Service Excellence, A Values Story
In 1987, Bridges Treatment Center opened its doors, providing services to one of the most vulnerable of our population - children in need of behavioral health services. Over those 35 years, a consistent Value of the program has been a commitment to Service Excellence. It has been woven into the fabric of our service guidelines and has been a commitment of our Caregivers who believed in the mission of providing excellent services to children. Bridges has served over 1,200 children by hundreds of staff in 35 years! I have been fortunate to serve the children and Caregivers of Bridges as the Director since January 2021.
In trying to identify one specific Service Excellence example, I struggled to find just one thing or action within Bridges that represents that Value. Organizationally, I view it as a measure or demonstration of collective efforts, resulting in the child and family headed towards living a better life. That belief in a collective action has been woven into the Bridges fabric from 35 years ago.
I have observed and been a part of the daily commitment to Service Excellence as part of the culture at Bridges. An example is easily evidenced in the initial contact with a parent/legal guardian looking for help for their child. Our Admissions Coordinator, Pat Howard, assists the parent/legal guardian in making the appropriate contacts within their locality to determine eligibility for services. From there, Pat asks for and gathers medical and school records, and then makes the arrangements for admission to the program through the local Child Services caseworker. Throughout this process, Pat delivers this service knowing that the family has to make one of the most challenging family decisions in determining if Bridges is the place they will trust with their child. All of this takes place before the child and family are physically present on our campus!
Service Excellence continues the moment the child is admitted to our program. Our admission process provides an opportunity for the child and parent to be introduced to staff from each department, ask questions, resolve any immediate concerns, establish with the child and parent/legal guardian their personal goals for discharge, and the general plan and expectations for participation in the program.
During the length of stay, which is different for every child, treatment is 24/7, and all of us are vested in the child’s treatment plan. It is normal to see a child working with and engaged in an activity with Associate Mental Health Professionals, other children, the Therapist, Psychiatrist, RN, School Teacher, EVS, Maintenance, Nutrition, Administration, and when they are on campus, Regulatory and Community personnel. We are all aware of and participative in the treatment of the child.
My favorite moment of a child’s stay with us occurs at discharge. We have a tradition at Bridges that involves the “Ringing of the Bell.” As a child has completed our program and is headed back to their home, whatever that definition is for them, the staff and other children gather around and whoop and holler for the child as they reach up and ring the bell. A wave follows it, a handshake, a hug, an occasional tear, and a thank you from a staff member to the parent for trusting us with their child. That Ringing of the Bell is such a powerful sound. Metaphorically, it represents, instead of an alarm sound for help, a celebratory sound of success in taking steps towards living their best life. And we got to be a part of that success!
I would be remiss if I did not mention that our long-term Caregivers are the primary reason that the idea of Service Excellence at Bridges is so entwined and woven into our operational fabric. There are over a dozen Caregivers who have 20-33 years of service and over a dozen more who have 10-19 years of service! They have been instrumental in defining and incorporating it into the program and making it a natural trait and distinct Value of our program from start to finish.
It is an honor for me to be able to be a part of Bridges Treatment Center and the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Service Line, serving the children and the staff who demonstrate the perfect example of the organizational Value, Service Excellence. Thank you for this opportunity!
Written by David Cole, Director at Bridges Treatment Center
