DEFERRED COMPENSATIONThe County offers eligible employees the ability to save for retirement on a tax-deferred ba-sis through the 401(k) and 457 Plans. It’s never too late to start.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMThe Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides professional and confidential mental health counseling support to you and your family when it is needed. The EAP is available to assist with not only a personal crisis but also marriage or family related problems, alcohol or drug related problems, or troubling challenges at work.

WELLNESS PROGRAMThe Wellness Program can help you lead a healthier and higher quality of life. All Regular County employees and their spouses are eligible and encouraged to participate in the Well-ness Profile and classes on topics such as diabetes, weight loss, stress management, fitness and more.

WORK/LIFEThe Work/Life Program promotes the family friendly services offered to County of Ventura employees.

Benefits DivisionJanuary-March, 2014

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Photo by Dana Phil l ips, former County HSA Employee

Synchronizing the Col lect ive Wisdom

I n t r o d u c i n g t h e n e w N e t B e n e f i t s ® L i b r a r y

T a k e C a r e o f t h e P e o p l e W h o M a t t e r M o s t . . .How long has i t been s ince you ’ve thought about your ben-e f i c ia r ies? Wel l , we encourage you to th ink about them now.

The Online Beneficiaries Services available through Fidelity NetBenefits is a straightforward, convenient process that takes just minutes. Perhaps you never designated your beneficiaries, or you’ve had a life-changing event – marriage, domestic partnership, divorce, birth of a child, or a death in the family. We urge you to take just a minute and add your beneficiary, or make sure your beneficiary information is up to date.

To add a beneficiary, or to check your current designation, logon to NetBenefits at www.fidelity.com/atwork and select “Beneficiaries” in the “Your Profile” sec-tion. You can then designate your beneficiaries for your 401(k) and/or 457 Plan accounts and receive instant online confirmation. If you have both a 401(k) and a 457 Plan account, you’ll need to designate beneficiaries for each Plan. Take the time to make sure your wishes are followed in the event of your death, and designate your beneficiaries online today.

2 0 1 4 C o m m i t t e e S c h e d u l eWere you aware tha t the Defer red Compensat ion Com -mi t tee ’s meets quar te r l y and the meet ings a re open to the pub l i c?

All participants are invited to attend. The Deferred Compensation Committee quarterly 2014 meetings will be held on:

February 13thMay 8thAugust 14thNovember 13th

The meetings are at 2:00 p.m. in the CEO Large Conference Room at the Hall of Administration. For more information, or to request an agenda, please contact the Deferred Compensation Program by e-mailing deferred.compen-sation@ventura.org or calling 805.654.2620.

W o u l d y o u l i k e t o m a k e s m a r t e r, m o r e i n f o r m e d i n v e s t m e n t d e c i s i o n s i n 2 0 1 4 ? Need he lp under -s tand ing the fundamenta ls o f inves t ing? F ide l i t y has the inves tment gu idance too ls tha t can he lp no mat te r what leve l o f inves to r you are , o r what in fo rmat ion you a re look ing fo r. And now i t ’s eas ie r than ever to f ind the gu idance you are look ing fo r w i th the new NetBenef i t s® L ib ra ry.

Through the NetBenef i t s® l ib ra ry, you have access to educat iona l too ls , v ideos , a r t i c les , web inars , and podcas ts wh ich have been broken down in to th ree easy- to -nav iga te sec t ions tha t w i l l he lp you ge t the most ou t o f every th ing F ide l i t y has to o f fe r. Se lec t “Learn the Bas ics ” and you can learn more about top ics such as sav ing fo r re t i rement , the bas ics o f inves t ing , and ideas on ge t t ing ou t o f deb t . You can a lso see how a p re - tax con t r ibu t ion migh t impac t your take-home pay w i th the Take Home Pay Ca lcu la to r. Once you have the bas ics covered , you can “Ref ine Your Sk i l l s ” . Th is sec t ion w i l l take you to the nex t leve l o f inves t ing , budget ing , and re t i rement p lann ing w i th top ics inc lud ing Des ign ing Your F inanc ia l Roadmap, Eva lua t ing Fund Per fo rmance, and Ret i rement Income St ra teg ies . And f ina l l y, “Exp lo re Advanced Top ics ” w i l l p rov ide you in fo rmat ion on top ics such as es ta te p lann ing , quar te r l y marke t perspec t i ve , and tax cons idera t ions . Our P lan In fo rmat ion and fo rms are a lso ava i lab le th rough the new NetBenef i t s® l ib ra ry. You can access the NetBenef i t s® l ib ra ry by logg ing on to h t tp : / /p lan . f ide l i t y.com/ventura and s imp ly se lec t ing the L ib ra ry op t ion l i s ted a t the top o f the homepage. We s t rong ly encourage you to take advantage o f the learn ing too ls , and educat iona l mater ia ls ava i lab le th rough F ide l i t y. I f you have any ques t ions , p lease con tac t the Defer red Compensat ion Program a t 654-2620, o r de fe r red .compensa -t ion@ventura .o rg .

EAP Services are available to you and eligible family members.

~No Cost to You ~Confidential ~Professional

Confidential Assessment ServicesThe EAP prov ides p ro fess iona l ass is tance to e l ig ib le employees and fami ly mem -bers . Cr is is in te rven t ion , assessment , educa t ion , and re fe r ra l serv ices a re ava i l -ab le on a con f iden t ia l bas is . Cons ider ta lk ing w i th one o f our l i censed s ta f f i f you o r a loved one is exper ienc ing a cha l leng ing persona l p rob lem such as s t ress , g r ie f , mar i ta l d i f f i cu l t y, over -use o f subs tances , o r i f there i s a menta l hea l th cr is is in your l i fe .

Mediation ServicesDi f f i cu l t ies can occur be tween co-workers when d i f fe rences o f op in ion , m isun -ders tand ings , o r con t ras t ing s ty les resu l t in s t ra ined communica t ion and compro -mised workp lace e f fec t i veness . Med ia t ion in the workp lace has con t inued to be an e f fec t i ve a l te rna t i ve fo r many employees . Th is i s a f ree serv ice p rov ided by the EAP. Med ia t ion serv ices ass is t par t i c ipan ts by invo lv ing a neu t ra l th i rd par ty to l i s ten to a l l par t ies and fac i l i ta te so lu t ions . Par t i c ipa t ion i s vo lun ta ry, p roac t i ve , and very e f fec t i ve . For add i t iona l in fo rmat ion , i f th is serv ice can be o f ass is tance to you , con tac t EAP s ta f f .

950 County Square Drive, Suite 200, Ventura, CA 93003. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, contact the EAP at (805) 654-4327.

INTRODUCING A NEW PROGRAM Presented by EAP

LUNCH-TIME WITH TED

What are the TED Talks?TED conferences are onl ine presentat ions that br ing together the world’s most fas-cinat ing thinkers and doers who are witty, funny, and creat ive. Each are chal lenged to give the talk of their l ives ( in 18 minutes or less) . Speakers are chosen because they are exper ts in their respec-t ive f ie lds who bel ieve passionately in the power of ideas to change att i tudes, l ives and, ult imately, the world.

What is the Lunch Time with TED series?With more than 1500 TED Talks avai lable , and more added each week , EAP staff continue to identi fy and select presentat ions we bel ieve can have a deep impact on the wel lness of employees both at work and at home. Gen-erat ing dialogue around TED Talks can be fun, invigorat ing and profoundly educat ional . Al l i t takes is a lunch break , a reser ved space, and EAP wi l l do the rest . EAP can come once monthly for a selected ser ies or just “show up” with a surpr ise presentat ion each month. Interested staff can br ing their lunch and enjoy a shared lunchtime experience that includes a topical TED conference presentat ion and discussion faci l i tated by EAP staff. Each pre-sentat ion provides inspirat ion, educat ion, and up-to-date knowledge on var ious topics that are sure to posit ively impact your outlook on l i fe , work , and yourself. I f interested, give EAP a cal l .

Also available:

Promoting Good Health and Helping Manage Health Care Costs

A re you haunted by the ghosts of Resolut ions Past? Don’ t le t that scare you of f making resolut ions

for heal th ier habi ts th is year. People who make new year ’s resolut ions are more l ike ly to succeed. Boost the chances of success wi th these t ips:

4Avoid perfectionism. Don’t set lofty goals and then punish yourself when you fail to achieve them.

4Resolve ambivalence. If you are not sure of the benefits of the change or feel your goal is not really important or doable, this can weaken your commitment to take action. Register for the Wellness Profile to get a personalized risk assessment that can help you identify important health goals and boost your motivation to change.

4Take the long view. Developing and maintaining healthy habits is a lifelong process. This is not a one chance deal. Envision the whole year and the ups and downs you may encounter on the way. Be flexible and realistic. Focus on recognizing and building on success.

4Use positive peer pressure. Surround yourself with people who value a positive attitude towards healthy life habits. Search out a mentor, someone who is already doing what you want to do. For example, start walking with the people in your office that always walk on break. Build a community of support by attending Wellness classes, enroll-ing in the CSA, joining a gym or meeting with a Wellness Program health coach..

This Year, It Will Be Different...Set SMART Goals

S peci f ic M easurable A chievable R eal is t ic T imedExamples:

a I w i l l walk 10 minutes at morning break M-F. NOT: I wi l l get f i t next year.

a I w i l l take 2 p ieces of f ru i t to work for snacks. NOT: I wi l l eat bet ter f rom now on.

a I wil l join the Wellness “Guilt-Free Weight Loss” program. NOT: I ’ve got to get th inner r ight now.

Take a different approach! Don’t like to exercise? Don’t do it. Instead, have some fun. Begin by ex-panding your definition of exercise. You don’t have to sweat or grunt—any opportunity to be active counts! Jump rope with your kids, buy yourself a Hula Hoop, or play a game of Frisbee with your dog. Find the fun in a short break walk with the Wellness Program’s Fun Walk and win a pedometer!

Reconnect with the joy of movement with low stress activities like tai chi, yoga, or stretching classes. Take up bowling or go out dancing with friends. Focus, above all, on the pleasure of physical activity and redis-cover your body as a source of energy and strength.

The more you move, the more you will move. Remember Newton’s law of physics, “A body in motion tends to stay in motion.”

Want a challenge? A Beginner’s Boot Camp44 Mondays, April 7th - April 28th, 5:30-6:30pm @ the Gov’t Center

Think you can’t run a race? Think again: Couch To 5K4Wednesday, February 5th, 12-1pm @ the Gov’t Center

Trouble getting in gear? Jump Start Your Workout!4Wednesday January 15th, 12-1pm @ the Gov’t Center

CLICK HERE for the complete January-April 2014 Wellness Program schedule, or go to: http://ceo.countyofventura.org/benefits/wellnessand click on the current “Wellness Program Schedule” link under “Well-ness Services.”

New Fitness RulesThink you know the drill on shaping up and slimming down? Think again.Old school: Working out is the only way to stay trimNew rule: Your whole day comes into play

It is total daily energy use, not just how many calories you burn during exercise, that will ultimately make a difference in your health and fitness.

Every time you stand up and move, you are involved in non-exercise activity, otherwise known as spontaneous activity. No matter how you move, when you move more you burn more calories. The difference could be as much as 350 calories per day.

What’s Under Your Hood? Find Out With the Wellness Profile!

Register ONLINE TODAY...ht tp : / / securevcweb/we l lness

805.654.2628 we l lness .p rogram@ventura .o rg

Thinking About Buying A Home?Save $$ by using Coastal Housing Partnership financial assistance programs for

your home purchase!

As an employee of the County of Ventura, you are eligible to benefit from these programs. Attend a free workshop to learn about:

• Steps of the Loan Process • Qualifying for a Loan • How Much of a Loan You Can Afford • How You Can Purchase a Home with Only a 5% Down Payment

WHERE: Government Center, VenturaWHEN: 1 /29 and 3 /11 , 5 :30-6:30pm

Regis te r ing i s easy ! By phone: 805 .969.1025 By emai l : Ju l ia@coas ta lhous ing .o rg Or ONLINE: http://www.coastalhousing.org/employees_education.htm

Resources Available to YOU!Tips for Communicating

When Your Loved One has DementiaAdapted f rom an ar t i c le by Mar iana Cont i fea tu red in YHC Magaz ine , Dec .2013 (yhconnec t ion .com)

As your loved one’s dementia grows more severe, you will start to observe several changes. He or she may forget to eat or forget how to complete even the most simple of tasks. Another likely change is that communicating with them will become more difficult. The disease pro-cess is largely to account for this.

As more of their brain is damaged, they may forget how to speak or how to understand what is being said to them. Since dementia primarily affects older adults, they may also experience age-related declines in vision and hearing that make communication harder.Here are several suggestions to help you communicate with your loved one at different stages of cognitive impairment: (CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE.)

For more information and/or to request your Work/Life resource, p lease contact us a t 805 /477-7234 or work l i fe@ventura .org .

Family Guide to Elder Care: Creating Caregiving OptionsAre you caring for an elderly relative? Are you responsible for making arrangements for an elderly family member, either locally or long distance? This packet includes much need information, such as a resource guide for services in Ventura County, information on Seniors & the Law, a listing of elder care facilities in Ventura County and much more!

New Child Care/Preschool Discount Booklet The Child Care/Preschool Discount Program Booklet features programs in Ventura County that offer discounts to County employees. The booklet is updated annually to include new programs or for current programs to adjust their discounts. If your child is already enrolled in a program that provides a discount in the booklet, please check the updated version to see if your discount has changed.

Before & After School Programs in Ventura CountyA comprehensive listing of before and after school programs throughout Ventura County!

Other Resources• Family Child Care • Choosing Quality Child Care• Lactation Accommodation resources• Guide to ‘At Home’ Child Care

• First 5 New Parent Kits

Save The Date!Fami ly Care & Volunteer Resource Fa i rMay 22 , 2014 9 :00 a .m. - 1 :00 p .m.Meet local experts in family , chi ld and senior careVentura County Government Center , Main Courtyard

Working full-time can be a balancing act~especially if you are providing care and support to an elderly family member who is ill or disabled.

Often, the stress of caregiving can lead to burnout and damage to both your physical and mental health. If you are in this position, it is essential that you get the support you need.

Join us to receive support, resources and links to services at the Elder Care Support Group.

Drop in as your schedule allows. (No pre-registration is required.) Elder Care Support Group Meetings @ the Government Center:

Jan. 29 & March 26, 12-1pm (HOA, Rm 331, 3rd Flr) Feb. 26 12-1pm (HOA, HR-1, 4th Flr)

The County of Ventura recognizes that in order to have a dedicated and productive workforce,

employees need support in balancing their work and family life.