Putnam progress 2 by Lisa Counts

C M Y K 50 inch PUTNAM PROGRESS 2013:

www.herald-dispatch.com

Putnam Progress 2013: The Herald-Dispatch’s annual Progress Editions take a look at our Tri-State economy and business community. Today’s sections focus on education and industry. Other topics will be examined over the next two Fridays.

Friday, March 15, 2012

Health

CAMC Teays Valley Hospital Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Putnam hospital’s $3.6M expansion under way

s Putnam County continues to grow with new businesses and residential areas, CAMC Teays Valley Hospital has been expanding to meet the surrounding community’s needs. Charleston Area Medical Center took over what was formerly known as Putnam General Hospital in 2006, after the hospital faced the The 64,700 square foot facility includes 70 beds and employees more than 500 people. The hospital is ranked among the top 10 employers in the county, according to Work Force West Virginia. “We have remained a community hospital but with the backing of a bigger hospital,” Randy Hodges, president of Teays Valley Hospital said, referring to the CAMC, located in Charleston. The areas of focus for the hospital are: anesthesiology, cardiac rehab, emergency medicine, family practice, general surgery, gynecology, internal medicine, medical imaging, nephrology, neurology, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, urology and wound. The gynecology department was recently added in 2012, after Leila Sakhai, M.D., joined the staff in September. An expansion for a new state of the art intensive care unit broke ground the first week of January and is expected the be complete in November. “We knew probably three years ago that (an expansion of the ICU) was on the board but all the active planning has occurred in the last year,” said Randall H. Hodges, president of Teays Valley Hospital. The $3.6 million expansion will feature private rooms and free up space in the hospital that will allow for other areas to grow in the future. “After we finish the ICU, with our medical staff, our hospital board will get together and see what our next project will be.” The current ICU has increased from six beds to eight, to accommodate the increased needs of the community.

possibility of either closing or being converted into an urgent care facility. The hospital struggled after several malpractice lawsuits that involved a former surgeon at the hospital. Teays Valley Hospital, which is located at 1400 Hospital Drive in Hurricane, is the only hospital located within the county and offers 24-hour emergency room care.

“We’ve seen some very nice growth,” Hodges said. “We’ve seen a lot of growth in outpatient.” Outpatient services experiencing a growth include mammograms, CT scans, MRIs and lab work. Offering these services at the hospital, allow patients to get their tests completed closer to home, rather than having to drive to Charleston or Huntington to a larger hospital. A facility was constructed in 2009 to house the hospital’s utilities, including a new emergency generator that would keep the power on in the event of a power outage. That generator was put to the test and used extensively last summer, after the derecho storm caused wide-spread power outages that affected more than half a million West Virginians. The generator allowed the power to be restored immediately within the facility without any problems, Hodges said. Teays Valley Hospital also assists patients at the Teays Valley Hospital Pain Relief Center, Teays Valley Hospital Wound Clinic and Teays Valley Hospital Physical Therapy. Each facility is located on Hospital Drive, along with the main Teays Valley Hospital campus. Dr. Jason Pope joined the Pain Relief Center in October, after completing his pain fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Patients can receive pain alleviation at the center with the use of different types of injections, a spinal cord stimulator or an intrathecal pain pump. “We have seen a really big increase in the number of patients since this physician has (joined the staff),” said Neva Terry, registered nurse and manager of the Teays Valley Pain Relief Center. “I think it’s really nice to not have to go to Charleston or Huntington, or go to a place where you have to pay to park.”

CAMC Teays Valley

ADDRESS OF MAIN CAMPUS: 1400 Hospital Drive, Hurricane, WV 25526 PHONE NUMBER: 304-757-1700 WEBSITE: www.camc.org/tvh TOTAL NUMBER OF BEDS: 70 NUMBER OF MEDICAL STAFF: 130 NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF: 400 employees MEDICAL AREAS OF FOCUS: Anesthesiology, cardiac rehab, emergency medicine, family practice, general surgery, gynecology, internal medicine, medical imaging, nephrology, neurology, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, urology and wounds. SQUARE FEET OF MAIN CAMPUS: 64,700 OTHER CAMPUSES/CLINICS: Teays Valley Hospital Pain Relief Center, Teays Valley Hospital Physical Therapy and Teays Valley Hospital Wound Clinic, all located on Hospital Drive. EXPANSIONS SINCE JANUARY 2012: An expansion for the Intensive Care Unit is under construction. It is expected to be completed in November. PLANS FOR 2013: Once the new ICU expansion is complete, more space will be freed up within the hospital to allow for future expansions, which is yet to be decided.

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WHITNEY JOHNSON / THE HERALD-DISPATCH

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KEY PLAYER: RANDALL H. HODGES JOB: President and CEO, CAMC Teays Valley Hospital HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER: “Upon completion of college I applied with a couple health care facilities and several law enforcement agencies. CAMC was the first company to return my call and offer me a job. I have spent my entire career with this one organization.” FIRST JOB: snack bar manager FAMILY: Wife, Diann Hodges; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Jess Kuhl, and Sara and Eric Whitney; five grandchildren, Aly Whitney, Andrew Whitney, Anna Whitney, Jak Kuhl and Caleb Kuhl. SPECIAL SKILLS: “My wife and I like to renovate old houses.” FAVORITE BOOK: “No Easy Day” FAVORITE MOVIE: “Pretty Woman” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “The Andy Griffith Show”

KEY PLAYER: MARY BETH MULLINS JOB: associate administrator/chief nursing officer at CAMC Teays Valley HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER: “As a nurse, I wanted to be in a position where I could effect change for the patients and families I cared for.” FIRST JOB: Nursing assistant at WVU Medical Center FAMILY: Husband, son and daughter SPECIAL SKILLS: “Ability to recognize that individuals are unique.” FAVORITE BOOK: “I Love You Forever” FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Blind Side” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Parenthood”

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Health

2B The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

Affordable Care Act worth a look

Prestera Center: Serving community for 45 years

Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Inc. quietly and confidentially provides a diverse range of behavioral health services to people in our community. The mission of helping people achieve their full potential continued for the 21,000 adults, children and families served last year. Prestera Center offers Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) designed to help businesses link employees to treatment services. Job perKim formance suffers when there are untreated mental health and addiction problems. These problems can lead to worker absenteeism and problems like lower productivity, theft, workplace injuries and increased health care costs. EAP programs respect employee privacy, reduce stigma in the workplace and help implement drug-free workplace policies. Drug-free workplace training is available for businesses. Prestera Center offers programs that integrate behavioral health and primary health care services. Tobacco cessation, nutrition counseling and wellness planning are also offered through the BRIGHT program. This program partners with Valley Health to offer medical care inside the behavioral health care setting to unravel the interplay between health problems and behavioral health issues to provide comprehensive strategies. Prestera Center partners with medical providers to integrate primary health care and behavioral health care into the same visit. Screening for possible behavioral health problems when you visit your primary care doctor prevents problems from escalating into emergencies. Prestera Center offers programs for children and their families, including professional counseling; in-home services where a counselor and case manager visit the child and their families in the family’s home; children’s psychiatry; school-based services in many area schools where

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KEY PLAYER: KAREN YOST Job: President and CEO, Prestera Center How did you get in your career: It was what I wanted to do from an early age. My aunt was a social worker in Kentucky and I loved listening to her talk about her work. First job: Adjunctive therapist for Logan Mingo Mental Health in Williamson Family: Husband John; Children Brad and Ashley; grandchildren Jillian, Gage, and Annmarie Special skills: Quilting Favorite book: Anything by Robert B. Parker Favorite movie: “Secretariat” children and teenagers can receive counseling during the regular school day; mentoring services that provide positive role models; and intensive outpatient for 6-8 weeks that includes an educational component and family therapy. Behavior problems in children, like suddenly not wanting to go to school, could be a symptom of a problem with depression or anxiety. Prestera Center’s professional services help families manage symptoms and behaviors and find their strengths to overcome difficulties. Prestera Center offers programs that help stabilize adult depression and anxiety or more chronic behavioral health conditions. Outpatient counseling and doctor visits for medications, more intensive programs designed to improve the problem and avoid hospitalization, residential group homes, supportive housing and programs that end homelessness are some of the services available. These programs help with permanent housing, employment and life skills. A diverse array of addiction recovery programs are also offered at Prestera Center. This includes outpatient or intensive outpa-

tient counseling, medications that sustain recovery, detoxification, short-term residential treatment, longterm residential treatment, transitional living and permanent housing in efficiency apartments for adults established in recovery, to name a few. After-hours, on-call emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling 1-877-3997776. Other services include a teen suicide prevention hotline, coordination of substance abuse prevention services through a network of volunteer anti-drug coalitions across the region, supportive housing programs, employment and work-adjustment programs and programs for intellectually disabled adults and children. To get started in services, walk in to any location between 8 and 9 a.m. No appointment is necessary. Insurance of all types is accepted. A sliding scale is offered based on income and charity care is available for those who qualify where services may be free. Visit us at www.prestera.org or call the toll-free number. Kim Miller is director of corporate development for Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc.

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of dollars trying cherry-pick their customers, insuring only young healthy people while denying coverage or charging a need to make a critical decision much higher premium to older on whether to accept this mon- less healthy people. The ACA ends this practice. ey that Congress has set aside The third major goal of ACA for providing health insurance is placing a greater emphasis coverage to uninsured west on prevention. Our current Virginians. The Office of the health care system focuses Insurance Commissioner is almost exclusively on illconducting a comprehensive financial analysis to determine nesses. The United States does all of the benefits and the costs. an incredible job of taking After this analysis completed, very ill patients and making I hope that Tomblin joins with them well. What our curOhio Governor John Kasich rent health care system does and other governors across the not do well is to keep people country — both Democrats from becoming ill in the first place. The ACA begins the and Republicans — in acceptprocess of changing that by ing these federal resources to provide Americans with health placing greater emphasis on prevention. All new insurance care coverage. policies must cover clinically The other means of covereffective preventive measures ing almost all Americans is such as pap smears, mamthe establishment of health mography, colorectal screens, insurance marketplaces. This smoking and dietary counselapproach uses the free market ing, and much more. These to provide small businesses and uninsured West Virginians measures must be provided to patients without charging the same purchasing power that large employers currently a copayment or deductible. Removing the economic barenjoy. Blue Cross Blue Shield rier to getting effective preand other commercial insurventive measures takes our ance will compete for this health care system in a new business in the marketplace, offering easy to compare poli- direction: one that focuses on cies that will allow consumers wellness and not just sickness. The fourth main goal, and to select a plan that best meets perhaps the most difficult, is their needs. containing cost. Currently, we There are significant subpay doctors on a fee for sersidies for individuals in the marketplace. The subsidies for vice arrangement. For every small businesses, however, are service they provide, we pay them a fee. Can you imagine less generous and limited to two years beginning in 2014. building a house and telling This is one of the weaknesses the electrician that you will of the ACA. It does not do pay for every electrical outlet enough to assist small busihe or she installs? The house ness in their struggle to afford would end up with far more outlets than you need. That’s insurance coverage for their employees. It is wishful think- how we pay physicians. Our ing, however, that a bipartisan system rewards doing more and more services without effort could be mounted to provide greater relief to small any consideration for quality. The ACA moves away from businesses. The patrician divide is too deep in Washing- fee for service and begins to pay based on quality outcomes ton to make even beneficial and for coordination of care. changes to the ACA. Hospitals that have high rates The second major goal of of infections will see their the ACA is to fundamentally change the rules for the insur- reimbursement decline. The ance industry. Beginning next incentive in this case is to increase quality by reducing year, the insurance industry hospital acquired infections will no longer be able to disand reducing costs by not havcriminate against consumers based on their health. Over the ing to treat these infections. last half century the insurance Please see ACA/4B industry has spent millions

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Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Prestera Center for Mental Health Services’s addiction treatment center is located on U.S. 60 in Huntington.

The Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, is a complex piece of legislation and is poorly understood by most Americans. Given the confusion about the health care reform law, it is worth examining what is actually in the ACA. At its core the ACA has four main goals: to expand health insurance to virtually every American; to fundamentally change the rules governing the insurance industry; to focus our health care system on prevention; and containing cost, which is an essential reform, but also the heaviest lift. The ACA provides insurance coverage to virtually all Americans in two primary ways. First, it expands Medicaid to reach all working, low-income Americans. Second, it creates new health insurance marketplaces where subsidized private insurance policies are sold. The current Medicaid program covers very few working adults. Unless you are disabled or pregnant, you cannot earn more than 31 percent of the federal poverty level and qualify for Medicaid. For a single mom with two kids that’s less than $6,000 a year. The ACA dramatically changes that. Income eligibility rises to $26,300 a year for that single mom with two kids. While projections vary, as many as 120,000 currently uninsured West Virginians will gain coverage under the Medicaid expansion. Next time you are in a local restaurant ask the waitress if she has health insurance. The answer will frequently be: No. Not only will she gain covered, but also employees of child care centers and many others who work for an employer who can’t afford to provide health insurance coverage to their employees. The federal government pays almost all of the cost for this Medicaid expansion, paying 100 percent the first three years and then their percentage gradually declining to 90 percent in 2020 and thereafter. Imagine getting, at worst, $9 for every $1 we invest to cover our friends and neighbors who currently lack the financial and health care security that insurance coverage brings. Over the next several months Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Health

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

VA MEDICAL CENTER CONTINUES TO GROW

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Robert Frazier of Huntington displays his paintings at the art festival for veterans at the VA Medical Center.

Medical foster home alternative for veterans is always on the lookout for more willing caretakers. “Our homes stay pretty full,” Touchton says. The medical foster home program serves as an example of the VA Medical Center’s commitment not only to helping veterans with illness and injury, but also with developing a better quality of life. Brent Sturm is the hospital’s recreational therapist. By organizing everything from weekly horseback riding to fly fishing excursions to sporting events, his focus is keeping veterans engaged and giving them an outlet to socialize with others who’ve shared their experiences. “After you’re injured, you’ve got to reengage in your life,” he says. Sturm has been pleased by the flexibility provided to him by the Huntington VA to try nontraditional activities with the veterans, like art shows and yearly whitewater rafting trips. He makes use of the recreational activities offered by our state and takes veterans skiing and snowboarding every winter. “I had a veteran who for several years wanted to do winter sports, but with his PTSD, he’d get scared. He signed up for three years in a row and never went. But my first year here, he came with me, and now he is back in his life. He picked up snowboarding, and now he goes with his kids,” Sturm says. For some at the VA Medical Center, serving veterans in particular is a calling. Michele Hale is a registered nurse and a veteran of the Navy, where she was a Persian linguist. After her service, she earned a BA in nursing and decided to dedicate her career to working with veterans. “Even though I’m no longer active duty, you feel like you’re working with family,” she says. But she insists that her contemporaries who’ve never served are just as qualified for the job. “They are there because they love serving veterans,” she says of her coworkers. Hale is not only a nurse, but also a patient at the VA Medical Center. She says that since her arrival in 2007, she’s seen the hospital

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KEY PLAYER: NANCY C. BOSTAR JOB: Women Veterans Program Manager at the VA Medical Center HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER: My mother was a nurse and she encouraged me to pursue nursing/health care as a career. My current position evolved from a special interest in Women’s Health while working as a family practice nurse practitioner. When the position became open at the VAMC, it seemed the perfect opportunity to continue in my field, while also serving a very special group, women veterans. FIRST JOB: Staff Nurse at Cabell Huntington Hospital FAMILY: Husband Joseph J. Bostar III, Four Children: Deann Raines (South Point), James L Raines (Huntington), Lauren Fricia and Lyla Hayes (Atlanta, Ga.) SPECIAL SKILLS: Nurse practitioner with Certification in Family Practice; in my spare time I enjoy reading and walking. FAVORITE BOOK: “The Girls Come Marching Home” by Kirsten Holmstedt FAVORITE MOVIE: “A Fish Called Wanda” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Downton Abbey” grow their services for female veterans, a growing population. “Over the last five years, we’ve seen more and more women vets starting to utilize the VA, and they’re younger. It is a necessity to offer women their own separate clinic because women’s health care needs are different,” she says. In recent years, the hospital has turned resources toward the

construction of a women’s clinic, reflecting the changing needs of veterans as more and more women go into the service. With a staff devoted to serving those who’ve served our country and the flexibility to respond to changing demands, the VA Medical Center offers not just health care but an improved quality of life to those who sacrificed for our country.

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The needs and nature of our veterans have morphed many times over the last 80 years, and Huntington’s VA Medical Center, located at 1540 Spring Valley Drive, has changed along with them. Starting in 1932 as a 210-bed hospital, it has grown to include a network of rural outreach facilities, a mental health clinic, a medical foster home program, a homeless veterans resource center and will soon boast a women’s clinic. Many of these services are par for the course — homelessness and mental health are familiar plights for veterans around the country. But one of the most successful and surprising programs at the VA Medical Center is the medical foster home. “It’s an alternative to nursing home placement,” said Trina Touchton, coordinator of the medical foster home program. Families in the area can volunteer to foster a veteran who can’t live on his own, usually for medical reasons. Once Touchton has approved a home — based on factors like cleanliness, prior formal or informal caregiving experience and fire safety— she’ll take a veteran who’s looking for a place to stay to see the home and meet the family. “We do have a wide range, from Vietnam all the way to WWII veterans, who are in care right now. The veteran pays for this care, but it’s much less expensive than a nursing home,” Touchton said. Often, veterans’ benefits can help offset the cost of the medical foster home. Some of the veterans in medical foster care have come from nursing homes, which are widely maligned for their sense of isolation and a lack of personalized care. “That individualized, personal care and love is so therapeutic for them. They really get the feeling of being a part of the family and that individualized care,’ said Touchton, adding, “In a lot of situations, the veteran becomes like family to the caretakers.” The medical foster home program is offered nationwide by Veterans Affairs, but it’s been especially successful here. The first veteran in the Huntington program was placed in 2010, and already, the program has expanded to Charleston. And Touchton

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Health

4B The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

Progress 2013: Health

LocaL MedicaL group continues to expand

Photos by Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Occupational therapist Tevin Gillette, left, talks with patient Benita Simpson of Barboursville during a consultation at Women’s Health Services at HIMG.

HIMG services now include women’s health Gillette positions Simpson for an exercise to improve core strength pelvic stability at HIMG’s Women’s Health Services.

ACA

n Continued from 2B

The ACA also promotes health homes. These are primary care offices that coordinate the care of patients with chronic illnesses. Our current system is highly fragmented. For example, a patient with chronic illnesses may be seeing three or four specialist physicians. None of them talk to each other, and they may be prescribing multiple medications that interact with each other to cause harm rather than healing. In a health home a team comprised of doctors, nurses, dietitian, social workers and others coordinate the care that patients receive, treating the whole patient. The emphasis is on helping the patient control their diabetes or other chronic illness rather than simply treating the symptoms. Those are the four major

vices added during the past year, it’s women’s health, Dickey said. Tevin Gillette, an occupational therapist, joined HIMG last summer and offers a pelvic help program for women who goals of the ACA: expand coverage to virtually all Americans, reform the insurance industry, place greater emphasis on prevention, and begin the difficult task of controlling cost. Is the ACA prefect? No. It is, however,

are experiencing bowel, bladder, sexual and/or pelvic pain symptoms. “I work closely with each patient and create a treatment strategy to address all of the symptoms, said Gillette, who has specialized training in treating pelvic floor dysfunction. “Follow-up treatments include specialized exercises, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, functional training and then developing a home program.” Gillette said she treats women of all ages, and that treatment can last four to eight weeks depending on the conditions of each patient. This year, HIMG will add a urologist and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon to its services, Dickey said. a significant step towards ensuring that every Americans has access to quality, affordable health care. Perry Bryant is executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care.

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The Herald-Dispatch

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By Bryan CHamBers t’s been seven years since Huntington Internal Medicine Group moved from 20th Street in Huntington to the sprawling 150,000square-foot building on U.S. 60 that used to be occupied by Walmart. In those seven years, the regional medical center has evolved into a medical mall of sorts, adding to its number of physicians, partners and community activities. The past year has been no different, says Patty Dickey, director of community and physician resources for HIMG. Often called a “hospital without beds,” the medical center now has 56 physicians who provide an array of clinical services, including neurology, oncology, physical therapy, dermatology and cardiology. Altogether, approximately 240 people work at HIMG. If there’s a theme in new ser-

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Progress 2013: Health

The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Submitted photo

Valley Health is located at 3375 U.S. 60 in Huntington.

East Huntington facility merges patients’ health care needs By GRANT TRAYLOR The Herald-Dispatch

gtraylor@herald-dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — Last year, there was a pile of rubble and rock along U.S. 60 in Huntington where construction cars lined the road. However, that wasn’t what Valley Health Executive Director Steve Shattls saw at all. In that same spot, he saw hope for health care in the Tri-State and opportunities for those in need in our area. One year later, everyone else can see exactly what Shattls’ vision was then. Valley Health East Huntington opened in November 2012 — nearly two months ahead of schedule — and serves as the new headquarters for Valley Heath Systems, which has grown from three health centers in 1976 to 33 health facilities in the Tri-State. “At that time, we had three trailers — one in Barboursville, Milton and Wayne,” Shattls said. “Now, we have this great East Huntington location, which we call it the department

store type of arrangement. It’s like a Macy’s or Nordstrom. You have all these different departments within one facility. It’s an opportunity for our patients to get reasonably-priced medicine and care under one roof.” Valley Health East Huntington is the latest and greatest achievement for Valley Health Systems. In addition to serving as the centralized headquarters for Valley Health Systems, the facility also is located adjacent to the Prestera Center, meaning that patients can take care of their physical and mental health needs in one general location. The $8.7 million facility offers patients nearly 24,000-square-feet of wall-to-wall health services, spanning everything from primary care to dentistry to behavioral health and beyond. There is also an urgent care center for immediate health needs and a pharmacy for those who need to have prescriptions filled. For patients, it provides a much easier climate when taking care of health. Instead of traveling to six different locations to take care of each individual health need,

patients are provided the opportunity to have one location, which cuts out the confusion of keeping up with appointments. The facility includes medical exam rooms, behavioral health treatment rooms, group therapy rooms, state-of-the-art dental operatories and space for primary care services such as family medicine, internal medicine, OB-Gyn, psychiatry, psychology. There is also a health center dedicated to lab and ultrasound services, along with a full-service pharmacy. Shattls said the most exciting aspect of the new facility has been the response from those who utilize the facility — the patients in need. “Themostexcitingthingisthatwe’vegottengreat responsewiththepatients,”Shattlssaid.“We’restill getting used to the place, but our patients seem to loveit.Sometimesyouhavetogivethemdirections onwheretogobecauseitisnewbutitisexciting.We arecollaboratingverywellwiththefolksatPrestera and we are benefiting each other.” While 2012 was a banner year in terms of getting the facility opened and integrating with

Prestera, Shattls said 2013 will offer some exciting new ventures as well for the company. Valley Health is in the process of being certified as a patient center medical home and is adding several new doctors and care personnel over the next few months to better serve the Tri-State while putting the final touches on the facility, like adding a generator, modifying signage and putting the final coats of paint on. While all that is happening around them, Shattls said one main focus for 2013 is helping patients understand changes in the governmental health care system. “We are trying to be navigators for the elderly and underserved population through a difficult health care system,” Shattls said. “We want to make sure they get the best care per patient for all our services, albeit medical, behavioral or primary care. “We want to champion making patients feel like our location is their medical home. We can be a beacon and a center of excellence when it comes to patient care here at Valley Health.” Shattls said the East Huntington facility will have its official grand opening and ribbon-cutting in the next month once the weather improves.

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Leila Sakhai, MD, OB/GYN CAMC TEAYS VALLEY HOSPITAL

Now has its own Ob/Gyn providing full time services to Putnam County. OUR SERVICES - Dr. Leila Sakhai offers the full range of gynecology and prenatal obstetric services right here in Putnam County and she delivers babies at your choice of two hospitals in Charleston! OUR PHYSICIAN - Dr. Leila Sakhai, a native of Huntington, attended Marshall University for undergraduate and medical school. She completed her Ob/Gyn residency at WVU/CAMC where she won the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons annual award for excellence in laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery.

C M Y K 50 inch 6B The Putnam Herald —

Friday, March 15, 2013

HEALTHSOUTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF HUNTINGTON

TO EXPAND

Hospital Adds 10 New Beds

Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Huntington has ﬁnished a HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Huntington has

Patient-Centered Care Offered

Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Huntington has finished a new wing that increases their capacity to 62 patients. The new space boasts 10 spacious, private rooms which are needed to serve the growing number of patients who need rehabilitation services. In addition, they are renovating space for a new kitchen, a larger patient dining room and increasing space in the gym for physical, occupational and speech therapy. “We’ve been planning on making these changes to meet the needs of the people we serve for almost 2 years, and it is exciting to see the project nearing the end” said Mike Zuliani, Chief Executive Officer for the hospital. “Among other things, Patient Satisfaction is a priority at Healthsouth – but first we need to be able to get them in. In recent months, we’ve been fully occupied and unfortunately, patients had to wait for a bed. But now we’ve added a new wing with ten private rooms so we can better meet the demand of the patients served by Healthsouth. “ Healthsouth focuses on helping patients build their strength and make improvements in their functional gains that ultimately leads to independence. Typical patients served at HealthSouth are ones that have sustained a Stroke or Brain Injury, Hip Fracture, Spinal Cord Injury, Trauma, or any medical condition that caused a functional decline. The average length of stay is about 14 days with 80% of the patients being discharged home.

Patient-Centered Care Offered Our rehabilitation team offers a comprehensive approach to patient care, helping them achieve their greatest functioning abilities. Compare services offered, and you’ll see the HealthSouth difference. At HealthSouth Huntington, patient care is led by rehabilitation physicians with special experience in rehabilitation medicine. These doctors provide close medical management for each patient and supervise patients’ rehabilitation treatment plans. The medical team is led by Medical Director Timothy Saxe, M.D., Internal Medicine, who has been on staff at HealthSouth Huntington for 19 years.

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Admitting/attending physicians include:

Physician

Specialty

Years on Medical Staff

Rabah Boukhemis, M.D., Associate Medical Director

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Ronald Barebo, M.D., Program Medical Director

Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Ahmed Abdelgaber, M.D.

Family Practice

Shawn Coffman, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Jacqueline Cole, M.D.

Family Practice

Thomas Dannals, M.D.

Family Practice

Randall James, D.O.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Suresh Kumar, M.D.

Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Jeffrey McCormick, D.O.

Family Practice

Scott Mitchell, M.D.

Family Practice

Cynthia Pinson, M.D.

Family Practice

David Steele, M.D.

Family Practice

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Huntington HealthSouth Huntington is a 52-bed rehabilitation hospital that offers comprehensive inpatient services. Serving patients throughout the tri-state area, the hospital is located at 6900 West Country Club Drive in Huntington and on the Web at www.healthsouthhuntington.com. For more information about our rehabilitation programs, contact Kim Cummings, director of marketing operations, at 304 302-7804 or kim.cummings@healthsouth.com.

A Higher Level of Care

,&%% />;: *!8":=# *581 (=97> $ 68":9"<:!") /2 3-+%0%. +00'4%,% healthsouthhuntington.com

C M Y K 50 inch The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

progress 2013:

The Herald-Dispatch’s annual Progress Editions take a look at our Tri-State economy and business community. Today’s sections focus on health and finance. Other topics will be examined over the next two Fridays.

FINaNCE

STRETCHING HOUSEHOLD DOLLARS

Mother gets creative, budgets to live on less STORY BY BETH HENDRICKS / THE HERalD-DISpaTCH

bhendricks@herald-dispatch.com

or Ashley Kiley, crafting a household budget means being creative. Wife to Jason, an artist employed part time at Marshall University, and mom to 2-year-old Etta, the 28-year-old has participated in everything from soup swaps to consigning to shared child care in an effort to stretch her family’s dollars even further. “I work full time for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but I’m employed seasonally, which means I have a two-month furlough I have to take every year,” Kiley said. “So, we have to save up enough during the time I’m working to compensate for that. When there’s not a lot of income coming in, you have to be creative.” Kiley said anyone can live within their means if they’re reasonable about it and resist that “we’re deprived” feeling. “You can’t think of living this way as being deprived in any way because we aren’t,” Kiley said. For the Kileys, working on a budget for meal-planning is ground zero. “I make out a meal plan every week, look at the staples I already have and then shop for groceries for the week,” Kiley said. “I buy bulk meat every three to four months at Sam’s Club and freeze it into meal-sized portions.” Other food ideas they’ve implemented, she said, are buying seasonal foods and freezing them in portion sizes, canning and growing a small garden of vegetables. They also participate in Community Supported Agriculture, where

Please see BUDGETS/2D Ashley Kiley of Huntington participates in child care sharing to help cut down the expense of daily living. Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

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• Investment Management • IRA - Rollovers & Trusts • 401K and other Plans • Retirement Planning ironwood-wealth.com

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Finance

2D The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

By using these tools listed above, you and your advisors can work together to build a strong estate plan. Building a well-stocked toolbox today will spare you and your loved ones unnecessary trouble and expense down the road.

Ashley Kiley wife, working mother to 2-year-old daughter Etta

Metro Creative Graphics

Be prepared: Stock your estate planning toolbox It is always important to have the tools necessary to get the job done right, and planning for your estate is no different. This article briefly describes items you may want to consider for your estate planning toolbox. Some of the most common tools and the problems they address are: WILLS: Like a roll of duct tape, everyone needs one. There is a common misconception that wills (and estate plans) are only for people who are a.) old or b.) wealthy. That is not true! Anyone who cares “who gets what,” whether the “what” is cash, a house, family heirloom, or a sentimentally valuable kindergarten craft project, can benefit from making a will. One of the most important benefits of a well drafted will is that it makes things clearer and simpler for the loved ones who will end up handling your affairs long after you are gone. A will serves several different functions, including dictating how assets will be distributed upon death; controlling who will administer the estate; and naming an individual to take care of minor children. If you die without a will, state law will decide these issues, and someone will have to post a bond to Photos by Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Ashley Kiley completes a weekly meal plan at her home in Huntington.

Budgets

n Continued from 1D

Since neither of us can afford day care, four days a week our daughters are together: two days here and two days at their house. We know we can also call each other in a pinch or for date nights,” Kiley said. Kiley said she shops mainly from clearance racks for clothes for herself and her husband and takes advantage of area consignment sales for buying and selling clothing and toys for her daughter. She shops secondhand stores and garage sales as well and rents books and videos for free from the local library. “It’s a matter of putting a little extra effort into it and you can really save a lot,” Kiley said. Talking with clients, Roach also advises ideas such as consolidating errands to save on gasoline and putting back a little money every month to avoid maxing out credit cards at Christmas. “Figure out what you’re going to spend on Christmas and set up your own Christmas club. Take your pay periods, divide how much you want to spend and direct deposit that amount into a different bank,” Roach said. “It’s out of sight, out of mind, and by the time Christmas rolls around, you’ll have the cash to shop with.”

for a small fee, they receive a bag of seasonal produce from local farmers. “We’re still able to eat the things we like. It just takes a little more thought and planning,” Kiley said. Angela Roach, program manager with Consumer Credit Counseling Services, said food costs are someoftheeasiesttotrim. “In my years of doing this, I’ve discovered a majority of people are spending an insane amount of money on food, whether at the grocery store or eating out,” Roach said. “If you spend just $6 a day on lunch five times a week, that adds up to $1,440 a year. If you just pack a lunch, that extra money could go toward a credit card payment or applied toward your mortgage or car payment principal. “Track your expenses and write down everything you spend and you’ll be amazed at how much money you’re wasting at Starbucks and McDonald’s,” she continued. “That stuff adds up quickly.” Food costs aren’t the only line item in a budget that can be slashed. Kiley has also found a variety of ways to save where her daughter is concerned. Follow H-D reporter Beth Hendricks on “We do child-swapping with some friends. Facebook or Twitter @BethHendricksHD.

Audy M.

ing, but not limited to, paying bills, filing tax returns, selling property and conducting business activities. administer your estate. MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORTRUSTS: Like a measuring NEY AND LIVING WILL: Like a tape, trusts decide how long flashlight, these help you see assets will be held. When a where to go when you are in grantor places an asset in trust, the dark. A medical power one party is given control over of attorney (MPOA) enables the asset (the trustee), and one you to choose who will make or more parties receives the health care decisions when use and benefit of the asset (the you are unable to do so yourbeneficiary). The types of trusts self. A living will can be incorare many and varied, dependporated into an MPOA, and ing on the purpose for placing it is a document in which you the assets in trust and the needs state that you do not want your of the parties involved. life to be artificially prolonged A trust can meet several by extraordinary medical meaobjectives, including assisting sures if you enter a persistent beneficiaries in the managevegetative state. ment of funds, centralized By using these tools listed management of assets (espeabove, you and your advisors cially real property and miner- can work together to build a al interests), avoiding probate strong estate plan. Building in other jurisdictions and pria well-stocked toolbox today vacy from public records. will spare you and your loved FINANCIAL POWER OF ones unnecessary trouble and ATTORNEY: Like needle nose expense down the road. pliers, this helps you reach things you can’t. By signing a Audy M. Perry Jr. is a partfinancial power of attorney, ner at Huddleston Bolen LLP one can avoid the lengthy and and advises individuals on expensive process of having matters involving their pera court assign someone to act sonal wealth, including estate on the incapacitated person’s planning, trusts, charitable behalf. A named agent acting giving, business succession on someone’s behalf can assist planning, asset protection and with many activities, includreal estate matters.

PERRY

Study: 1 in 4 consumers had error in credit report By MARCY GORDON The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — One in four consumers found an error in a credit report issued by a major agency, according to a government study released Monday. The Federal Trade Commission study also said that 5 percent of the consumers identified errors in their reports that could lead to them paying more for mortgages, auto loans or other financial products. The study looked at reports for 1,001 consumers issued by the three major agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FTC hired researchers to help consumers identify potential errors. The study closely matches the results of a yearlong investigation by The Columbus Dispatch. The Ohio newspaper’s report last year said that thousands of consumers were denied loans because of

errors on their credit reports. TheFTCsaysthefindingsunderline the importance of consumers checking their credit reports. Consumers are entitled to a free copy of their credit report each year from each of the three reporting agencies. The FTC study also found that 20 percent of consumers had an error that was corrected by a reporting agency after the consumer disputed it. About 10 percent of consumers had their credit score changed after a reporting agency corrected errors in their reports. The Consumer Data Industry Association, which represents the credit reporting agencies and other data companies, said the FTC study showed that the proportion of credit reports with errors that could increase the rates consumers would pay was small. The study confirmed “that

credit reports are highly accurate, and play a critical role in facilitating access to fair and affordable consumer credit,” the association said in a statement. The new U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has the authority to write and enforce rules for the credit reporting industry. In September the agency began ongoing monitoring of the credit agencies’ compliance. It’s the first time they have faced such close federal oversight. The CFPB hasn’t yet taken any public action against the agencies. However, it is accepting complaints from consumers who discover incorrect information on their reports or have trouble getting mistakes corrected. The agencies have 15 days to respond to the complaints with a plan for fixing the problem; consumers can dispute that response.

Truth discovered behind free credit report websites

By now, we’ve all seen the cute, funny TV ads featuring college-aged musicians singing a catchy tune and advocating the importance of knowing Ed the information contained in your credit report. They are correct in stating that you have the right to obtain a free copy of your credit report. And yes, knowing what’s in your credit report is truly important as it can affect many facets of your life. The problem is that there are many companies offering free credit report access that, in fact, are not free. Let’s face it, is a $20-amonth monitoring fee really free? If you’re asking yourself why the credit reporting agencies are so benevolent in offering the general public free access to their information, it’s because they’re being forced to do so. The

DAVIS

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. They will only provide this information if you request it. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the aforementioned reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, if you’ve filed for bankruptcy protection or have any legal or civil filings against you. The credit reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers and other businesses that use the information to evaluate your applications for credit, employment, renting a home or obtaining insurance. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have established a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address from which you can order your free credit report. To order, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877322-8228. If you are not comfortable using a computer or requesting information over the phone, you can request an order form by writing to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box

105281, Atlanta, GA 303485281. Some of my clients prefer to review their credit more frequently than once a year. For that, I advise them to obtain a single credit report from each credit reporting agency every few months. For instance, I’ll tell them to obtain an Equifax report in February, obtain one from Experian in June and one from TransUnion in October. That way, they can monitor their credit report every four months while accessing reports from each agency once a year. The contact information for each reporting company is as follows: Equifax: 1-800-685-1111, www.equifax.com. Experian: 1-800-397-3742; www.experian.com. TransUnion: 1-800-8884213; www.transunion.com. If you prefer to order all three credit reports at the

same time, also referred to as a tri-merge, remember that there is only one authorized website from which you can do this, www.annualcreditreport.com. Other websites that claim to offer free credit reports, free credit scores, or free credit monitoring are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. Some imposter sites use terms like “free report” in their names while others have URLs that purposely misspell the name of the website in hopes that you will incorrectly type the name of the official site. Sadly, many of these false sites try to sell you unnecessary services or attempt to collect your personal information. Annualcreditreport.com and the three nationwide consumer reporting companies will never send you an email asking for your personal information. Should

you receive an email, see a pop-up advertisement or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from annualcreditreport.com or any of the three companies, do not reply or click on any of the links in their message. More than likely, it’s a scam. You should report any such email to the FTC at spam@uce.gov. Obtaining your credit report can be a great first step in correcting any errors you feel may have been made in your name or in re-establishing your good credit history. Poor credit can not only cost you a significant portion of your budgeted hard-earned dollars in the form of higher interest rates, it can affect your living standards, where you live, where you work and your family’s future. Ed Davis is coordinator of the Financial Stability Partnership for United Way of the River Cities.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Finance

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Businesses face many Residents deserve benefits workforce challenges of regionalism success

ZOELLER GOLDER

Businesses also have told us that it often takes ten applicants to find one employee. Many applicants do not continue the application process when told a drug test is involved. Others will take the test and fail. Of the remaining applicants, some fail the skills test, do not report to work if hired, or leave after a short time. This is a serious challenge for business and job growth. We need a drug free workforce. Huntington is by no means alone in this challenge, but to the extent we meet and overcome this challenge, we significantly strengthen our economic position in relation to other communities. Fortunately there are a number of excellent treatment options in our area including Prestera, River Park Hospital, and The Healing Place of Huntington. In addition, REACH WV is a referral office that assists those navigating the pavth to recovery. Another critical issue for local business is workforce readiness. Last year HADCO conducted a survey of area businesses. We asked them to rate the importance of certain attributes that a business looks for in a good employee. We then asked them how job applicants matched up with those attributes. Here are some of the results: critical thinking/problem solving, 97 percent of employers considered this important with 41 percent of applicants matching that attribute; oral communications was 100 percent and 58 percent; teamwork/collaboration was 100 percent and 61 percent; and professionalism/work ethic was 100 percent and 68 percent. This is the gap that local employers see between what they need in a workforce and how they perceive the workforce. These are the skills that employees of these businesses need to be successful. The message that we need to convey is that if you want to be on a successful career path, these are the skills that will help you attain that success. Fortunately, our area educational institu-

tions and Workforce West Virginia continue to integrate this message into their curriculums. They are also developing specific curriculum that cover a number of skills that will help students to be ready to enter the workforce. Our new workforce also has to be more engaged and strategic as it prepares for the work place. A high school education is the starting point for any career, but it will not be enough for most skilled and better paying jobs. Businesses want skilled workers. And skilled doesn’t necessarily mean a 2 or 4 year degree or Masters Degree; it may mean what is often referred to as “12 plus.” In other words you need something beyond high school to be successful, but it may be a certification, special training, licensing, or an internship. More and more of these 12 plus alternatives are being offered, but our workforce has to be smart about getting the right training so that it is attractive to industry and at the same time does not incur any more debt than it can practically repay. Workforce readiness is not the only challenge facing local businesses and potential employees, but it is one that we can address locally. Workforce readiness means good paying jobs, which means a healthier economy. Marshall University, Mountwest Community and Technical College, The Robert C. Byrd Institute, Huntington Junior College of Business, Workforce WV, our public schools and others are all striving to provide a meaningful educational experience to students. But we need to continue to challenge ourselves and students to create a quality workforce. It doesn’t just benefit the employers and employees, it strengthens our entire community. Stephen Zoeller is vice president and Stephen J. Golder is chairman of executive committee for the Huntington Area Development Council.

Being the newest economic development person in the region, I’d first like to say thanks to all who’ve made me feel so very welcomed. As I’ve discussed “regional economic development” with others one thing is clear, we all want this region to thrive. We all want this region to be prosperous and provide livelihoods for our children and grandchildren. Another thing I’ve learned is this “regional economic development” is no new idea. There are people in place who’ve been working toward this cause for many years. I’ve said, as have others, this effort is not one we can just “work at,” we have to be successful at “regionalism.” The people in our Tri-State region deserve the benefits of this successful effort. Why spend time and energy to make “regionalism” work? First, because our Tri-State citizenry lives this way already. There are countless people

Bill

HANNAH that live in one state, work in another state and shop and go to restaurants in the third state. We are “living” regionally today. In my view, we just need to tweak how we’re “selling” ourselves to more accurately reflect the way we live in the Tri-State region. This is what companies considering our region want too. They want to know the “real” population, the “real” labor market, the “real” quality of life being enjoyed by our region. And the fact is, though our organization may only be representing Boyd and Greenup counties our attributes are regional (what we should be “selling”

are regional attributes), the same goes for Scioto and Lawrence counties and also Wayne and Cabell counties. Our real strength, what we should be selling, is the “combination of attributes” from these counties and the counties that surround these counties. Second, the strength in “selling” ourselves and “coordinating” ourselves as at Tri-State region is “political multiplication.” We gain, up and down the line, our political strength “times three.” As a region, we can literally “activate” the governors and our congressional delegations from all three states. We can have commissioners and mayors working hand-in-hand, across state lines. Will this be easy? Probably not. Will there be issues that separate us? Probably so. Will it be worth the trouble? Absolutely. Functioning as

Please see SUCCESS/4D

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The Huntington Area Development Council (HADCO) is the local nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and retaining jobs in Cabell and Stephen Wayne counties. HADCO has been in exisStephen J. tence for more than 20 years and has worked with private businesses, our city and county governments and our state and federal representatives to create and retain thousands of jobs in our region. Each year HADCO visits close to 100 local businesses in order to gauge the current economic climate and to identify any concerns these businesses may have and ways that HADCO can assist them. In the face of a slowly recovering economy, area businesses are exhibiting cautious optimism about future growth. Some industries continue to face serious challenges, but by expanding product lines, looking at new markets (especially foreign), and adding value to existing product lines, businesses are compensating for changes in their markets. It is critical that businesses get the support they need from government, education and economic development agencies if they are to be successful in this challenging environment. One of the keys to this success is the availability of a quality workforce. Many businesses have expressed the concern to HADCO that they will not be able to find the employees they need to sustain or grow their businesses. One of the biggest concerns is drug abuse. Recently, a local business recounted that it lost a good long-term employee due to a failed random drug test. The company has lost a lifetime of experience and productivity. The employee may have lost the ability to ever obtain a good paying job, at least in that field. More companies are utilizing drug testing and more applicants are failing them.

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C M Y K 50 inch 4D The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

Progress 2013: Finance

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Marshall’s Andrew Ferguson drives the ball past Bryan Celis of Kentucky during a soccer match Oct. 17, 2012, at Hurricane High School.

Additions of eastern-based schools cost-effective for Thundering Herd The Herald-Dispatch

In 2012, the college sports landscape was rocked by conference realignment, which centered around television packages and power conferences. While Marshall University stayed home in Conference USA, the makeup of the conference changed dramatically. In all, Conference USA lost six members — four in 2013 and two in 2014 — while gaining eight total members for all sports except football, which adds six for 2013 and the other two programs in the next two years as their football programs get established. The impact of the realignment will have several effects on Marshall University, but one of the most noted effects will be the cost-effectiveness of the new league. In terms of football, those exiting the league are Houston, University of Central Florida, Southern Methodist University and Memphis for 2013 and East Carolina University and Tulane in 2014. Coming into the league are Florida International University (FIU), Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), North Texas for 2013 and Old Dominion (ODU) and Charlotte over the next two years. Both Old Dominion and Charlotte will join for all other sports this year. “Conference USA has become a more regional conference for Marshall University with the addition of schools like Middle Tennessee, Charlotte and Old Dominion,” Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick said. “This is a more regional conference for us and it’s one that is

Success

n Continued from 3D

the Tri-State, we will also have access to many more federal dollars for our “region” than if we each pursue these dollars on our own. And the “political multiplication” comes in this way. As we work together, politically and otherwise, our strength and our presence will grow exponentially, our successes will feed other successes.

fan-friendly as well. It’ll become more cost-effective to travel to some of these places.” When the conference realignment began, everyone wondered where Marshall may end up due to the ever-changing conference structures. All along, Hamrick said he was content in Conference USA, and now, it has become clear why. In the old Conference USA, the Herd’s closest trip was a seven-hour drive to rival East Carolina. With the new alignment of C-USA, Marshall will have driveable trips to Middle Tennessee (five hours), Charlotte (five hours) and Old Dominion (seven hours). Also, adding Florida-based teams FIU and FAU makes for cheaper travel on flights as well with several options available. Those benefits and savings could add up quickly and help enhance Marshall athletics, as well. According to David Steele, Marshall associate athletic director for administration and business, Marshall’s total team travel for the 2011-12 sports year was $2,857,000, which included the 2011 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla. With some expensive trips being taken off of the Marshall books, there is the potential for long-term saving with the new alignment of Conference USA. That is something Hamrick said he was hoping for, but was not sure because there has not been a cycle through the new alignment, yet. If there are savings, Hamrick said the money will instantly be put back into enhancing athletics for the Thundering Herd. “Any savings that we have on travel we can invest back into our program in many different

areas, such as recruiting budgets, equipment upgrades, salaries and other things,” Hamrick said. While much of the emphasis is on football and how it is affected, the biggest aid will come to Olympic sports, who travel just as much if not more than the major sports without bringing in the revenue of football and basketball. Of the $2.85 million that Marshall spent on travel in 2011-12, $1.11 million of it were on Olympic sports at Marshall, which includes all sports except football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. The large amounts of travel combined with a smaller following for the Olympic sports resulted in a significant amount of financial loss in comparisons of revenue-to-expense. Comparatively speaking, the $1.11 million in 2011-12 is nearly double the numbers of the pre-Conference USA days when Marshall was in the MidAmerican Conference. The Indianapolis Star released the NCAA’s financial reports on its website for the 2004-05 year, and during that final year in the MAC, Marshall spent $569,480 on travel for Olympic sports. While it is not likely to ever get back to that level due to rises in travel costs nationally (gasoline, airfare, etc.), the regionalization of Conference USA will help trim the numbers. For many of the future trips in Conference USA, Olympic sports will likely be able to bus to more events instead of flying, which will cut costs considerably. There is also speculation that Western Kentucky could join Conference USA, which would only bolster the regionalization of a once wide-spread conference.

Third, and maybe the most important reason, as our region thrives, each “state region” in the Tri-State region will also thrive. The idea that we should “protect” each of our areas (our part of the Tri-State) to ensure we “win” even at the expense of another part of the Tri-State, just has not worked. The numbers bear this out. We have each suffered, for different reasons, within each of our states as we all attempt to attract new jobs to our region. The time

to decide whether we should work together or not has long past. We honestly can’t afford not to work together. Over the past few months I’ve enjoyed getting to know my associates in Ohio and West Virginia. We all want success for our region. I look forward to joining hands across our Tri-State region with all willing to take up this work. Bill Hannah is president of the Ashland Alliance.

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Summer In the Son Extension 264

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Finance

The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 15, 2013

A debt management program, or DMP, is designed to help consumers pay off all of their debt at lower interest rates and one fixed, monthly payment made to an agency that, on their behalf, pays each creditor every month. Metro Creative Graphics

Don’t settle when it comes to debt All too often, I receive a phone call from someone who has fallen for a debt settlement advertisement or telemarketing call and realized later that they have made a huge mistake. Debt settlement and debt management are two very different programs and consumers must be very careful when seeking help with debt. A debt management program, or DMP, is designed to help consumers pay off all of their debt at lower interest rates and one fixed, monthly payment made to an agency that, on their behalf, pays each creditor every month. The program is designed to eliminate the debt within a three-to-five-year period. Consumers should choose an agency that is a nonprofit, has certified counselors and is accredited. The counselor should offer budget advice as well as a review of your credit report and be available to you throughout the length of the DMP to answer questions and offer advice. The accounts are closed when the proposals are accepted by the creditor, any late or over-limit fees that may be accruing are stopped and the interest is lowered in most cases. The creditors will be paid each and every month at the same time each month with the deposit made by the consumer. Sometimes, a

Angela

ROACH

nominal monthly fee will be included with the payment; however, based on budget and circumstances, that fee can be lowered or waived. When the DMP is completed, the credit report will show that the account is paid in full which is more favorable with lenders than having “debt settled” on the report. Debt settlement is very different. A debt settlement agency will set up a payment plan for you, but your money will be set aside until 20-50 percent of your debt amount has built up. They may also charge a large fee ranging from $500-$3000 up front, which could be held out of your initial payments. In the meantime, your accounts are not being paid and are being reported to the credit bureau as delinquent and those delinquencies stay on your credit report for seven years. If the account falls severely past due, you run the risk of being sued by the creditor. One client had this happen and when she called the agency, she was told that they

couldn’t help her and that she should have been aware that this could happen because it was written into her contract. If you are sued and receive a judgment against you, that becomes public record and will be on your credit report for 10 years. Another issue that likely won’t be discussed but hidden in the fine print is that if the amount of debt forgiven is greater than $600, it is reported to the IRS which considers the forgiven debt as income. The consumer will receive a 1099 form showing the amount of forgiven debt which then must be claimed as income and could possibly cause you to owe taxes. The worst thing you can do is to do nothing. Be proactive with regard to your financial well-being. Ignoring it will not make it go away and don’t fall for debt settlement promises. Make that first step toward financial security and contact us today. We are Consumer Credit Counseling Service, a division of Goodwill Industries, Inc. We are located in Huntington and serve the entire Tri-State. Contact us at 304-522-4321 or visit www. goodwillhunting.org. Angela Roach is program manager for Consumer Credit Counseling Service, a division of Goodwill Industries, Inc.

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Friday, March 15, 2013