supporting the safety and health of Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). People with I/DD are at higher-risk of being negatively impacted by COVID-19 either due to their primary disability or a secondary condition. Since the first cases were identified in Oregon, ODDS has been constantly flowing prevention resources and updates to staff and stakeholders, and making policy and practice changes...

The Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) is dedicated to supporting the safety and health of Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). People with I/DD are at higher-risk of being negatively impacted by COVID-19 either due to their primary disability or a secondary condition. Since the first cases were identified in Oregon, ODDS has been constantly flowing prevention resources and updates to staff and stakeholders, and making policy and practice changes...

Circumstances are still changing quickly when it comes to Oregon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past week alone, most counties entered the first of three phases for re-opening their economies. And on May 20, 2020, the state released the first quarterly economic and revenue forecast since the pandemic reached Oregon. Both are important milestones in the path forward for rebuilding a safe and strong Oregon. These events don’t change the Department’s current operations, but they do add...

Circumstances are still changing quickly when it comes to Oregon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past week alone, most counties entered the first of three phases for re-opening their economies. And on May 20, 2020, the state released the first quarterly economic and revenue forecast since the pandemic reached Oregon. Both are important milestones in the path forward for rebuilding a safe and strong Oregon. These events don’t change the Department’s current operations, but they do add...

When Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) staff saw what was happening with COVID-19 in long-term care facilities in neighbouring Washington, it went into planning mode to protect the Oregonians it serves who are at high risk for the coronavirus. APD was the first DHS program to launch a pandemic response, focusing on long-term care facilities. Today, 96 percent of those facilities do not have COVID-19 cases. APD Interim Director Mike McCormick and DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht discuss t...

When Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) staff saw what was happening with COVID-19 in long-term care facilities in neighbouring Washington, it went into planning mode to protect the Oregonians it serves who are at high risk for the coronavirus. APD was the first DHS program to launch a pandemic response, focusing on long-term care facilities. Today, 96 percent of those facilities do not have COVID-19 cases. APD Interim Director Mike McCormick and DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht discuss t...

A framework based in science and data is guiding the re-start of public life and business in Oregon. The framework ensures that we proceed carefully through a three-phase plan to protect public health while re-opening the economy incrementally. Resuming non-urgent medical procedures and opening state recreation areas with limitations are the first steps Governor Brown has taken. It has many of us wondering, what’s next for DHS? Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt respon...

A framework based in science and data is guiding the re-start of public life and business in Oregon. The framework ensures that we proceed carefully through a three-phase plan to protect public health while re-opening the economy incrementally. Resuming non-urgent medical procedures and opening state recreation areas with limitations are the first steps Governor Brown has taken. It has many of us wondering, what’s next for DHS? Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Deputy Director Liesl Wendt respon...

Our Department has five program divisions supporting our vision for safety, health and independence for all Oregonians. Each program has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic differently to meet the unique needs of the people each program serves. This episode puts the spotlight on Self-Sufficiency Programs (SSP). SSP provides a safety net, family stability and a connection to careers that guide Oregonians out of poverty. With many losing work during the pandemic, there has been a swift and sharp i...

Our Department has five program divisions supporting our vision for safety, health and independence for all Oregonians. Each program has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic differently to meet the unique needs of the people each program serves. This episode puts the spotlight on Self-Sufficiency Programs (SSP). SSP provides a safety net, family stability and a connection to careers that guide Oregonians out of poverty. With many losing work during the pandemic, there has been a swift and sharp i...

We have five program divisions that support Oregonians and when the Governor put physical distancing requirements in place, all quickly reacted. Each program found its own way to balance our responsibility to maintain services for the public and staff safety. Each week we’ll be spotlighting a different program’s response to COVID-19. First up is Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). VR helps people with disabilities find and keep jobs that match their skills, interests and abilities. The program turns...

We have five program divisions that support Oregonians and when the Governor put physical distancing requirements in place, all quickly reacted. Each program found its own way to balance our responsibility to maintain services for the public and staff safety. Each week we’ll be spotlighting a different program’s response to COVID-19. First up is Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). VR helps people with disabilities find and keep jobs that match their skills, interests and abilities. The program turns...