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Dental health grant, wage increase for healthcare workers : Seacoast health news
First Seacoast Bank becomes designated as a Mental Health Friendly Workplace
DOVER — First Seacoast Bank has been newly designated as a Dover Mental Health Alliance (DMHA) Mental Health Friendly Work “Place”, the first local bank to move through the process created by the DMHA.
First Seacoast Bank, headquartered in Dover, N.H., has served residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and Southern Maine, since 1890. First Seacoast Bank’s mission is to put the people and places they serve first by providing progressive financial products and services to their customers, strengthening communities, and creating value for their employees and shareholders.
The staff at First Seacoast Bank received Mental Health First Aid training which teaches people how to recognize and respond to someone who may be in emotional distress. The group also received ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experience) training, which dives deep into the neurological, psychological, and physiological impact of trauma and how it relates to our biggest health and social problems such as substance use, housing insecurity and mental health.
More than 25% of FSB’s staff earned their certification as a Mental Health First Aider, after successfully completing the full day certification course. Mental Health First Aid is an evidenced-based curriculum equipping learners to recognize risk factors and warning signs of a mental health challenge or crisis in others. The class teaches best practice steps in how to approach a colleague, friend, acquaintance or even a stranger if they are displaying signs of emotional distress. The class goes on to teach what to say to a person, and what to do to keep that person, and yourself, safe as well as next steps in helping someone become connected to the next level of help as appropriate.
The DMHA has created a process for businesses and organizations to become designated as “Mental Health Friendly Work Places”, involving mental health and adverse childhood experience training.
Once these, and a few other requirements have been achieved, such as a commitment by organizational leadership to work toward creating a workplace culture that supports the mental health and wellness of their staff and clients alike, can an organization be recognized as a Mental Health Friendly Work “Place”.
Suzanne Weete, co-founder of the DMHA states, “First Seacoast Bank is a leader in our community in so many ways, in particular for making the commitment to support the mental health and wellbeing of their staff and clients. Employee assistance programs are an important part of an employee benefit package, but when your co-workers are equipped to be that first line of support to someone in emotional distress, it sets up an environment that accepts mental health challenges as a health challenge, therefore allowing people to feel empowered to get help without feeling shame or discrimination in the workplace.”
The DMHA “Place” designation is available to any business, organization, or institution that strives to support their employees, colleagues, and customers’ mental health. The DMHA vision is to create a culture that understands, embraces and addresses the complexities of mental health. The mission is to build a resilient community that is educated, responsive and conscious of the impact of mental illness.
Northeast Delta Dental Foundation grants $5,000 to Community Partners Delta Care Fund
DOVER — Community Partners, Strafford County’s Community Mental Health Center, Family Support Center, Developmental Services Provider for Region 9 and ServiceLink provider was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. This Dental Fund will be used by Community Partners clients for preventative and necessary dental care ranging from cleanings, preventative exams, dentures, fillings, extractions, and root canals not covered by insurance.
Chris Kozak, Community Partners Chief Executive Officer states, “The high costs of dental care are often out of reach for our clients or exceed the new Medicaid benefit. Poor dental hygiene affects their lives in a multitude of ways including pain, self-consciousness, insecurity, discrimination, how they interact with the public, and sometimes, their job prospects. Poor oral health makes their challenges and disabilities in everyday life and in job searching that much harder due to the stigmas associated with their disabilities. The Dental Fund provides opportunities for these clients to get routine, preventative and restorative dental care to eliminate their pain and give them the ability and confidence to pursue their goals.”
Northeast Delta Dental’s mission specializes in the administration of dental programs and has become the leader in the dental marketplace by promoting its uniqueness.
Kozak continues, “Northeast Delta Dental is a leader in their industry not only because of the services they provide but because of their commitment to communities throughout New Hampshire. We are grateful for their support and look forward to helping our clients gain the confidence they deserve with healthy teeth.”
Community Partners is the state designated Community Mental Health Center, Developmental Services Area Agency, Family Support Center and Servicelink provider for Strafford County, offering a wide variety of services across an individual’s lifespan. For more information about Community Partners visit www.communitypartnersnh.org.
Langdon Place of Exeter and the Exeter Center earn 2023 AHCA/NCAL Bronze National Quality Award
EXETER – Langdon Place of Exeter, a senior living community located in Exeter, has been recognized as a 2023 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). This award recognizes a commitment to improving the lives of patients and residents through quality care. The distinction is the first of three progressive award levels through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program. The program honors providers across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality of care for our nation’s elders and individuals with disabilities.
Exeter Center, a skilled nursing facility located in Exeter, has also been recognized as a 2023 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).
The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is a rigorous three-level process that is reviewed and evaluated by trained experts against a set of nationally recognized standards for organizational excellence. The standards of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program help organizations achieve superior performance over time to improve quality of life and care of long term care patients, residents and staff.
“Earning this award is a milestone to be proud of,” said Cathy Bergland, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board Chair. “It’s at this point that providers see what is possible by committing to the process of improvement. Congratulations to Langdon Place of Exeter for this achievement. I encourage you to continue your quality improvement journey.”
The awards will be presented during Delivering Solutions 23, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, Oct. 1-4, in Denver, Colorado.
RiverWoods announces wage increase for dedicated healthcare workers
EXETER/DURHAM — RiverWoods isNorthern New England’s largest family of not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Communities with communities in Exeter, Manchester and Durham, New Hampshire. RiverWoods provides community, purpose, and peace of mind to smart, active independent adults.
Their new wage scale reflects the organization’s commitment to recognizing the invaluable contributions of its staff and ensuring competitive compensation within the industry.
The revised wage scale is in effect at all RiverWoods locations and is as follows:
- Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA): Start at $21.50 per hour.
- Medical Nursing Assistants (MNA): Start at a rate of $23.50 per hour.
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN): Start at a rate of $37.50 per hour.
- Registered Nurses (RN): Start at a rate of $39.50 per hour.
In addition to the attractive wage rates, RiverWoods offers a generous sign-on bonus of $3,000 for all health care positions. Recognizing the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, RiverWoods also provides differential pay to its healthcare workers. This additional compensation ensures that staff members are duly rewarded for their unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care around the clock.
RiverWoods also recognizes and supports the personal and professional growth of its staff, paying full tuition for those interested in becoming a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) or Medication Nursing Assistant (MNA). Additional tuition reimbursement or educational funding is also available.
For more information about employment opportunities or to learn more about RiverWoods, please visit riverwoodsrc.org/our-story/careers.
