2021

Cue Up the DCS Brain Teasers

Kevin Byard's Gracious Gesture

WALKING THEIR WAY TO WIN!  

We want to give a shout-out to the following teams for placing in the DCS Wellness Council's recent “Can YOUR Team Walk Across TN Challenge” throughout July. Everyone rallied together to really step it up and we’re so proud of the effort and energy they all put into moving more this past month!     

1st Place - Walker Knoxville Rangers (from Knox County, led by Team Captain Cody Sheets)

2nd Place - The Shelby Steppers (from Shelby, led by Team Captain Marqueshia Bradford)

3rd Place - Walk This Weigh (from East TN, led by Team Captain Donna Valandingham) 

WHAT MAKES YOU SMILE CHALLENGE  

The 2nd week in August marks “National Smile Week” and the DCS Wellness Council wants you to show off your smile! You can capture a selfie, loved ones or things, pets, and/or activities (like family or sporting events and hobbies) that make YOU smile.  

Please share your smile(s) with us at dcswellness.council@tn.gov by EOD Friday 8/20.  

TOBACCO-FREE LIVING WEBINAR

Join WFHTN's “Tobacco-Free Living” webinar on August 11, 9-10 a.m. or August 19, 1-2 p.m. Central.

This session isn’t just for smokers. We’ll go over how tobacco affects the body. And various ways people use nicotine – like vaping. We’ll talk about how you can get ready to quit. Or help someone you love to start on the path to tobacco-free living. 

Join one of the two offerings coming up:  

Wednesday, August 11 at 9 – 10 AM Central – Click THIS LINK at the time of the event. 

Thursday, August 19 at 1-2 PM Central – Click THIS LINK at the time of the event.  

BE FINANCIALLY FIT

In honor of National Financial Awareness Day (August 14), learn more about your Here4TN Financial Wellness Benefits (including access to financial calculators, tools, tips, and a money coach at no additional cost). 

NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY IS COMING UP!  

Fun and relaxation are good for your health! In honor of National Relaxation Day (Sunday, August 15), share YOUR favorite way (or place!) to relax with us at dcswellness.council@tn.gov. (And don’t forget to make time for relaxation in your schedule this week!) 

LIVE MENTAL HEALTH BREAK

Let’s take a mental break to help lower stress and bring some FUN into your day.

Join a live Mental Health Break with Working for a Healthier Tennessee! This will take place on Thursday, August 12th from 1:00-1:15 PM Central/2:00-2:15 PM Eastern.

What to Expect: Regional Wellness Coordinator Morgan will be leading trivia & the top 3 will be awarded a WFHTN trophy-shaped stress reliever! We will be playing trivia using the platform “Kahoot” (www.kahoot.it). In order to enjoy the most out of Kahoot, it is ideal to be able to utilize a secondary screen such as a phone that has access to the internet or a secondary monitor. This is because you need to be able to see both the WebEx screen (to see the questions/answers) and your personal Kahoot screen (to answer the questions). The game pin will be provided on the day of trivia. Come and play!

** Please click THIS LINK at the time of the event to join.** 

BE THE ONE SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING  

Far too many Tennesseans die from the hopelessness that leads to suicide, and sadly, coworkers in workplaces are not exempt. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services would like to equip your teams and your departments with training to recognize the signs and prevent suicide in the workforce. 

Who should attend?

This training is intended for any employee interested in the topic, and it is also a great introduction for HR staff who are interested in becoming trainers in their departments. 

What will you learn?

There are three key components of the campaign: Provides suicide awareness and social marketing strategies by providing information regarding suicide and serves as a reminder that suicide can happen at any time to anyone Teaches participants how to recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide, how to ask the question directly and offers tips on how to develop good listening skills, which is a key component of suicide prevention Provides postvention suggestions in the event a suicide occurs to someone in the workforce 

** To register for the training or to get more information about the program, please email betheone.info@tn.gov. This training is being provided virtually over Microsoft Teams. 

MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2021 AT 2 PM CDT – 4 PM CDT

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 AT 2 PM CDT – 4 PM CDT

BUILDING HEALTHY ROUTINES

Chaos, clutter and a lack of organization causes the stress that threatens your ability to adapt and grow after stressful events. When you’re organized, you’ll feel more in control when stress hits. Here are five tips to help you build a healthier routine!

Ready for an activity break to help you feel energized and motivated?

Join WFHTN on Wednesday, August 4 from 9:30-9:45a.m. Central/10:30-10:45a.m. Eastern.

Workout: WFHTN Wellness Coordinator Kayla will be leading a resistance band workout for ALL fitness levels.

Attire: Anything you can move in!

Equipment Needed: Resistance bands

Digital Waiver: Please sign this digital waiver prior to the live workout. Click here: https://forms.gle/EnSGxwn2RZwsbhMJ9

How To Join: Download your calendar appointment for this event HERE. 

EVENTS EVERY WEEK

DHS 10-MINUTE FITNESS BREAK

Every Wednesday 11 - 11:15 a.m. Central

JOIN THIS LINK AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT

YOGA FOR ALL

Every Wednesday at 12:30 - 12:45 p.m. Central  

Download your August calendar appointment series HERE.
(Session password: yoga)  

DCS FITNESS BREAKS [UPDATED!]

Take 15-minutes to get fit with your DCS Wellness Council every Thursday!

You can expect a livestream workout handpicked by your Wellness Council members.

Now Every Thursday (vs. Friday) from 11 - 11:15 a.m. Central 

Download your updated calendar appointment series HERE.

Three Appointments in Child Safety

As a department, we have worked hard over the past 18 months to implement the CPS Redesign, and as of June, we are proud of all involved because it has been successfully rolled out in all 12 regions. The redesign is a collaborative child welfare approach between child programs, juvenile justice, and child protection.

To further strengthen the CPS Redesign, Deputy Commissioner Carla Aaron and I are pleased to announce three  appointments in the Office of Child Safety:

Amy Koslick will serve as Executive Director and oversee the regional CPS operations for Northeast, East, Smoky, Knox, Upper Cumberland, Tennessee Valley, South Central and SIU. Ms. Koslick brings 27 years of experience with DCS in numerous capacities from frontline case management to Deputy Regional Administrator, and most recently as the Director of Investigations.  Ms. Koslick has worked closely with Child Protective Investigation Team (CPIT) partners and other key stakeholders, serving on multi-agency several task forces and work groups. She has been instrumental in the expansion of the drug teams and developing strong collaborations with treatment providers and law enforcement.

Deshawn Harris will serve as Executive Director and oversee the Shelby, Southwest, Northwest, Davidson, and Mid-Cumberland Regions. Mr. Harris has over 20 years of experience at DCS as a CPS frontline investigator, team coordinator and most recently as the CPS Director for the Shelby County teams.  Mr. Harris has helped lead the initial CPS Redesign pilot in Shelby County and continued to support the redesign with peer support in other regions. He has excellent relationships with stakeholders and community partners and has developed and implemented other regional and statewide child safety initiatives. Mr. Harris brings to the senior leadership team a unique perspective from a large urban area and successfully creating and maintaining various strategies such as the Shelby County CPS 2nd shift and is an active participant as an actor in the CPS Academy SIM Lab.  

Pierce Beckham will serve as the Director of System Integration and Innovation. In this role, Mr. Beckham will ultimately oversee the ChildStat program and is currently working closely with Debbie Miller to transition responsibilities. In this new role, he will continue to integrate and strengthen the response from all program areas into the process of reducing custodial children and the time to permanency. Mr. Beckham will continue oversee the Safe Measures collaboration for all program areas, support the TFACTS enhancement projects, and will have responsibility for specially assigned regional projects supporting innovation and connectivity between program areas. He will also remain involved in our collaborative efforts with various partners involving human trafficking. Mr. Beckham has over 14 years of experience at DCS, starting his career in the Mid-Cumberland Region in CPS as a case manager and later as a program specialist, Regional Investigations Director and Deputy Director of Investigations.

Please join me in congratulating Amy, Deshawn and Pierce on their new roles as they continue to serve Tennessee’s children and families.

I hope each of you have a peaceful weekend,

Jennifer Nichols

Teaming Up to Carry to the Load

Mark Your Calendar for Wellness

Want to relieve your body aches and take a moment to de-stress?

Join us for a LIVE Workout with Working for a Healthier Tennessee (WFHTN)! 

Time: Thursday, Jul 29, 2021 1:00 pm | 15 minutes | (UTC-05:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

Attire: Anything you can move in!

Equipment Needed: None 

**Please sign THIS DIGITAL WAIVER prior to the live workout.

Download a calendar appointment for this event HERE. (Password: stretch) 

EVENTS HAPPENING EACH WEEK

DHS 10-MINUTE FITNESS BREAK

Every Wednesday 11 - 11:15 a.m. Central

JOIN THIS LINK AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT

YOGA FOR ALL

Every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. Central  

Download your calendar appointment series HERE. (Session password: yoga) 

DCS' FRIDAY FITNESS BREAKS

Every Friday from 11 - 11:15 a.m. Central 

Download your calendar appointment series HERE.

Back to School News

Please join us as we build a partnership to share effective strategies that support families returning to school this fall.  This series will be offered virtually beginning this August

Please click on the title of the session below to register.

 Impact of the Pandemic on Families

08/03/21 | 9: 30AM CST-11:00AM CST

Presenter: Dr. Tim Perry -- This presentation will focus on the traumatic emotional and behavioral health impact of this global pandemic on the family, and what we may expect to see in the months and years that follow this event.

Intersections of Mental Health and Suicide

08/10/21 9:30AM-11:00AM CST

Presenter: Caitlin Ensley, MSSW -- This presentation will prepare parents, caregivers, community members, and professionals to understand and address these mental health needs, encouraging resilience in the young people in their lives, while also supporting the mental health of the entire family unit now that the United States is moving into the post-pandemic world.

Building Resiliency through Brain Health

08/17/21| 9:30AM-11:00AM CST

PRESENTER: Wendy Ellmo, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCNCDS -- This presentation will show that resilience and a healthy brain are connected and how both are related to mental health, physical health, and possibly even longevity. You will leave with tools and tips for thriving through your next adversity, or at the least, learn how to bounce back faster.

Putting the Pieces Together: Panel and Q&A

08/24/21 | 9:30AM-11:00AM CST

Presenters: Dr. Tim Perry, Caitlyn Ensley, Wendy Ellmo, Brittany Willis, Amy Kinsman,
Michelle Hopton and Amanda Johnson -- This presentation will provide a culmination of learning and an enhanced understanding of the topics presented in the series. Panelists will provide a brief overview of the previous training material presented, highlight their agency’s mission, work and resources and answer questions from the attendees. 

Educators, professionals, parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend. There is 1.5 hour training credit per session, total of 6 hours of training credit if you attend all sessions. NASW CEU credit is available and must be requested during registration.

Contact Anna Richmond for assistance with registration.