A F R H S T A F F T I M E S

The AFRH Employee Newsletter is an official publication for all AFRH staff from your Chief, Human Capital Officer

CHCO’s Corner This Issue

EMPLOYEE INFORMATION *Message from the Acting Chief

Operating Officer

The new performance cycle began July 1, 2017 and will end June 30, 2018. Mid-year reviews occur in February. Training opportunities are available throughout the year. Check with your training coordinator to obtain your required training throughout the year. Have ideas or suggestions about improving our workplace? Please email Donna.Smith@afrh.gov. Here’s to a safe winter season! I wish you all the greatest success and happiness in 2018!!

Donna Smith

Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO)

Fiscal Year 2018 1st Quarter

October 1 – December 31

IN THIS ISSUE

Employee Information Important Dates Phone Numbers Training Information

The 2017 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) collected a grand total of $16,006.00. Congratulations to the CFC Keyworkers for a job well done and thank you to all who gave selflessly.

The CFC promotes philanthropy through a employee-focused donation program. Choose your cause and Show Some Love today at cfcnca.org.

Key Phone Numbers

*Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) Human Resources Phone Numbers: See the AFRH Human Resources Desk Guide for full listing * Inspector General Robert DuFour Phone: 202-541-0667 *CHCO Donna Smith Phone: 202-541-7531 *EEO Counselors Phone: 571-372-0832 * Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (BFS) Tammy Stackpole Phone: 304-480-8206

Use our Intranet INSIDE AFRH

Go to https://insideafrh.afrh.gov/

Learn More About Your Your Personnel Benefits

USE SHAREPOINT TO ACCESS All Directives, Campus SOPs, and Human Resources Desk Guide

********************** Vacancy announcements are posted on USAJOBS.

To view announcements, go to

https://www.usajobs.gov

I'd like to also thank each of you for your support during my tenure as the Acting Chief Operating Officer from Sept 2017 to Feb 2018. While in the role, I believe that we accomplished many outstanding operational tasks, which will allow the agency to continue to meet its reporting requirements and goals. I will return to my position as the Chief Information Officer & Compliance Officer. As you may know by now, Mr. James Branham was appointed by the DoD as the AFRH Chief Operating Officer on February 5, 2018. Mr. Branham has spent his first week meeting with the Agency staff to garner an understanding of what service and role each individual performs. He will also meet with the DC campus staff in the coming weeks. I will be at the Gulfport facility from 2/12 - 2/14 to introduce Mr. Branham to staff. I hope to get a chance to meet with many of you while I am there.

THE AFRH

PERFORMANCE CYCLE IS JULY 1, 2017 – JUNE 30, 2018

Page | 1 October-December FY 2018 AFRH STAFF TIMES

October - December Fiscal Year 2018

AFRH has a new service provider for EEO Services. Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) will now provide EEO services to all of AFRH. Please see the chart on this page that fully explains the EEO complaint process. To contact an EEO Counsellor you may call (571) 372-0832, fax (571) 372-0847 or emailWHS.EEOP@mail.mil. !NEW! AFRH Policies were emailed to all AFRH Employees in October These policies address the issues of prevention of sexual harassment, suicide prevention, prevention of workplace violence, equal employment opportunity, diversity, and acceptance of gifts. Especially during the holiday season, remember that it is AFRH’s policy to strongly discourage individual gift(s) between Residents and employees. Federal Benefits Open Season November 13 - December 11, 2017 Open Season allows employees the opportunity to enroll, cancel enrollment, or make changes to their benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), and the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS). If you have questions, please call 304-480-8275, toll free at 1-866-868-4357, or email Benefits@fiscal.treasury.gov. Hazardous Weather: Employees will be notified of early dismissals and office closings due to hazardous weather based on their specific agency policy. Refer to http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/dismissal.pdf for additional information from OPM regarding office closures and early dismissals for employees in Washington, D.C.

Page | 2 October-December FY 2018 AFRH STAFF TIMES

Upcoming Important Dates

AFRH Monthly Observances – Please attend activities in honor of the Special Observances each month.

January: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday

February: Black History Month

March: Women’s History Month January 1 New Year’s Day February 19 President’s Day

January 15 Martin Luther King Day

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

-Annual required courses in the FY 2017-2018 Performance Cycle are listed below. Talk to your facility contact about dates and locations. *EEO, No Fear Act *Ethics *IT Security *Performance Management for Raters *Person-centered Care *Cultural Diversity *Suicide Prevention *Supervisory Training -The CHCO is continuing with video/webinar courses this year for AFRH employees. Gulfport: Please contact Frank Bermudez. Washington: Please contact Bill Striegel.

Tuition assistance and online training are still under discussion.

Plans are being made now for a training schedule for the entire year for mandatory classes as well as those training courses that certain positions require annually. Use or Lose” Annual Leave: “Use or lose” leave is annual leave in excess of the carryover limitation—typically 240 hours for most federal employees and 720 for members of the Senior Executive Service. Any unused “use or lose” leave is forfeited at the end of the leave year (January 06, 2018). Please contact the Payroll and Processing Branch with questions at (304) 480-8400 or via email at Payroll@fiscal.treasury.gov

Get Ready for Taxes: IRS.gov Offers Free Tax Help

As tax filing season approaches, the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov

first for tax tools and resources before calling. Nearly every tax issue can be resolved online. The

recent IRS website redesign makes it easier for people to navigate IRS.gov. The front page is more

task-based so actions like paying a tax bill, getting a tax record or checking refund status are easily

accessible. The IRS has also simplified the main navigation tool, added more drop-down menus and

made it more mobile-device friendly. Additionally, the IRS has a special page on IRS.gov with steps

to take now for the 2018 tax filing season. IRS.gov provides many self-service tools and features,

including:

Where’s My Refund. Taxpayers can check tax refund status 24/7. Updates daily.

Get Transcript. Access various transcript types online. Taxpayers may also ask the IRS to

mail a Tax Return Transcript to them by requesting it online or by calling 800-908-9946.

Allow 5 to 10 days for delivery.

Direct Pay. Make tax payments directly from a checking or savings account. People can

view their account balance if taxes are owed.

Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. EFTPS is convenient and easy. Taxpayers and

business can use it for various types of federal tax payments including estimated tax

payments.

Online Payment Agreements. Eligible taxpayers can pay their taxes by easily setting up a

monthly payment plan.

Answers to Tax Law Questions. The Interactive Tax Assistant takes people through a series

of questions and provides the answers.

Forms, Instructions and Publications. Taxpayers can download and view popular tax forms,

publications and instructions anytime. Increasingly popular eBooks are available as well as

PDF and HTML versions. Accessible versions for people with disabilities and prior year

forms are also available.

Where’s My Amended Return. Taxpayers can track the status of an amended return.

Employers and self-employed taxpayers will find many useful features on IRS.gov as well. The self-

employed individuals tax center is a tax resource available around the clock. People can: Apply for

an EIN online or make estimated tax payments. This information may be especially useful for those

who work in the sharing economy. The IRS Pay-as-You-Go So You Won’t Owe webpage provides

details for people who should make estimated tax payments and how to avoid the estimated tax

penalty.

Business owners can find free small business tax workshops and seminars at various locations around

the country.

Use the Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter page to get more information and answers to many

notice-related questions related to IRS notices and letters.

The Let Us Help You page on IRS.gov provides online tools and resources related to:

Identity Theft, fraud and scams

Links to help taxpayers determine who needs to file and options to e-file.

Assistance with renewing an expiring Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

should visit the ITIN information page on IRS.gov.

Page | 3 October-December FY 2018 AFRH STAFF TIMES

Preventing Opioid Misuse:

The United States is in the midst of an opioid abuse epidemic.

More than 2.4 million Americans currently struggle with opioid

addiction. In 2015, more than 33,000 people died from drug

overdoses involving opioids and crude data for the first three

quarters of 2016 indicate that the drug overdose death rate is still

increasing. President Trump recently announced his intention to use

all appropriate authorities to respond to the crisis.

In all likelihood, you know someone affected by opioid addiction.

It is important to understand that addiction is a medical condition

that can often be prevented or treated. There are things you can do to

make an important difference. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) provides information on Opioid Basics and how

to prevent overdose. You can learn more about rescue medications

for overdose emergencies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

(NIDA). If you are concerned about a teen, NIDA also offers

targeted information designed for teens and parents. More detail on

substance abuse and addiction is available from the Substance Abuse

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Use and dispose of prescription drugs safely Addiction often begins

with the misuse of prescription medications, and nearly half of all

opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. Take action to

prevent this:

• Ask your doctor and dentist about alternatives to opioids for pain

management.

• Ask about expected recovery time. Your doctor or pharmacist may

be able to offer a smaller quantity of pills at first and then more if the

pain persists.

• Use pain medications for only as long as the pain warrants.

• Never share medications with others.

• Safeguard your prescription medication while you are taking it.

• Safely destroy or dispose of unused quantities of medication. Seek

help for yourself or a loved one when needed

Each Federal Executive Branch agency has an Employee

Assistance Program (EAP). EAP services are free, voluntary, and

confidential. Services include employee education, supervisory

training, and short term counseling to help address personal or

workplace issues stemming from substance abuse. When short term

counseling is not enough, EAP can provide referrals for ongoing

care. You can find your EAP Administrator by contacting your local

HR office and/or searching OPM’s Work-Life Contact Tool. Federal

employees and families can also access mental health services and

addiction treatment through their Federal Employees Health Benefits

(FEHB) Program insurance plans. FEHB insurance plans cover

inpatient and out-patient mental health care along with substance

abuse treatment. Specific plan information can be found in Section

5(e) Mental health and substance misuse disorder benefits of FEHB

plan brochures found on your insurance portal or OPM’s Healthcare

& Insurance Plan Information webpage. For those not covered by

EAP or FEHB insurance, SAMHSA provides information on where

to find help and treatment. Everyone can make an impact. Now more

than ever, action is needed to take care of ourselves, support each

other, and save lives. Educate yourself, prevent prescription drugs

from being misused, and know how to get treatment if someone you

love is struggling.

PERSONNEL COMINGS AND GOINGS

ACCESSIONS AFRH-G Bertrice Johnson, Supervisory Clinical Nurse Zora Wilson, Clinical Nurse Pamela Veselinovic, Licensed Practical Nurse Kizzy Hall, Licensed Practical Nurse AFRH-W Tauna Derrington, Administrative Assistant (OA) Linda Bailey, Recreation Specialist Christina Nwosu, Supervisory Clinical Nurse Tammy Altiparmak, Supervisory Clinical Nurse Helen Lowenstein, Social Worker Elaine Fry, Performance Improvement Integrator Marine Robbins, Therapy Assistant

SEPARATIONS AGENCY Leslie Johnson, Credentialing Administrator AFRH-G Shelly Thompson, Administrative Officer Brandy Williams, Nursing Assistant AFRH-W Jakia Cleary, Nursing Assistant Melba Wardrip, Clinical Supervisor, Wellness Center Helen Simms-Allen, Licensed Practical Nurse Brenda Samuels, Occupational Therapy Assistant

REASSIGNMENTS AFRH-W Yalemework Kibrework, Clinical Nurse Mariama Kamara, Licensed Practical Nurse

Page | 4 October-December FY 2018 AFRH STAFF TIMES

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary,

confidential program that helps employees work through life challenges that may adversely affect job performance, health, and

personal well-being. EAP services include assessments, counseling, and referrals for personal and/or work-related concerns, such as

stress, financial issues, legal issues, family problems, office conflicts, and alcohol and substance use disorders.

Contact Tammy Stackpole at Bureau of Fiscal Services (BFS) at 304-

480-8206.

Congratulations New Chief Executive

Officer!! Congratulations to

Major General (Ret.) Stephen T. Rippe, U.S. Army, who has been appointed as the CEO of the Armed Forces

Retirement Home. He also serves as a Trustee on the Norwich University Governing Board and as a Special Advisor to the David Lynch Foundation’s

Center for Excellence in Military Health. MG Rippe has served as the Executive VP, and de facto CEO, of TrueTandem, a high technology services company

and previously as the President and CEO of The Army Distaff Foundation (ADF) and Knollwood, a Military

Continuing Care Retirement Community. He also previously served as the VP, Middle East Operations, for L-3 Communications, in Abu Dhabi, UAE and as the Executive VP and CEO of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation in Washington, D.C. Prior to his position at the Cathedral Foundation, MG Rippe

enjoyed 29 years of military service. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Norwich University, was commissioned in infantry, and is a graduate of the National War College. He served as a ranger, parachute, and aviation-qualified infantry officer and earned a Master of Military Arts and Science from the Advanced Military Studies Program. MG Rippe was awarded the Defense

Distinguished Service Medal as well as the Honorable Orders of St. Barbara and St. George. He is a resident of the District of Columbia and is married to Kate Rice.

HIGH PERFORMING AFRH EMPLOYEES! 4th Quarter 2017 Employees of the Quarter

AFRH-Gulfport

Congratulations to Kizzy Hall, LPN

Ms. Hall potentially saved a Resident's life when he was choking. Upon seeing him in distress, she immediately dislodged

the object. She was fearless as she utilized knowledge from the CPR/BLS course. Ms. Hall was also cited for how she encourages her CNAs and gives

constructive criticism when needed. Her demeanor is one of a kind and she genuinely carries out the Mission Statement enhancing the quality of life for our

Residents.

AFRH-Washington

Congratulations to Waveney Bathersfield, LPN

Ms. Bathersfield advocates on behalf of residents and treats everyone with dignity and respect. She supports

the home’s mission and is the primary nurse for 15 residents and exhibits leadership qualities. She willingly works extra shifts to support the home’s mission. She

supports performance improvement and quality metrics. She ensures resident-centered care and a staff-centered environment. Congratulations for a job

well done! Thank you!

Page | 5 October-December FY 2018 AFRH STAFF TIMES