Published: July 01, 2009 10:16 am      

Carl Albert Community Mental Health Center earns top prize

Carl Albert Community Mental Health Center earned the top prize, the Oklahoma Quality Crown Award, in an award ceremony held at the Oklahoma State Capitol by the State of Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management. The group walked away with the trophy, a blue ribbon and a commendation from Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry.

“It is a good way to show off our facility and be recognized at the state level,” performance improvement coordinator Carol Garvin said.

Fourteen state agencies and offices presented fifty-nine projects to be judged on many criteria.

The most important criteria was how the agency solved a problem and documenting it through a recognized performance process tools.

CACMHC presented a workplace security project titled Oklahoma Emergency Alert and Response System (OKIE EARS). According to Kelli Spears, safety committee member, staff at the facility identified the need to improve internal emergency communication methods at the rural satellite locations and the main facility.

Safety officer, Gene Jarvis, and other members of the safety committee, asked information technology staff, Don Whitten, to help solve the problem and help improve emergency communications.

The group used an instant message system networked to all computers and modified it for silent alerts to be sent throughout the workplace.

This project was a more efficient and cost effective option than installing hardwired panic buttons at multiple hotspots throughout the facility. “The OKIE EARS project improved moral by improving workplace emergency communications and was designed and implemented at zero cost to the taxpayer using existing resources,” Spears said.

“Now other mental health systems are wanting the same program,” Garvin said.

Hard work and cooperation can move mountains, create improvements and win awards. CACMHC’s hard work paid off with an improved emergency communications system and recognition.

Contact Marketta Johnson at mjohnson@

mcalesternews.com.