The Department of Medical Assistance (DMAS)

The Department of Medical Assistance Services prides itself on living our values of Service, Collaboration, Trust, Adaptability, and ProblemSolving. To that end, each year, we have the opportunity to demonstrate Service and Collaboration within our community. This year, our agency coordinated the DMAS/Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) Back to School Supply Drive for the 2022-2023 school year. This effort, led by the DMAS Employee Engagement team, began in 2018 to coordinate DMAS’ aspiration to provide much-needed school supplies to residents of RRHA's Whitcomb Court. Many, if not all, of the children in this community, are unable to afford school supplies and their families are on Medicaid. Our efforts in collaboration with other community stakeholders allowed us to collect 200 backpacks with supplies. Volunteers from DMAS handed out all 200 backpacks to the children in Whitcomb Court during the Back to School Blast community event held in early August.

Ashley Hazelton. Workforce Development and Engagement Coordinator, Dept. of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).

Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA)

A few months before the pandemic sent state workers home to work, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) debuted the “perk patrol” for its staff. Created by the human resources and communications divisions, it was designed to engage employees, make them feel valued and instill a sense of community. If only you had seen the happy faces at the first event –pumpkins for everyone! It was such a treat and put everyone in a festive mood. A small packet of wildflower seeds was given to everyone in the spring … and then the pandemic hit.

We learned what a challenge it is to cultivate and maintain a sense of community when everyone is at home sitting behind a computer screen. Leave it to VITA’s perk patrol to use technology to present a solution! A virtual “First Friday Social Hour” was instituted using Microsoft Teams video conferencing that brought people together at the end of the work week for camaraderie and storytelling. Staff chatted, laughed and learned about one another. Additionally, a Teams channel named “Town Square” was created and used to get conversations started. People posted pictures of their dogs in the snow, posed questions like “do you put salt on watermelon?” and used it to send kudos to co-workers for a job well done.

Julie Fuentes

Internal and Customer Success Communications Manager Virginia IT Agency (VITA)