ISSUE
14
November 2023
All Center News
Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center of St. Clair County Inc.
505 South Eighth Street • East St. Louis, IL 62201
Joseph Harper
Executive Director
Jonnie Barkley
Executive Secretary
(618) 482-7330
Brian Stewart
Chief Operating Officer
(618) 482-7630
Dr. Lawrence Casey
Medical Director
(618) 482-7630
Mary Jackson
Quality Assurance
(618) 482-7337
Shakira Dorsey
Human Resources Director
(618) 482-7381
LT Nash
Building Manager
(618) 482-7633
David McCosky
Inventory Specialist
(618) 261-7010
Rachel Ball
Records
(618) 482-7626
Mary Neufeld-Wall
Tele-Health Manager
(618) 482-2574
Rita Byrd
Therapy & Transition
(618) 482-7617
Rena Vantreece
Child & Adolescent
(618) 482-7613
Daryl Rice
Dir. SMARTS/ARTS
Methadone Services
(618) 261-7041
Gia Moore
Parenting for Success
(618) 482-7354
Keonna Pittman
Food & Nutrition
(618) 261-7039
Kelly Clemons
Housing Program
(618) 261-7616
Mike Nichols
Crisis Manager
(618) 261-7023
Carla Ellis
Assistant Program Manager
(618) 482-8401
Karen Jamison
Residential Services
(618) 274-6422
Aubrey Yates
Fathers & Families
(618) 482-7348
Continued Excellence
This newsletter’s purpose is to share information about The Center’s people and activities, in each department and by each employee, in order to highlight the contributions made by all in helping The Center reach its goals.
The Center’s Internet address is: cbhc1.org
You can also check us out on Facebook.
Front Desk
(618) 482-7330
Hours of Operation
8:00am – 5:00pm
What Is Open Enrollment?
What if in addition to your paycheck, you could make that money go further through your employer? CBHC provides a wide variety of benefits that can save you money, and November first through fifteenth is the time to do it!
You’ve probably seen some emails about Open Enrollment, but what is it? Open enrollment is the time of year when you can choose a new health insurance plan, but it’s also a great time to explore all the other benefits of which you can take advantage. If you don’t sign up during Open Enrollment, you will have to wait for next year or for one of a few rare events to happen.
CBHC provides money each pay period to pay for insurance. This money may even cover the entire cost of buying insurance or help pay for your children or spouse to have insurance too. If you are a full-time employee who works at least 30 hours a week, schedule an appointment to meet with HR before the fifteenth and save money on your medical bills and medications maybe even without changing your paycheck at all!
Even if you don’t plan to take advantage of this program, please contact HR anyway to let them know that you’re waving coverage and learn about other ways you could save money or improve your daily life. Read the articles below to learn more about each of these programs!
November’s Employee of the Month
Mr. Cary is a member of the CBHC Maintenance Team and has been with the Center for 17 months and counting, proving his loyalty and dedication to staff and clients.
He was nominated for his great work ethic. He is pleasant to everyone he speaks to, and he always maintains a positive attitude. Mr. Cary always makes a point to say hello and generally reflects a positive image of the staff that work within the Center.
Mr. Cary is also very observant and when called upon is willing to assist where needed. Thanks to Mr. Cary for the shiny floors and clean bathrooms. It is a pleasure working with Mr. Cary who has an unselfish, kind spirit.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO HENRY CARY!
November’s Birthdays
Wishing a BIG happy birthday to all of those in the CBHC family!
Who’s New
We are thrilled to welcome our newest members of the CBHC family!
Holiday hours
The Center will be closed on Friday, November 10 for Veterans Day. It will also be closed on Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving
Veterans Day: Honor, Service, and Struggle on the Home Front
Every year on November 11th, Americans come together to celebrate Veterans Day, a day to honor and get thanks for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have risked their lives for our freedoms.
But amidst the flags and festivities, we must remember we still have a tremendous task ahead of us to meet the mental health needs of our veterans.
The Invisible War at Home
PTSD, depression, and suicide rates are tremendously higher in the veteran population when compared to civilians. The Department of Defense estimates 21 veterans commit suicide every day.
Clearly, there is an urgent need for reinforcements when it comes to the behavioral health services veterans are receiving.
Our Gratitude
On behalf of the entire CBHC family, we offer our deepest, most profound thanks to everyone who has served, especially current and former members of The Center.
We ask everyone in the CBHC family to set aside a moment now to reflect with gratitude and honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and the freedoms we enjoy.
For more on the behavioral health needs of veterans and how we can make a difference, check out this article.
The Thanksgiving Feast
Life Insurance: Time to Talk About It
What if the worst happens? No one likes to talk about the possibility of dying, but a funeral is expensive. Even basic cremation with no service, burial, or urn costs over $1,000! What about your family? Could they afford to go without your paycheck? Could they take time off to grieve?
CBHC team members receive life insurance coverage at no cost to you. Should the unexpected happen, the insurance will pay your family $50,000 to help with their needs. There are also lower automatic coverages for your spouse and/or children.
What do you need to do? See HR to designate your beneficiaries. This simple process just involves telling the insurance company who you want to receive the money if you die. As with all insurance, there are terms and conditions, and you can also opt to pay extra for more coverage. Please talk to HR for more details, and while you’re at it use your open enrollment meeting to make sure your beneficiaries are up to date!
What Is a 401(k) and Why Do I Need One
What if The Center actually gave you money to help with your retirement? Well…… they do, if you have a 401(k). Over the years, the 401(k) has become a staple in the retirement planning toolkit, and for good reason. Here are some key benefits of participating in a 401(k) plan:
Tax Advantages:
- Pre-tax Contributions: Money contributed to a traditional 401(k) is taken out of your paycheck before taxes, which means you pay less income tax during the years you contribute.
- Tax-deferred Growth: The investments in your 401(k) grow tax-free until you start making withdrawals, allowing your money to compound and grow more rapidly.
Employer Match:
- Many employers offer a matching contribution up to a certain percentage of the employee’s salary. This is essentially “free money” that can boost your retirement savings significantly.
Flexibility:
- Variety of Investment Options: Most 401(k) plans offer a range of investment options, from stocks and bonds to mutual funds, allowing you to diversify your portfolio.
- Loans and Hardship Withdrawals: Some plans allow you to borrow money or make early withdrawals in cases of financial hardship, although penalties may apply.
Automatic Contributions:
- Once you set up your 401(k) contributions, they’re automatically deducted from your paycheck. This makes it easier to save consistently and reduces the temptation to spend that money elsewhere.
Portability:
If you change jobs, you can roll over your 401(k) into your new employer’s plan or into an individual retirement account (IRA), ensuring continuity in your retirement savings journey.
Grows Over Time
Here is an example of how investing in a 401(k) can pay off big in the future.
- CBHC fully matches your contribution up to 3% of your pay and 50% of the next 3%.
- To use a simple example, if you got paid $100 and had $3 withheld from your paycheck for your 401(k), you would receive $3 less in pay, but $6 would go into your retirement fund.
- Make the amount $6, and $10.50 will go into your retirement.
- That money will go into investments that will grow over time. In the previous example, contributing $6 per paycheck from age 20 to age 65 with investments growing at 6%, that $6 twice a month could become $123,800.
If you think a 401(k) may be right for you, we encourage you to chat with HR, reach out to your financial advisor, or learn more in this article.
ADP Is Here to Help!
Who do you go to for advice and help? It probably depends on the situation you are in. If your car is broken, you might ask your friend who has experience fixing cars. If you are not sure how to tell when your brisket is done, you might ask a relative who always cooked for you. Who would you go to if you needed a lawyer or needed financial education or needed someone to talk to when things seem hopeless?
CBHC provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). By calling 866-574-7256 or logging in to ADP you can receive counseling and education in a wide variety of areas including legal advice, financial services, family care services, or counseling. If you are struggling, you can use these services 24/7 whether you have insurance through CBHC or not. Ask HR for more information on what the EAP can provide, or just call and ask. Tell them you work at CBHC and have ADP Total Source.
Get the Scoop on Your Time Off
Annual Leave
After the probationary period is over, an employee is eligible to take accrued annual leave with pay.
How Leave is Earned
Annual Leave will be earned on the following basis:
- 7.6 hours per month (91 hours per year) during the first three (3) years of employment.
- 10.8 hours per month (130 hours per year) during the fourth (4) year through nine (9) employment.
- 14.0 hours per month (169 hours per year) beginning with the 10th (10) year of employment
Sick Leave
- Request for Sick Leave must be requested twenty-four (24) hours in advance and approved by your supervisor.
- Sick Leave of three (3) days or more may require a Doctor’s statement upon return to work. Staff may be asked to present a doctor’s statement after one day’s absence when the sick day falls one day prior to, or after a holiday.
- Staff should report with the statement to the Human Resources Department before reporting for duty.
Personal Day
Employees shall accrue one Personal Day per year after one year of employment. The Personal Day must be used by the end of the year accrued.
For more info, please contact HR or check out the employee handbook.
Pet Connection
In November we are featuring new team member Jordan Dollar, and his 8-year-old pitbull mix, Katie.
Here’s the story of how Katie joined Jordan’s family:
“Early in the pandemic, my oldest child was suffering a lot of anxiety, particularly at bedtime. I wanted to add a pet that would lie with him to keep him company and that he could pet when he needed to calm down.
We put in an application with Stray Rescue of St. Louis, and they brought Callum in to meet several dogs that they felt would be calming for a child. We met this five-year-old brown pittie who just came over and sat with Callum and leaned against his legs. We brought her home that afternoon.
She had been previously adopted by another family who gave her to friends when they moved away. The friends had a dog who attacked Katie leaving scars all over her face and she had to be returned to the rescue. She loves people but is still terrified of other dogs.
Katie’s favorite things are getting pet, eating, running around our yard, and trying to carry sticks that are way too big for her. Every night she goes to cuddle with my kids and sleeps with one of them all night. When they wake up, she gets fed, goes out, then climbs into bed with my spouse and me.
This is the bed in which she will take her all day nap until the kids come home and its playtime. Her superpower is convincing us no one has fed her yet when she has already eaten.
Crossword Puzzle
The first person who submits the most correct answers to the front desk newsletter@cbhc1.org will receive a ticket for a free lunch. Hard copies are available at the front desk.
October’s Crossword Puzzle Answer Key
Get in the News
Each month’s newsletter can be found at: Cbhc1.org/Newsletter.
Questions, comments, or content suggestions can be sent to: Newsletter@Cbhc1.org.
Important Dates
The cutoff for newsletter content suggestions is the last weekday of the following month.
Going forward, the newsletter will be published on the second Monday of every month.