The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2016

24 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL director of the Office of Medical Services. Having recently completed a year at Harvard studying health policy, he advocated the idea of an electronic medical record and supported direct payment of private providers for mental health care as a way of reducing the stigma for patients. Rigamer had also been aware of the dual agency issues created by the mental health program and sup- ported the need to keep mental health records separate from general medical records—a principle that fell by the wayside in the early 2000s. He also insisted on having MED become involved in over- seas clearances for children with special needs and sought to professionalize the administration of MED by hiring a Civil Service executive director with experience in health care administration. These changes, along with his idea to move physician posi- tions from European posts to some in the developing world, proved controversial, and Rigamer departed MED in 1996. Meanwhile, the Iran hos- tage crisis in 1979-1980 had created further awareness of the need for psychological support for the Foreign Service. On Feb. 14, 1979, 66 Americans were taken hostage by Iranian militants when Washington admitted the Shah of Iran to the United States for cancer treatment. Fifty- two of the hostages remained in captivity for 444 days. State Department psychiatrists Drs. Rod Johnson, Esther Roberts, Pat Haynes and others devised and implemented a The Iran hostage crisis in 1979-1980 created further awareness of the need for psychological support for the Foreign Service. USAID’S STAFF CARE CENTER Recognizing that a healthy workforce is essential to increased productivity and employee recruitment and reten- tion, USAID’s Office of Human Resources launched the Staff Care Program in 2012. Staff Care aims to help every employee feel valued and to integrate resilience and wellness into the agency’s corporate culture. Staff Care offers USAID employees a variety of programs and initiatives that fall under four primary pillars: work-life, wellness, the employee assistance-resilience program and the child care subsidy program. • WorkLife4You is Staff Care’s work-life component, providing employees and their dependents with valuable resources and expert guidance to help navigate their day-to-day responsibilities and life events. Services encompass everything from breastfeeding support to advice on schools and financial aid and elder care assessments to online discussion groups and discounts. • The wellness component supports employees in their efforts to lead healthier lives through health risk assess- ments, running and walking groups, weight management programs and free access to fitness facilities. • Staff Care’s employee assistance and resilience program is intended to strengthen personal and organizational resilience, and includes services such as confidential counseling, legal and financial consultations, and specialized coaching and training to facilitate recovery after traumatic events. • U.S. direct-hire employees whose total adjusted gross family/household income is $89,900 or less, and who have children under age 13 or a disabled child under age 18, may qualify for the child-care subsidy program. The Staff Care Center team includes licensed psychologists, clinical social workers and certified professional coaches. The center is located at 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 531, Washington, D.C. USAID employees are welcome to utilize center resources or speak with its staff by appointment. Walk-ins are also acceptable. In addition, Staff Care runs a 24/7 telephone line that is available free of charge to both domestic and international callers. —From the Staff Care website, www.staffcare.usaid.gov