By Sandy Rousse
This article appeared in the August 30 issue of The Times-Argus.
I’ve had the pleasure of being involved and working at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) for over two decades. From joining CVHHH’s Board of Directors, to serving as the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Operations Officer, and now, as President and CEO, you may not be surprised to read that I am deeply invested in the work that we do here.
Realizing our mission to provide home health and hospice care to all Central Vermonters regardless of their ability to pay is no small thing. In fact, it takes a team of supremely skilled, caring, and committed staff to bring compassionate care and services to thousands of homes spread across 23 communities in Washington and Orange counties every year.
Being entrusted with someone’s care is a responsibility that we take seriously. Providing care and support to patients and families in their home is personal, and prompts thought about how you’d like your loved one to be cared for. We feel the same about caring for our staff. I know that people have options when deciding where they want to work, and that’s particularly true for those in the healthcare field in Vermont. I also know that it’s a special kind of person who chooses to show up every day to help someone navigate illness, injury, or loss, and to bring them a better tomorrow.
To show our support to everyone who has chosen CVHHH, all employees hired prior to April 2025 received a 5% salary increase beginning in July. This increase exceeds a typical cost-of-living adjustment and the last 12-month wage inflation rate. It’s our way of saying that we see all the ways the visiting and office staff go above and beyond to help Central Vermonters experience the best possible life.
Our team members have invested in us, and it’s important to me that they know we’ve invested in them and their futures with our organization. That’s why, in addition to the 5% raise, we provide our staff with a competitive benefits package that’s designed to help individuals, and their families thrive.
One of the benefits we’re most proud to offer is our first dollar healthcare plan through Cigna. Investing in our employees’ health strengthens overall organizational success. With this plan, CVHHH covers most of an employee’s annual out-of-pocket expenses, so they won’t pay out of pocket until they’ve reached well over 50% of their deductible. Staff who’ve opted into this plan have told me that reversing the standard health insurance structure has been a weight off their shoulders and is very competitive with larger healthcare providers.
Other benefits, like the employer contribution to eligible employee retirement accounts with a generous vesting schedule, flexible scheduling, substantial earned time off (28 days in each new hire’s first year), tuition reimbursement, and student loan repayment assistance, also demonstrate our commitment to our staff both now and tomorrow. We continue to offer these benefits despite reductions from Medicare that affect reimbursement for our care and services because we believe that employees do their best work when they feel valued and taken care of.
I’ve seen a lot of new faces during my time at CVHHH, but one thing that’s never changed is our team’s unwavering commitment to care for individuals in their homes where they can continue to be with their family, friends, neighbors and pets. As I mentioned earlier, I know that people have options when deciding where they want to work, and I can guarantee that working at CVHHH is more than just a job. It’s a way of life that you carry with you in everything you do and everyone you touch.