mental health awareness month...newsle ©er contacts 21 actuarial & underwri ng 15 abh culture...
TRANSCRIPT
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Inside this issue:
Customer Support 2
ARFL Clinical 3
Worklife 4
Placement & Outreach 5
Knox Keene Call Center 6
ORMC 7
News around ABH 8
BH Network 9
BH Clinical 10
MNNet 11
BH Ops & System Strategy 12
Public Sector 14
Account Management 16
Sales 17
Communica ons 18
ARFL Training 19
SPARK 20
Newsle er Contacts 21
Actuarial & Underwri ng 15
ABH CULTURE
2nd Quarter 2015
Issue 17
Check out the latest ac vity in Culture & Engagement,
including video features on Q2 Collabora on focus and
Q3 Defining risk poll.
A quarterly newsle er for ABH Employees
Employee Spotlights!
In the recent survey feedback there were quite a few interested responses in employee spotlights. To meet the feedback, we’ll be doing an employee spotlight in each newsle er star ng in this edi on! Look for employee spotlights throughout the newsle er.
NEWSLETTER THEMES
Spring cleaning Need some help spring cleaning or just cleaning ps in general? Check out the ps submi ed by employees throughout the
newsle er. It’s never too late for Spring Cleaning!
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
There may be a lot of things we share as a business and one is certainly our passion for mental health. Some mes it seems as if mental health takes a backseat to all the talk about physical health. But not in May, as we celebrated Mental Health Awareness month with our Mental Health Ma ers campaign.
Hopefully, you were able to see and par cipate in some of the ac vi es like:
The launch of the Campaign to Change Direc on a ended by Michelle Obama and LouiseMurphy. Aetna is a Founding member – hear Louise Murphy speaking about the campaign.*
Expanded Mental & Emo onal content on aetna.com including informa on on depression,anxiety, substance abuse and ea ng disorders.
Our ad in the Mental Health sec on of The Future of Personal Health; cover story on DemiLovato.
The “It Only Takes a Minute” videos on YouTube* Our video series celebra ng people who havefigured out a path to mental health for themselves and those around them.
Several mental health themed feature stories within Aetna’s external News & Analysis websiteincluding newsworthy topics like depression, s gma, suicide and the importance of well‐being to total health.
The Mental Health Ma ers Twi erchat #mentalhealthma ers a ended by over 400 par cipantsand included over 1900 tweets
Improving the mental health of others may be the reason you chose your profession or why you work so hard in your role within Aetna Behavioral Health. As you know, mental health affects the way we think and feel and gives us the wherewithal to make posi ve changes in our lives. Ge ng support earlier is always be er when it comes to maintaining one’s health.
So Mental Health Awareness month is over but wouldn’t it be great if we all con nued the conversa on around mental health ‐ not just in our jobs, but in our lives and communi es? Let us know what you think by going to our Mind Ma ers site on Aetna Connect. You can post ar cles, studies and any related content or you can simply “follow” what other Aetna employees post.
®
By Audrey Wessman
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ARFL Customer Support
Congrats to Nilsa Galarza’s daughter, She is off to 9th grade. Above is a picture from her 8th grade Gradua‐
on!
Cheryl Johnson– Lane– April 8th‐7 years Janet Lavariere– May 23rd– 10 years Danny Ramrup– June 10th– 2 years Monica Bailey– July 20th– 6 years
Cheryl Johnson– Lane– June 17th Madison turning six on June 30th and William (aka BBoy) will be turning three on July 18th! ~Joi Powell’s children. (Pic Top Le ) Damaris Torres– June 12th Stephanie Howard– May 23rd
Jissel Amerie Rivera born 3/6/2015 (Supervisor Noel Crabtree’s baby)* Bo om Le * CSA/Team Lead Mayra Zamarron is expec ng her first baby in December! *Bo om Right*
Nilsa Galarza
Spotlight for this Quarter is Nilsa Galarza!
Click here to learn more about Nilsa.
Janet Lavariere– “ I have met Randy Travis a country singer in Nashville when I was there. We talked and had a great me with him.”
Darlene Funnye‐ “Met Queen Lataifah, when I lived in East Orange, NJ while shopping in Downtown Newark, NJ.
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ARFL Clinical Page
Michelle Murray’s daughter Amanda graduated with a BS in Sociology and was inducted into Sigma Alpha Pi/won the National engaged Leaders award!
Michelle Murray’s daughter Sara graduated with a BS in Biology...congrats!
Dave Bridgeman’s son Joe graduated from Baylor University this Spring!
Daphne Parker’s daughter Madison’s graduation from High school!
Healthy Summer Tips:
Janine Whiteamire: “I like to eat more salads and especially the tomatoes. I like to bike at night for 15 to 30 minutes around the neighborhood or work in the yard for 15 to 30 minutes.”
Janine Whiteamire’s favorite recipe for salad: “I like my 7 layer salad, I eat it all year, first layer, romaine lettuce, 2nd shredded red cabbage, 3rd shredded carrots, 4 th ¼ cup green onions/chopped, 5th, chopped celery – there you go dig in !!.”
Lauren Gallison: The kids and I keep it simple by exploring the world, including throwing rocks in local ponds, walking, playing at local parks, riding bikes, climbing things that should NOT be climbed (You know who you are, Michael and Holden), feeding animals (e.g., Geese, squirrels, etc.), swimming at the pool, and expending as much energy as physically possible!
Lauren’s favorite Summer food: Anything grilled out in the sun: Hamburgers, chicken, veggies, yum!
Hard to believe, but Paloma Kennedy started at RFL with the telephonic phone counseling model EAP April 16, 2001. It was the first day SIGNAL went live for all callers. Wow Paloma, you are a pioneer!
Happy Aetna‐versary Paloma!
Shawnday Carrasquillo and her husband took a Spring Trip to Vegas!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
WorkLife
June Mary Ann Perez ‐ 14 Years
WorkLife would like to wel‐come Consultant Tiffany Alexander to the Aus n team. Tiffany admits she is a li le rusty but can speak Spanish fluently. She also used to play football on an all‐girls team.
WorkLife would like to wel‐come Consultant Faviola Ramirez to the Aus n team. Some fun facts about Favio‐la are that she used to work for the LIVESTRONG Foun‐da on and enjoys watching Korean dramas.
WorkLife Consultant Sandra Meek is beyond excited to celebrate the marriage of her son Oli‐ver. Sandra said the wedding was gorgeous and very happy for the beau ful couple.
WorkLife Consultant Sherly and her son Isaac take a picture with their favorite mouse on a visit to Disney Land. Sherly said her son was so ex‐cited he did not want to let go of Mickey’s hand.
What is your birthday (month/day)? December 27th What month and year did you start with Aetna? July 2012 Where did you graduate from high school? W.T. White in Dallas, TX What are your hobbies? Gardening, playing with my two boxers, movies, and spending time with my nieces and nephew Have you had any unusual nicknames? Not really, my gym teacher in grade school called me “Jen Jen,” but that did-n’t stick (thankfully). What is your favorite movie or book of all time? My favor-ite movie is probably Jerry Maguire. It makes me laugh and cry every time. What is your favorite food? Tex-mex What sports team do you root for? Dallas Cowboys What type of music do you enjoy? Country (mostly) What’s one thing you would like to do before you kick the bucket? Have and raise children Who do you most admire? My grandfather, who we called “Papa.” He instilled in me the values of pursuing educa-tion, working hard, and always dreaming big. What was your very first job? I was a babysitter/nanny in high school through college. What’s your biggest fear? Public humiliation
Denise Crowley ‐ April 7th Frankie Galindo ‐ May 13th Mary Ann Perez ‐ June 14th
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Outreach/Provider Services
1. Wash your windows on a cloudy day. Sunshine will cause windows to dry to quickly, leaving streaks
2. Listening to music while spring cleaning makes it more enjoyable
3. While cleaning out a cs, closets and dresser drawers and you come across items that you haven’t thought about, looked for or needed – DONATE IT!
4. Pack away all those winter clothes and bring forth the spring and sum‐mer a re!!
SPRING CLEANING
Title: CSA, Department: Outreach What is your birthday (month/day)? August 13 What month and year did you start with Aetna? Oct 2006 Where did you graduate from high school? Arecibo PR What are your hobbies? Reading, dancing, playing with cat Have you had any unusual nicknames? no What is your favorite movie or book of all me? The house of the Spirits What is your favorite food? Italian What sports team do you root for? Red Sox What type of music do you enjoy? Salsa What’s one thing you would like to do before you kick the bucket? Visit Dubai Who do you most admire? My children What was your very first job? Insurance company What’s your biggest fear? To Drown Tell something about you that no would ever guess! Na on-ality, most people think I am Asian
Lucy Soto
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Did You Know About?...
National Missing Children Day
Date When : Always on May 25th
Na onal Missing Children Day is your chance to play a part in finding missing and exploited children. There's a whole lot of reasons why a child goes missing. And, none of them are good.
Click here to read more
April: Deanna Parsons- 13 years May: Summer Sage-Sorley- 10 years
May: Mari Hernandez Norman- 7 years June: Hyacinth Reid- 10 years
April: Rebecca George May: Jamal Spence May: Mali Bynum May: Kris e Riley
May: Stephanie Howard
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Knox Keene
Aetna-versaries June:
Kathleen - 1 year July:
Che– 1 year
Birthdays Jay - June 10
Susan - June 19 Kathleen - July 8 Diane - July 28
Helen - August 3 Barb - Aug 8
Welcome Summer!Welcome Summer!Welcome Summer!
Ge ng to know...
Employee Spotlight Chris Barbera, Provider Data Services
Supervisor, Provider Rela ons
‐ When is your birthday? 12/17
‐ When did you start working at Aetna? 01/09
‐ Where did you graduate from high school?
Coronado High School
‐ What are your hobbies? Hiking, running, being outdoors
‐ What is your favorite food? Italian
‐ What sports team do you root for? Padres and Chargers...unless they move to LA
‐ What’s one thing you would like to do be‐fore you “kick the bucket”? Travel the world
‐ Who do you most admire? Parents and my wife
‐ What was your very first job? Cashier at a bakery
None of us really love Spring Cleaning, but there is some‐thing about sa sfying about having everything nice and dy. These ps might make the job a li le easier this Spring...
CLICK HERE to view a Spring Cleaning Checklist to make it easier to get it all done!
An all natural way to remove scum off your bathtub is by using water, lemon juice, and vinegar.
Clean your washing machine by running a cycle with bleach,
and then a cycle with white vinegar.
Put your damp sponge in the
microwave for two minutes to kill
germs.
A little dish soap and hot water in the blender is the easiest way to clean it with-out having to take it
apart.
TCS Spring Champions! Ryan (Gigi Kaney’s son) and his team The Del Mar Powerhouse won a very compe ve tournament
bea ng out 38 other teams! Their championship win earns them a berth to the World Series this summer
and they had a spotlight in the local paper! (Ryan is in the bo om row, second to the right)
CSA Ana Aybar spent her spring relaxing in the
beau ful island of Oahu!
Jay P. & wife Elia welcomed a healthy baby boy,
Leonardo, on May 20th
In early June, we surprised Chris Barbera with a baby shower! Cant wait to meet
baby!
Who is the most famous person you have met?
“My mom was Lisa Loeb’s kindergarten teach‐er. Through Lisa’s website, I reached out to her for my mom’s 80th birthday 2 years ago to see if she would send a card for a scrapbook I was making for my mom. Lo and behold, Lisa responded and invited my mom and I to one of her concerts in San Diego. During her con‐cert, she gave a shout out to my mom, saying ‘how cool is this, my kindergarten teacher is here tonight’. Ever since then, Lisa reaches out when she is in town so that we can catch up with her. And yes, she is as deligh ul and as nice in person as she appears to be on TV and in concerts.” ‐ Gigi K.
“I was working at Sea‐World a few summers ago, and heard Rod Stewart was in the park. I hunted him down so I could take a picture with him!”
‐Elise E.
Stay healthy this summer! Here are some quick ps:
1. H2O! Stay hydrated! 2. Use fresh fruit to make ice
pops and stay cool! 3. Grill! Lean meats, veggies,
even romaine for a grilled caesar salad!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
It’s nearly summer and the Organiza onal Risk Management Center, (ORMC), Team con nues providing Plan Sponsors consulta ve services for assessing and
preven ng workplace violence, managing risk, reducing problems of employee substance abuse, improving employee performance and coping with trauma c
workplace events.
370 provider placements were made for employee referrals by our Team’s Provider Coordinator, Jack Bumgardner ensuring efficient ORMC client services!
To date, the ORMC has with our Cri cal Incident Stress Management, (CISM) Consultant Benita Rabinovich, provided 236 Cri cal Incident On‐Site services to plan Sponsors reques ng help with trauma c workplace events.
Mariana “Elsie” Emmert, Administra ve Assistant, from the San Diego call center partners with Benita to assist in the me consuming administra ve work for these cases.
In addi on, ORMC Staff provided Human Resources and Management staffs of Plan Sponsors: 749 Management Consult cases and 28 DOT/SAP cases.
Finally, during these past 3 months, the ORMC Staff has made or received a total of 26,248 telephone calls in providing services to Plan Sponsors!
3/1‐5/31 UPDATES
Organiza onal Risk Management Center
ORMC SPOTLIGHT—HILLARY SHLUKER
Welcome to Hillary Shluker! Hillary joined our team in February 2015 when she transferred over from the long term care department at Aetna Mercy Care in Phoenix, AZ, where she provided clinical counseling support to members who had suffered trauma c brain injuries in addi on to schizophrenia or other serious mental health issues. Hillary reports now working from her home in Sco sdale, Arizona and has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2000, working in the behavioral health field since 1996. Hillary’s professional experience also includes working for over 6 years on mobile crisis teams in the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area, assis ng police and fire department personnel on crisis calls and worked for 5.5 years
as a clinician in a psychiatric hospital. Before Hillary received her Master’s Degree in Counseling in 1998 at the University of Phoenix, she reports fond memories of traveling to Guam, where she taught snorkeling and water sports and then due to liking travel to warm places she also sailed the Caribbean Seas as a cruise director on a tall sailing ship in the Bri sh Virgin Islands! Hillary said she now hopes to take guitar and boxing lessons this year! Hillary said she met her husband Rick in 2000 and they became married in 2004. They have 4 ½ dogs, 4 big dogs and one small dog that were all rescued from neglec ul situa ons. Hillary, herself, founded an animal rescue group in Sco sdale, Arizona and con nues to volunteer her me rescuing abandoned dogs from Arizona and nearby states from the street, dog pounds and neglec ul situa ons. Hillary said her Organiza on also assists terminally ill individuals whose final wish is to make sure their animals find new homes…wow! Finally, Hillary reports feeling very excited to be part of the ORMC team! Well Hillary we’re very glad and lucky to have you on our team! (picture of Hillary and Tonto)
Hello from Aetna’s Organiza onal Risk Management Center Team!
MRC Veronica Ramirez, Head of the ORMC Connec vity Commi ee has ini ated mul ple computer assisted ways for geographically separated staff to engage with each other! On Tuesdays we have “Get to know your co‐workers”, in which staff can share past experiences on different topics ranging from: their most exo c vaca on to exercise rou nes. Then on, “Throwback Thursdays”, staff can share old photographs of various life moments and experiences.
ORMC Connec vity Commi ee
The ORMC welcomes the newest person to our Team, Andrea Lambert, who will start
work as a Management Resource Consultant on 6/22/2015!
Kudos to MRC Barbara Coffee for recently passing her oral and wri en comprehensive Ph.D. Exams!! She’s now se ng her sights on comple ng her disserta on! Well done!
Sadly the ORMC staff said goodbye earlier this month to long term ORMC staff member Yolanda Moreno, we all wished her good luck in all her future endeavors, we will certainly miss her.
Two New Announcement Features to be included in all future newsle ers Wishing happy upcoming Birthdays in the next quarter to Benita Rabinovich on 6/17, Barbara Coffee on 8/24 and
Michael Marks on 6/25. Happy upcoming Aetnaversaries to Nicole Crissy for 8/30/10, Larry Lawn for 6/20/05, Veronica Ramirez for 7/15/13, Laura Tweddle for 6/28/10 and Shaun Williams for 7/21/08!
News Around ABH
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ABX EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Aetna has embraced Achieving Business Excellence (ABX). You’ve all heard “ABX” men oned in the Town Hall Mee ngs held by Mark Bertolini, Sheryl Burke, and Louise Murphy as a way for Aetna to reach its Vision 2020 goal; but what IS Achiev‐ing Business Excellence? This is the first in a series of ar cles to introduce you to ABX and it’s tools so, when the me comes for you to help make Achieving Business Ex‐
cellence at ABH a reality, you’ll be ready! Simply, Achieving Business Excellence is delivering the best products and outstanding service to our members, pro‐viders, and communi es in the most efficient and effec ve way possible. ABH is approaching ABX with a specific team dedicated to peeling the layers of the onion using end‐to‐end process reviews, cause and effect analysis, and root cause analysis tools to understand why we do what we do and what the most efficient means of doing that might be. Finding the most efficient means of doing anything will achieve at least two cri cal things:
World class service delivery to our customers
Reduce the cost of doing business However, the ABH ABX team cannot accomplish this goal without the help and support of everyone at ABH. Thus, we will be asking for volunteers and reques ng the exper se and assistance of many, many ABH team members throughout our journey. Aetna’s vision calls for a health care system that is simpler, easier to navigate, and provides consumers with high quality, sustainable and affordable health care products and services designed to fit their needs. Together, we can make that happen. You can find the latest informa on on ABX for ABH here.
As you may know, ABH/Resource for Living was recently awarded the Nike BH and EAP business effec ve 1/1/2016. This is not an “ordinary” win but an “extraordinary” win. Why? Because it was achieved over 2 years of hard work. It included a large unified and dedicated team which included YOU. It made history in that it replaced a 22 year rela onship with a formidable compe tor. It included our best services and product offerings: EAP and Behavioral Health. It is “Nike” a recognizable and re‐
spected brand in their industry. AND, we posi oned our rela onship with Nike/Aon Hewi for a long term, growth partner‐ship beyond a vendor rela onship. This is not a win for sales/sales support‐it is a win for US. “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organiza onal objec ves. It is the fuel that allows common people to a ain uncommon results.” Andrew Carnegie Click here to watch a short video that celebrates the success you have each contributed towards. Let’s keep the momentum and the successes coming. You make all the difference.
‐Peter Francel, Head of ABH Sales
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Behavioral Health Network
Karen McBride began her transi on to government programs lead for ABH Network in early 2011. Having been in different
management posi ons at Aetna gives Karen her own unique perspec ve on leadership. We asked Karen to discuss her feelings about leadership, its challenges and what she admires most in a leader.
What have your posi ons at Aetna taught you about leadership? Whether at Aetna or elsewhere, and in all posi ons, being a leader means being willing to jump in and do whatever needs to be done; and as the pillar of our Value Wheel defines, do it for the right reason. Every posi on within the organiza on serves an important purpose. With the help of my team, I’m able to set the direc on and guide them on the correct path. I believe in always surrounding yourself with good people, listening, be‐ing open to change, enjoying what you do, encouraging teammates to work together, and having fun while doing it.
What are some leadership challenges you face, if any, as a Network Director? In this rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, it is cri cal to be flexible and open to change. Change can be hard for people. Staying focused and mo vated on the work need‐ing to be done and encouraging my teammates to do the same, while being suppor ve and listening to everyone’s fears and frustra ons, is paramount to success. It’s never boring!
What do you admire most in a leader? I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to work for managers who have shown me the elements of a good leader. Most importantly, I believe this is someone who shows their staff apprecia on, who is sup‐por ve, who offers encouragement when needed, and who has the ability to listen and offer guidance, but who gives their em‐ployees the autonomy to achieve the work that needs to be done.
What was hardest (and easiest) about your transi on from SE Network Director to Government Programs/VBC Network Di-
rector? I’ve led two great teams during my tenure at Aetna Behavioral Health, which has made it easier. The challenge has been having to know the detailed aspects not only of commercial and Medicare contrac ng in the SE region, but also the associated CMS regula ons and compliance standards na onally, as well as issues and regula ons specific to Medicaid in mul ple states. Some mes juggling mul ple hats is quite challenging, but it has reminded me that being flexible and able to think quickly is paramount to success.
Lori Anderson started Monday, May 11th as a Network Representa ve assigned to the West region. Lori comes to us from Cigna‐Care Allies. She also has experience as a temporary em‐ployee at Aetna in both the Eligibility and Behavioral Health departments. Marwan Asmar started Monday, May 18th as a Network Representa ve assigned to the Northeast region. Marwan comes to us from Member Services where he served as a Health Concierge for the Lockheed Mar n account.
July‐ Leslie Noska (10) Denise Gibbs (12) Steve Comuso (14) Amber Tuckey (21) Chris Green (31)
August— Susan Sekellick (5) Jennifer Wilder (6) John Whelan (12) Shannon Whitley ‐Gardner (16) Lisa Grow (20) Tina Casani (28)
September ‐ Sharon Jackson (4) Wanda Hamilton (6) Tony Rocchino (7) Karen McBride (11) Michele Richards (19) Novella Reed‐Miles (23)
July‐ Kendall Geer (28 years) Chrissy Kelly (22 years) Marwan Asmar (3 years) Laura Bevin (22 years) Karen McBride (17 years) Tina DiNardo (14 years)
August‐ Joy Henry (17 years) Barbara Moran (18 years) Becky Bradshaw (11 years) Lauri Vizzini (35 years)
September ‐ Mike Rickenback (12 years)
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
BH Clinical and Quality
Happy Birthday to
You!
Fred Villars 5/19 Kathy Griffiths 5/29 JoAnn Backens 7/1 Marylee Goyne 7/13 Ali Sommer 7/18 Bruce Condit 8/12
Maylee Goyne May 9, 10 years George Stokes May 5, 10 years John Robison May 11, 11 years Fred Villars May 16, 4 years JoAnn Backens June 6, 15 years Erin Schweikert June 24, 13 years Debbie Lamb July 12, 12 years Ian Cameron July 13, 16 years Jennifer Gallacher Aug. 8, 13 years Ali Sommer Aug 31, 17 years
Inspirational Award Recognition
Mary Von Vital was recently awarded an ABH Inspira onal Award in April. Mary was one of only five people to be given this award. She went above and be‐yond to assist with the running of the BH Medical Resolu on Team
while Dr. Friedlander and Bruce Condit were offsite at mee ngs for a week. Mary did not hesitate to help out when needed. While direct appeal ac vity is no longer in her job descrip on, Mary jumped in with both feet assis ng with case closure and other appeal related ac vi es. She took the me to be suppor ve to other members of the team as well as the me needed to re‐learn the appeal processes that were no longer familiar to her. She acted in this instance to maintain the integrity of the BH appeals process and provide excellence to
our members, despite the extra me it took. Mary consist‐ently excels in mee ng the Aetna values. She is a great member to have in our department and we are excited that she has been recognized for her hard work.
Congratula ons Mary on an award well deserved!!!
All about Todd Schoening... Title: Manager, Healthcare QM Department: Aetna BH Quality What is your birthday (month/day)? February 6, shared with Ronald Reagan and Babe Ruth (But I’m a Democrat and prefer basketball over baseball, so go figure!!) What month and year did you start with Aetna? I was part of MHNet and Coventry Healthcare, and so was ac‐quired by Aetna in 2012. I had been with MHNet in various ca‐paci es since March 2001. Where did you graduate from high school? Clearwater, FL What are your hobbies? CrossFit, mud/obstacle races, reading, poker, hiking, going to the beach ‐ and taking care of my 4 kids Have you had any unusual nicknames? I’m sure some people have names for me but they usually don’t say them out loud. :) What is your favorite movie or book of all me? Movie: The Shawshank Redemp on. Book: pre y much anything by John D. McDonald. Read more about Todd Schoening con nued…
Mary Von Vital
Todd Schoening
Happy Aetna-versaries
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Taco Soup ~ Mel Cato Prep to ea ng: 20 minutes
Ingredients 3 lbs ground beef 2 pkgs Lawry’s Taco Seasoning 2 pkgs of Ranch Dip Seasoning 1 chopped white onion 1 large can Rotel tomatoes 1 package shredded cheese 1 large can ranch style beans 2 cans whole kernel corn 1 avocado 1 large bag of tor lla chips chopped cilantro leaves (op onal)
Direc ons Brown beef and drain. S r in taco and ranch dip seasonings un l blended well. Add ¼ cup water, onions, tomatoes, corn, beans and cilantro (if desired). Allow the mixture to simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, s rring occasionally.
Once a slight boil occurs, remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes. Once cooled, serve in a bowl topped with 3 to 5 tor lla chips, a slice of avocado, cheese and your favorite salsa.
MHNet
Born December 22, Heather graduated from St. Bernard High School, Uncasville, CT. Joining Aetna in January 2008, she’s now MHNet’s Manager of Quality Services.
Let’s learn about the other side of Heather.
Hobbies: volunteering at my church and children’s school, cooking, and enjoying family game nights playing Scrabble, Phase 10, and Monopoly. Favorite all me movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I watch it every Christmas Eve.
Favorite music: jazz and blues, especially Diana Krall and Van Morrison.
Book tle describing my life: “Confessions of an Imperfect Mom”. My Mother’s of Young Children group read it.
How’s this? Vaca ng children. One daughter is moving into her own apartment and the second is off to college. ~ Laura Corbin, Aus n Get rid of it all! If you haven’t used it in 3 months, donate it to your local Military non-profit. ~ Mel Cato, Aus n
Silver AWEA Award: Congrats Mel Cato! You definitely deserve it for all your hard work building provider networks in Montana and Louisiana.
ABH April '15 Inspira on Awards: Meridith Geyer (Orlando) and Michelle Henderson (Aus n)—You inspire us!
NAMIWalk Orlando: Thanks for making a difference for others. Walkers: Malaika Vasiliadis, Gabrielle Vasiliadis, Carrie Laks, Macy Abordo, Je na Madison, Jennifer Gearst, Spiderman, Crystal McIlvenna, Lauren Houk, Guy Houk, Ray, Thornton, Linda Thornton; Kneeling: Michelle Kallas, Superman
Memorial Day Each year, Nicholas’ school each year puts on a ceremony: “Remember One”. The children receive a dog tag of a service person who lost his/her life figh ng for our freedom. ~ Emily Forster, Orlando
Na onal Pi Day ~ or is it really Pie Day? Which ever it is, we had a scrump ous me.
we typed in prices manually!
Biggest fear: heights! Something that no would ever guess: I’m not the most athle c but once trained for and completed a Century Ride (100-mile bike/ride) for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.
Favorite food: anything on my grill, my Mother’s Day gi .
Sports team[s]: Connec cut born and raised so Red Sox, Patriots, and UConn Huskies fan. But living in the Philly area for over 20 years, I root for the Phillies and Eagles. Bucket list ac vity: complete a pilgrimage on the “Camino de San ago” in San ago de Compostela, Spain. I most admire: my mother-in-law. The mother of 10 children, she returned to school and completed her Master’s in Counseling at 45 while pregnant with her 10th child. She’s a SME on pre y much every stage of life and I respect her very much.
Very first job: cashier at Noel’s Market at age 15. This was way before scanners and
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsletter
EAP ADMIN OPS ABH/EAP Opera ons/Systems Integra on
CONGRATULATIONS! Robin Johnson and Paulette Inness on your Aetna
Way Silver awards
Babies are a joy—Proud Grandmother EAP Ops Barbra Lamkin’s grandson Brody turns 2 (bottom L)
& EAP Billing Supervisor—Diane Finney Welcome her new nephew, Carson Lee (bottom R)
A Message From Mom
OA Sr. Analyst Denise Gartell would like to send a special message to her 12 year old twins Jillian & Michael Jr. “Keep up the Good Work as this School year 2015 end”
Charity Event-Casa of Tarrant County
Best Friend For Life— (Above) EAP Ops Manager Veta Rodriguez & Theresa Little (Below) EAP OA Supervisor
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Explora ve Diving Sue Giller, Website Manager, went diving in Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela this Spring. Pic 1, she’s hanging out in 25 feet of water, pic 2 is a Queen angelfish in the coral at about 35 feet of water, and pic 3 she’s at the stern of the wreck of the Helly Hooker which lays on its side; she’s in about 80 feet of water. You can see the prop blades in the picture. Very cool!
BH/EAP Opera ons & System Strategy
Lisa Mello - April 25th Rachel Brown - May
5th Dave Cusson - June
Jodi Penn - June 10th Jami Caraway - June
26th
April: Vicki Brill - 10 years
Katina Thyme - 14 years
May: Brian Isaacs - 11 years
Jami Caraway – 19 years
June: Sheila Gehman - 20 years
Helen Yee - 6 years Lisa Mello - 13 years
CONGRATULATIONS!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Melody Eckenrode is proud to announce that her daughter,
Ashlynne, graduated from high school and is gearing up to begin college in the fall:
“Our state is the first in the
country to offer two years of tui on free college to all of its gradua ng seniors under the Tennessee Promise scholarship program. Her ul mate goal is to earn her master’s degree in special educa on, so she is eager to take advantage of this scholarship during the first part of her college journey”.
Operations EE SpotlightOperations EE SpotlightOperations EE Spotlight!!! Jodi Penn, BHL Account Consultant ‐ BH Opera ons / Implementa on Team
What is your birthday (month/day)? June 10th
What month and year did you start with Aetna? September 1996
Where did you graduate from high school? West Jordan High, Utah
What are your hobbies? My #1 hobby is my son, Dakota. I love spending all my spare me with him whether it’s at the pool, going for a trike ride or just hanging out. We are the best of friends. I
also love the mountains, camping, boa ng, fishing, anything to do with the peace & quiet of Mother Nature away from the rush of everyday life.
Have you had any unusual nicknames? Dewey or Dew
What is your favorite movie of all me? American Sniper & The Sandlot as a kid
What is your favorite food? Mexican
What sports team do you root for? Bal more Ravens (I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!)
What type of music do you enjoy? Country
What movie or book tle could describe your life? Pay it Forward ‐ I try to live my life paying every blessing in my life forward.
What’s one thing you’d like to do before you kick the bucket? Watch my son get married and have children of his own.
Who do you most admire? My parents for showing me what making the most out of life really means. It isn’t about money or material things but rather family, sacrifices and making memories that last a life me. Learning how to dance in the rain rather than wai ng for the storm to pass. I hope to bring my son up with the same old fashion family values.
What was your very first job? 2 newspaper routes when I was 12, then worked as a cashier at Hardee’s at 15.
What’s your biggest fear? Losing those closest to me.
Tell something about you that no one would ever guess! I have worked at Aetna since High School gradua on and I plan to re re with Aetna.
HHHAAAPPPPPPY Y Y BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAY Y Y TTTO O O YYYOOOUUU!!!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Public Sector—Arizona
BH Public Sector Spotlight Diana Hodge started with Aetna in October of 2013 and recently moved to our BH team as Bus Project Program Manager. She has an MBA from USC in Los Angeles and BA from UNC - Chapel Hill. Her favorites teams are UNC, Duke - or any ACC team! Diana’s very first job was Interning at Duke Hospital as a Clinic Assistant or be er known as ‘the person who gets the coffee.’ Her hobbies include running, gardening, horseback riding, and brown nosing (see below). When asked ‘Have you had any unu‐
sual nicknames?’ her reply was “Yes, but not any I would EVER share! LOL! I’m ‘D2’ here at work since there are 2 Diana’s in our department!” She was asked “Who do you most admire?” and her response was “Jay Roundy! (yes, brown nosing men oned above applies). I’m also a big fan of my parents.” Diana’s favorite books change frequently, but she recently read a good one with her niece – The Giving Tree. One of her all‐ me fa‐vorites and always good for re‐reading is The Road Less Traveled. A movie or book tle Diana could use to describe her life would be The Power of Being Thankful—something she said she is aspiring to. Diana’s favorite food is Chocolate – hmm.. is that considered a food? Or a hobby?! Her BIGGEST FEAR is, you guessed it: running out of chocolate!! Jazz and classic rock are the 2 types of music she enjoys. Before she ‘kicks the bucket’ she would like to see all the 7 wonders of the world! The ones she has seen so far is The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and Chichen Itza. Something about her that no would ever guess is: “I have a very BAD sense of humor? Oh wait... everyone now knows that!”
HEY GOLFERS… Did you know
about this Holiday?
August is Na onal Golf Month and I will cele‐brate that by playing some golf. Heather Koch
Will you be doing a li le extra me on the course in the month of August?
Its that me again! Spring Cleaning at home and Rec‐ords Clean Up at Aetna
Heather Koch: A spring cleaning chore I do each year (plus 2‐3x dur‐ing the rest of the year) is clean all of
the window blinds, screens, sills and then the windows. No “fun” stories about this however. Diana Schaver: My son calls me the ‘cleaning nazi’ because I am always cleaning/organizing/dona ng. So for me, the idea of doing a huge project JUST in the spring just seems like WAY too much pressure to do all at once! Sharon Unterreiner: For spring cleaning, which happens in March in AZ, I turn on Motown music very loud and wran‐gle the family to clean for a couple of hours.
Records Clean Up in the office has already begun in BH PS team! Anyone else go en started?
Brush with fame. While having dinner after business in New Jersey, Jay Roundy and Sharon Unterreiner met Armand Assante
and were able to get this picture!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Behavioral Health Network Actuarial & Underwriting
Spotlight on
Matt
Kane
Ma Kane Title: Senior Underwri ng Consultant Department: Behavioral Health Underwri ng and Actuarial What is your birthday (month/day)? September 5, 1968 What month and year did you start with Aetna? May 2005 Where did you graduate from high school? 1986 What are your hobbies? Coaching soccer, golf when I have the me, bike riding with my family
Have you had any unusual nicknames? Ma y Goukas (former coach of the Philadelphia 76ers) What is your favorite movie or book of all me? Apocalypse Now What is your favorite food? Pepperoni and mushroom pizza What sports team do you root for? UConn football and basketball, NY Yankees, Rangers and Giants. What type of music do you enjoy? Classic and alterna ve rock, some country music. What movie or book tle could describe your life? Dazed and Confused. What’s one thing you would like to do before you kick the bucket? Visit the Va can Who do you most admire? Mark Zuckerberg What was your very first job? Delivering newspapers door to door What’s your biggest fear? Transi oning to an iPhone. Tell something about you that no would ever guess! I stopped drinking beer a year ago in an effort to lose weight and inches, and it has worked.
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Account Management
Our colleague Sam Friedman has decided to re re. While I am thrilled for Sam, I know we are all sad to lose him. We will certainly miss his professionalism, cheerfulness and keen insight. Sam has had an amazing career. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Mar‐riage and Family Therapist he has worked in a variety of se ngs. From being a school counselor, a voca onal counselor for a non‐profit agency, to private prac‐ce, to care management, quality assurance and provider rela ons, Sam is a jour‐
neyman professional. He began working with MHNet/Coventry/Aetna in 2006, so he celebrates his 9 year “Aetnaversary” this month. Sam’s official last work day will be June 15th. Thank you Sam, for all the years of excellent service you have provided to members and customers, and for being such a kind and professional colleague! Virginia Johnson, Director, Account Management
SAM FRIEDMAN’S RETIREMENT
Proud Grandma, Karen Averill, announces her new grandbaby, born 5/1/15, 7 lbs 19 oz.
DANIELTAYLORAVERILL
Ann LaRocque - July 2 Elizabeth Holsinger - July 25
Lindsey Novinich - July 2 Tim Spencer - July 26
Alisa Johnson - Sept 16 Andrew Robles - Sept 1
Glory Kerr - Sept 24 Michael Havens - Sept 10
Shelly Evans - Sept 11
AETNA ANNIVERSARY Angela Diggins - July 2008 Carol Allen - July 1995 Glory Kerr - July 1989
Nancy Miodus - July 2007 Pat Horn - July 2000 Seth Swarner - July 2005 Lindsey Novinich - August 2002 Jennifer Rackoff - Sept 2001
Pictured here at our pool party BBQ is my daughter, Isabella (7), and me enjoying the Florida weather! Lindsey Novinich, Sr Account Exec
Pictured Front to Back: Debbie Watson Karen Lorince Duncan Granger
Pictured Front to Back: Taiesha Pullam Sam Friedman Brendan Grych
AUSTINJOHNSON’SGRADUATION
On June 6, Alisa’s son, Aus n, graduated from
Marcus High School in Flower Mound, TX. It
has been rough being away from him for two
years but she is very proud of him. He was
overjoyed that she was able to be there for
the big occasion.
ALISA JOHNSON
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ABH Sales
Great people move on. Great people open the door for another great person to fill the gap. Great people leave when they are on top.
No, we don’t mean the great people like Johnny Carson, David Le erman, or Nelson Mandela. We mean our friend and colleague Jody Dean.
June 5th was Jody’s last day with us and Aetna RFL.
We knew Jody as the Peace Health, State of Alaska, Fox and Adven st superstar. We knew her also as the Costco BH SME, dachshund rescuer, fashion guru, and comedian. With her spark and wit she entertained and taught us in the same breath.
We will miss her contribu on to the team. Thank you Jody for leaving us be er. We are a be er team, a be er segment, a be er company and be er brand than before your arrival.
Farewell, and our best for a wonderful and peaceful future. May our paths cross many mes in the future. A special thank you to Peter Francel for this farewell message.
Farewell Mesage for
Jody Dean
Famous People We’ve Met
Marian Herrick shares her memories of mee ng two actors, Kate Nelligan and Christopher Reeve. Click here to read how Marian met these actors. Click here to find out how our own Al Brown almost interviewed a serial killer in Oklahoma.
Spotlight Interview
Nancy Connell, Project Manager
Click here to learn more about Nancy.
Spring Clean-up the Amanda Di Matteo Way
A few of the regular projects I take on each Spring include:
* Overhaul my refrigerator. I throw out all my condiments, such as salad dressings and mustards, and replace them with fresh. I clean and reorganize and fill with fresh herbs.
* Go through my closets and make a clothing dona on that is tax deduc ble!
* Ebay! Any items gathered through the winter that are no longer needed (old iPhones!) I place on Ebay. The extra money can help you plant fresh vegetables and herbs. I do this in my raised garden bed.
The photo at the right is a sample of what my garden has grown in one short month.
Chris ne Lazzaris and her husband moved from Connec cut to Florida at the end of April. Chris ne says, “It’s a dream come true and I never want to see snow again! It is just so nice to be able to enjoy being outdoors whenever you want.” This is a picture of a beau ful sunset in her backyard.
Snow-free Zone!
The day was cold and rainy, but the supporters were lined up along Boylston Street cheering on the runners as they crossed the finish line. Nancy Connell and her niece, Samantha, were there to support the Boston Marathon runners as they crossed the finish line – some of them running 5 minute miles! It was an exci ng day and was Bos-ton Strong!
Maddie and Mason Sheehan proudly show off their handmade treasures for their Mom, Kate.
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Regan Pekkarinen delivered a healthy 9 lb. 3 oz. baby girl, Quinn, on June 4th. She’s 20.5 inches and perfect!
Congratula ons to Regan and family on your newest addi on!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ARFL Communications
When Brook Wilson (back left)
and Angee Bell (back right) met Loren’s family.
Marke ng Designer • ARFL Communica ons BORN ON... July 23rd
BEEN WITH AETNA SINCE... August, 2013
GRADUATED FROM... Lenape Valley Regional HS
ENJOY… So ball, Kickboxing, Photography
SOME PEOPLE CALL ME... Shortcake
LOVE THE MOVIE… Any Roman c Comedy
LOVE TO EAT… Chocolate
ROOT FOR... My daughters’ so ball & soccer teams
LISTEN TO... Pop and Country
MOST LIKE... Monica from the TV show Friends
BEGAN MY CAREER AS A... Cashier at grocery store
HATE... Heights
YOU WOULD EVER GUESS THAT... I think it would be cool to hold
a poli cal posi on and to make a real difference in the world.
Loren Arrowsmith
Back in early May, we had our virtual team picnic. We were each sent a care package (pictured right) which contained an apple pie, chips, plas c ware with napkin and a mason jar drink container. And our picnic games were charades and spin‐a‐tale.
Virtual Team Picnic
Flooding in Texas In our own Angee Bell’s neighborhood
Worklife team in Parsippany, New Jersey (from left): Brook Wilson, Patricia Carrion, Lynn Bortek, Denise Crowley, Ellen Haussner, Angela Bisignano, Noreen Shadab and Loren Arrowsmith.
Chris, Abbey and I went canoeing last weekend down what used to be a nature trail to a park which is currently 6+ feet under water!
(le ) This is the end of my street, which used to be about a 5 minute walk to the lake. My house is two houses up from there. Any more rain and I could say I live in the lake!
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
ARFL Training Departments
Summer BBQ Recipe - Pesto Grilled Shrimp Submi ed by Noreen Shadab, Learning Administrator
Light, fresh and summery basil pesto marinated grilled shrimp. Ingredients
1/2 cup basil, packed 1 small clove garlic 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice (~1/4 lemon) salt and pepper to taste 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Direc ons Pulse the basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food
processor or blender un l smooth. Marinate the shrimp in the pesto for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight, in the
fridge. Skewer the shrimp and grill over medium‐high heat un l cooked, about 2‐3 minutes
per side.
Happy Birthday!!
Jennifer Brady - May 4th Noreen Shadab - May 23rd
Brooke Wilson - May 24th Jenny Solari - June 23rd
Happy Aetnaversary!!
Marysa Whitchurch, April 2012 - 3 years Bryan Norconk, May 2005 - 10 years
Bryan Norconk, External Training Supervisor “I try to perform work clean‐up in small increments during windows that I have available me because it’s something that I procras nate on. If I leave it to pile up, it takes a larger commitment that typically makes me procras nate more.”
Jennifer Brady, Internal Training Learning Consultant “I always clean. You name it, I do it. I usually save cleaning windows for spring, and of
course scrubbing pa os. The only thing I am terrible at cleaning are ceiling fans. Last week my 3 year old asked what was on the fan and that I should clean it!”
Marysa Whitchurch, Internal Training Project Lead “I’m not a huge fan of cleaning. I try to clean up a er myself and much as possible so that when I have to roll up my sleeves it isn’t too terrible/trauma c/ me consuming/annoying. I am kind of addicted to Pinterest and there are tons of helpful ps on there. I pin a lot of them and then follow up on none of them.”
Spring Cleaning (at work and in life)
SPARK
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
RFL has embraced Mo va onal Interviewing and is making it a priority to train ALL staff in some aspect of this technique before the end of 2015. In the month of May, all Worklife and CSA staff were trained on Rapid Engagement, the
founda ons of the Mo va onal Interviewing philosophy. We also invited Marke ng, Sales, Account Management and External Training to join so they could be er understand what our frontline staff are doing daily and then promote this when speaking with current and prospec ve Plan Sponsors! We have also completed two Mo va onal Interviewing classes for Clinicians, ORMC and even MHNet Case Managers! We will con nue to present one MI class/month through the end of the year in order to deliver the content to all licensed staff. So far, the feedback about the courses has been overwhelmingly posi ve. When asked about what people found helpful, here were some responses:
[MI] was a good reminder of how to communicate effec vely and how to develop a quick connec on with the member
The most helpful part about the training was learning how we as individuals can help to add value to our brand in our everyday roles
The re‐emphasis of engaging the member
Ways to speak with a member/coworker so that they feel heard and you do not escalate nega ve feelings Remember, when we present our services to Plan Sponsors, we set ourselves apart by describing our focus on SPARK, MI and RE (the tools to achieve SPARK) and the Collabora ve Learning Process. These are at the core of what we want RFL to be moving forward – not just an EAP business, but a true well‐being company. We care about our members AND our staff, so we hope that by u lizing the techniques of MI and RE you will have more posi ve interac ons with our members, leading to increased member sa sfac on and increased job sa sfac on for each of you.
Thank you for all of the work you do each day!
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Jennifer Brady or Jenny Solari if you have any thoughts/ques ons/comments and we will be happy to have a discussion!
Learn more about Mo va onal Interviewing
Aetna Behavioral Health Internal Newsle er
Newsle er Contacts
Loca on / Department Representa ve
Newsle er Manager / Editor Angee Bell
ARFL Customer Support Kris na Snyder
SPARK Brooke Wilson
ARFL Clinical Daphne Parker
Worklife Frankie Galindo
Outreach/Provider Services Jilliane Davis (Luwanda Castro for Q2)
Knox Keene Call Center Elise Emmert
ORMC Mike Nash
BH Network Novella Reed‐Miles
BH Clinical Debbie Lamb
BH/EAP Ops & Systems integra on Rachel Brown & Tangie McFarland
Public Sector Diana Schaver
Account Management Glory Kerr
Sales Janet McCreedy
Actuarial & Underwri ng Rob Li
ARFL Communica ons Team Loren Arrowsmith
ARFL Training Patricia Carrion
MHNet Beth Collier
Hartford, CT - Corporate, EAP Call Center / WAH / BH
Call Center - Blue Bell, PA
Worklife Services - Fairfield, NJ, Austin, TX, San Diego, CA
Call Center - New Albany, OH
Call Center - High Point, NC
Call Center - Arlington, TX
Call Center & MHNet - Austin, TX
Organizational Risk Management Center - Denver, CO / WAH
Call Center - Sandy, UT
Call Center - San Diego, CA
Contact Us
We hope you enjoyed the newsle er. It’s brought to you through a TEAM effort across all ABH. If you have any ques ons, comments, ideas or
sugges ons, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your thoughts help us make the newsle er the best it can be! If you have anything you want to submit, please feel free to email the Newsle er Representa ve from your loca on listed in the table to the le or send directly to [email protected].
Thank you for all you do!
Public Sector—Phoenix, AZ MHNet Call Center - Louisville, KY
MHNet Call Center - Orlando, FL MHNet Call Center—St. Louis, MO