LIVING OUR CULTURE, AUG ’21

New Program Director Leylah Dixon  

Congratulations are in order for Leylah Dixon, LPN, for her promotion this past March to Program Director of the Colorado Springs Treatment Center. She started working for BHG in November 2019 as a medication nurse at our Centennial Center. After six months, she moved to the Colorado Springs Center when they opened in May 2020. She was promoted for her hard work and dedication to the operations of the treatment center and is a model for excellence and growth for all who work with her and know her, including her patients.  

We don’t know how she does it, but she’s also a mother of five children, has been married 21 years, works out regularly and rides a Ducati Panigale 959 to work when the weather is nice.  

“It’s unexplainable. I’ve seen people who were at their lowest completely turn their lives around. If that’s not a good feeling, I don’t know what is, but something led me here.”

“Before BHG, I had worked in surgery with the same doctor for 10 years. When I moved here, I met someone who worked at one of our competitors. I originally had a negative perception of methadone,” said Leylah. “When they approached me about a job, I pretty much rolled my eyes. But then we talked more and I completely changed my outlook and took the job. I loved it. Loved isn’t even the word. I loved the whole atmosphere. It’s unexplainable. I’ve seen people who were at their lowest completely turn their lives around. If that’s not a good feeling, I don’t know what is, but something led me here.”  

“At my previous job, we had over 600 patients. I met Mandy Malone, now the Regional Director for Michigan, when she did my audit at my old place which had been in bad shape until I turned it around. Then, Mandy went on to BHG as the Regional Director for the Colorado Springs Center. One thing led to another and I came to BHG. This promotion is a ginormous learning curve, but I love it. At the heart of me, I’m still a nurse. I’m still dosing. I’m actually glad that I’m pulled in different directions because I get to stay in contact with patients,” said Leylah. 

“I personally like coming out into the waiting room and interacting with the patients. Everybody wants to mention my bike. I’m a person to them. I don’t treat them like an addict. I don’t dwell on why they’re there; they don’t need to be reminded. I treat them like a human. If they have questions or need anything, they know they can ask me.”  

Working with teammates like Leylah inspires us all to “Say Yes” to serving each other and our patients. At Colorado Springs, they started with zero patients and now they have about 60 and are slowly growing. When they have walk-ins, she helps with intakes.  

When asked if there was a mantra she goes by and what she would say to encourage colleagues about professional growth, she said Mandy Malone once told her, “Be the leader that you always wanted to have yourself.” She said that if you have goals and want to grow, to be patient and work hard. “If you work hard, you’ll get there.” 

That’s good advice for us all, anywhere in life. Thank you, Leylah, for “saying yes” to BHG.  

Vaccine Campaign Winners

Check out our July Vaccination Campaign winners who are doing well by doing good across the country. Each of these awesome colleagues received $100 e-gift cards. Thank you for taking care of “us” so that we can take care of our communities.   

Molly McGowan, Counselor Supervisor, BHG – Bessemer

 

Maria Ruiz-Davalos, Counselor, BHG – Savannah

(Photo unavailable) 

Martha Regan-Smith, Medical Director, BHG – Westminster 

How to participate in the campaign 

In support of BHG’s infectious disease vaccination policy, we are encouraging team members to vaccinate. If for any reason you pay out of pocket and it’s not reimbursable through insurance coverage for an infectious disease vaccination, you may submit the expense through our expense reimbursement system, Certify. In addition, if you receive a vaccination against an infectious disease, your name will go in to a monthly drawing for a $100 gift card (3 cards each month will be awarded). All you need to do is send an email with an image of the vaccine documents to [email protected].   

Haven’t entered the monthly drawing yet? 

Step One. Get your vaccine and proof that you did, either as a receipt for the cost of the vaccine or a vaccine dosing card.  

Step Two. Simply take a photo of both sides of the receipt or vaccine card and attach it to an email and send to [email protected]. HR will add your name into the random drawing. 

You can find both the vaccination policy and a COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ on our HR SharePoint. Our HR SharePoint site and documents answer questions, and provide updated information coming from authorities. If you don’t find what you need, please reach out to [email protected].   

Note: Above winners voluntarily granted permission for their names to be used in this announcement.