November 6, 2023

Week 3 of 2024 Annual Enrollment is your final opportunity to make a difference in your health and the health of your family members!

Now through 11:59 p.m. on November 10, visit texaschildrensbenefits.org to finalize your elections. If you do not take action by the deadline, you will remain enrolled in your current 2023 elections – with the exception of the Flexible Spending Accounts, which must be re-elected annually.

Join our Virtual Benefits Fair – on Tuesday, November 7, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. – to get details about benefits tailored to meet your needs. Please don’t hesitate. The time to elect your 2024 benefits is now!

Take advantage of your chance to engage, one-on-one, with a benefits professional. Review the Questions? Need Help? details, below – for the assistance option that works best for you.

As a reminder, effective January 1, 2024, our NEW Paid Parental Benefit offers eligible team members who are starting or growing families time off to bond with your new child. Click here for more details about this inclusive offering and for access to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Make the most of this last week of 2024 Annual Enrollment!

QUESTIONS? NEED HELP?

  • CONTACT AN HR TEAM MEMBER ABOUT THE NEW PAID PARENTAL BENEFIT

An HR team member can help you understand all of the important details.

    • Contact us by phone – at 832-824-2893, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • ASK EMMA, YOUR PERSONAL DIGITAL BENEFITS ADVISOR

Available 24/7 within the Benefits portal in both English and Spanish from any desktop or mobile device, Ask Emma offers confidential guidance and advice to help you select the right benefits for you and your family.

  • TEXAS CHILDREN’S BENEFITS TEAM VIRTUAL AND PHONE SUPPORT

Our Benefits team is available to help you by phone or web chat from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Spanish language assistance is also available via phone and web chat.

    • Phone 832-824-2421 (select option 1 and then option 1 again for Benefits).
    • Web chat (located at the top of your Benefits homepage).
    • Virtually via Teams for 30-minutes by appointment from November 8 – 10. Click here to reserve your desired time slot.
  • DEDICATED ON-SITE SUPPORT

Receive one-on-one support from a member of the Benefits team during one of our Enrollment Labs, or get help from our Cigna Member Services Partner, JoAnn Tillman. Click here to access the Enrollment Lab schedule. Email JoAnn at jxtillma@texaschildrens.org or call 346-634-7685, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Meet Renee Henderson, manager of Patient & Family Services at Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin. With 20+ years of experience as a social worker in Austin, Renee and her growing team can’t wait to meet and start serving the families who walk through our hospital doors early next year.

What brought you to Texas Children’s?
I’ve been a social worker in Austin for many years now, and love watching this community grow. I have served the community in many ways, and began working as a medical social worker nine years ago. Medical social work is a profession that allows us to support patients at their greatest time of need. I came to TCH due to the amazing reputation, and I was excited to be a part of something special for our Austin community.

What’s the best career or work advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice came from my dad, who reminded me that work shouldn’t be “work” but rather a calling or personal purpose. We spend the majority of our life in our jobs, making it important to find joy in what we do every day.

Why are you excited about Texas Children’s growing presence in Austin?
Austin has grown so quickly, particularly over the last 10-15 years. This growth has transplanted many families from all over the country here to our city. Our Austin families deserve to have the quality of care that Texas Children’s is known for all over the world.

What makes Austin a great place to live and work?
Austin is becoming a big town, but still has a small town feel. There is always something going on from music festivals to sporting events to craft fairs. Our family loves going to the H-E-B Center for hockey games, Round Rock Express baseball games, and walking miles and miles of hiking trails all over town.

What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
I am truly passionate about making sure our families have the support they need during their hospitalization and beyond. The most rewarding thing is to be present in a family’s most difficult moment, while having the opportunity to support and connect them to needed resources. It is an honor to provide relief to our families during very challenging and often unexpected events.

We understand the challenges families encounter when a child or loved one is hospitalized and away from home. Designed to offer assistance and resources to help meet their needs, our Patient & Family Services (including child life, social work, family advocacy, guest services, spiritual care and more) are critical in providing the right care.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.

Barbie was all the rage this year, strutting her stuff across campuses and locations. There were all different types of Barbies and even one Barbie car. Aside from the Barbie craze, there was an impressive variety of creative costumes and themes. Halloween festivities also saw the return of beloved events, the start of new traditions and many smiles.

Spirit Week culminated with the system-wide individual and team costume contest.

Team Winner: Pediatric Pain Service – “The Grinch” (Dr. Michael Tulio, Angela Medellin, Hillary Cloyd and Devin McGaughey)

Individual Winner: Mariah Yannerella – “Maleficent”

Across the system, our dedicated team members hosted special events for patients and families and had the opportunity to join in on the fun themselves with team member specific contests and parades. The events were abuzz with comments about how happy everyone was to bring back some of our most cherished traditions.

“It was heartwarming to have the festival and costume contest back in person after four years,” said Zett Small, senior volunteer coordinator, The Woodlands Campus. “It meant so much for our patients, community partners and team members to have the chance to celebrate together again. It was remarkable to see all the creativity and heart people put into this event. We truly are one amazing team!”

Similarly, everyone was excited to see the return of the Halloween Spooktacular at The Medical Center. Comments included, “I’m so glad to have this back for our patients” and “this is one of the best events we do all year.”

View a photo gallery below from events around the organization.

Our dedicated team members work every day to support our mission of creating a healthier future for children and women. If you want to extend that commitment to contribute financially to improving and enhancing our programs, you can become an Ambassador for Texas Children’s Hospital.

Ambassadors are a donor group for philanthropists who help support the hospital’s vision through annual or lifetime financial contributions and enjoy insider information, exclusive events and volunteer opportunities that impact our patients.

Each community (Houston, The Woodlands, Austin) has its own unique schedule of events, and all Ambassadors are welcome to attend events in any location they choose. Upcoming events are communicated through The Insider, a special newsletter distributed at the beginning of each month.

Each year, Ambassadors focus on one funding project. For fiscal year 2024, they will support Child Life, specifically, the expansion and maintenance of the Pawsitive Play Program. Pawsitive Play uses specially trained facility dogs and their Child Life handlers to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital setting, especially those who may have trouble coping with a hospital stay, new diagnosis or certain medical procedures.

Visit texaschildrens.org/Ambassadors or click here for more information about the program.

How to sign up through payroll deduction

Now it’s easier than ever to join with the launch of payroll deduction through Voyager. Annual memberships start at $1,000 – that translates to $38.46/pay period.

Click here to log in to Voyager using single sign on. On the Quick Actions menu on the left, scroll down and click Show More, then under Compensation click Manage Personal Contributions. In the top right, click +Add and for plan and option select Ambassadors for TCH Membership. For a 2024 Ambassadors membership paid over 26 pay periods, please select start date 12/24/23 and end date 12/21/24.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I withdraw from a membership?
By signing up for an annual membership, you commit to $1,000 over a year. You can withdraw at the end of the calendar year by not renewing your commitment.

How do I stop future payments?
By signing up for an annual membership, you commit to $1,000 over a year. If you wish to rejoin in 2025, you will have the opportunity to extend your membership on Voyager.

Are their refunds?
There are no refunds for this donation.

What are the membership dates?
An annual membership will be active from Dec. 24, 2023 through Dec. 21, 2024.

How do I find out about events?
Each month Ambassadors receive The Insider, a monthly communication that details events and opportunities for Ambassadors.

The more we know, the more we understand, the more we connect. Read more

October 31, 2023

On Mark Wallace’s blog, he invites Texas Children’s Pediatrics physician, Dr. Desiree Evans, to help honor and celebrate the incredible life and legacy of Dr. Robert F. Austin. Read more

Meet Angela Zamora, assistant director of Ambulatory Services at Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin. Before moving to Specialty Care Austin in 2019, she managed outpatient clinics at West Campus for five years. As we countdown to opening North Austin in 2024, Angela and her team are preparing Austin’s growing roster of specialty clinics for their biggest milestone yet.

Why did you choose Texas Children’s?
I’ve been a nurse for 13 years, seven of those with Texas Children’s, and have spent my entire career in pediatrics. Texas Children’s is known for quality and compassionate care, which speaks to my core as a nurse. I wanted to join an organization with a culture and vision aligning with my own.

What’s your leadership definition?
To empower teams to be innovative problem solvers, no obstacle is too big to overcome. To elevate all employees to be leaders in their own roles. To inspire others to deliver care with purpose so each patient feels valued.

Why are you excited about Texas Children’s growing presence in Austin?
Once again, all 10 TCH subspecialties ranked in the top 10 nationally this year. We’re so excited to bring Texas Children’s renowned quality of care to the Central Texas area. This area is rapidly growing and the patients and families need more options nearby to provide specialized care for all women and children.

What makes Austin a great place to live and work?
Austin has something for everyone. Great hiking and biking trails, live music, food trucks, sporting events and so much more. My favorite food truck is Valentina’s. Anytime we have visitors from out of town, we take them there for homemade tortillas and good BBQ.

As you look to grow and build your team in Austin, what’s top of mind?
Positivity and flexibility!

Opening in February 2024, the $485 million North Austin campus will feature a 170,000-square-foot outpatient facility – connecting patients to numerous Texas Children’s subspecialties including cardiology, oncology, neurology, pulmonary medicine, GI, rheumatology, fetal care, dialysis, urology and more. Texas Children’s Specialty Care Austin on Mopac will also continue to house pediatric specialists across a wide spectrum of service lines.

Right Care, Right Place, Right People. Now ranked #1 in Texas and #3 in the nation, we’re bringing the best to Austin. Click here for countdown updates, resources and more on the Austin Expansion SharePoint.