Programs
About ACU's Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Initiative
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) believes that efforts to improve workforce wellbeing and resiliency and eliminate health inequities must reinforce justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). ACU developed its JEDI Initiative to serve as a resource for stakeholders working to advance JEDI in their organizations. In addition to providing educational resources and trainings, ACU’s JEDI Initiative assists organizations with assessments, strategic plans, staff training plans, and general technical assistance for JEDI efforts. In 2022 alone, ACU’s JEDI program reached more than 60 organizations.
Read the blog post announcing the JEDI Initiative.
Read ACU’s JEDI Statement and Guiding Principles.
Join ACU’s JEDI Committee – Apply by August 23, 2024
ACU is currently accepting applications from members (both individual and organizational members) to join its Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee. ACU’s JEDI Committee is dedicated to achieving equity and inclusion for patients, communities, and the healthcare workforce through organizational and systems change. Learn more and submit and application.
Participate in the fall 2024 JEDI Learning Collaborative: Applying JEDI Principles to Workforce Recruitment and Retention – Apply by September 24, 2024
Historically marginalized groups continue to be underrepresented in the healthcare workforce especially among diagnosing and treating practitioners. While advocacy groups work to address systemic barriers contributing to this disparity, healthcare leaders play an important role in identifying and eliminating any organizational factors that are compounding this problem.
Over five virtual sessions (every Tuesday in October), participants will increase their awareness of organizational barriers contributing to workforce disparities, gain insight into strategies to improve retention for employees with diverse backgrounds, implement action steps to increase diversity in recruitment efforts, and adopt practices to mitigate bias in the hiring process. This learning collaborative combines interactive training, discussions, and case studies to build practical insights and support your efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace. The content and discussion will be tailored to healthcare leaders and HR professionals; however, all are welcome.
Please review the Learning Collaborative Welcome Packet and Schedule before submitting an application. Submit an application to participate by EOD Tuesday, September 24.
JEDI Orientation Series for Healthcare Workers (Free E-courses)
Free e-courses are available to equip healthcare workers with foundational information related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion concepts and principles. A certificate of completion can be downloaded or printed after completing the course assessments. ACU’s JEDI Orientation Series for Healthcare Workers is funded in part by UnitedHealth.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Understanding the Concepts
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the core concepts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and their importance in modern workplaces and society. Through this course, you will gain a foundational understanding of the meaning and relevance of DEI in today’s world, and how to effectively engage with DEI principles in your personal and professional life.
Understanding Racism in Healthcare
Understanding how racism contributes to health disparities and inequities is important for delivering high-quality and compassionate person-centered care. This course will describe ways that racism manifests in healthcare, explore racism as a structural determinant of health, and provide an introduction to the concepts of bias, prejudice, and discrimination.
This course is helpful for creating a culture where everyone can speak openly and honestly about how we can advance JEDI within our organizations and communities. It encourages a culture of bravery in which people call attention to bias and discrimination – despite any discomfort or power dynamics – and it encourages a culture of grace to support continuous learning and growth for ourselves and our peers.
Resources
- Webinar: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Among Health Professionals (March 2023)
- Recommendations for Addressing Hate Crimes in the Primary Care Setting (February 2023)
- Health Center Excellence: Essential Steps in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (February 2022)
- Webinar: Identifying and Eliminating Structural Racism within Organizations to Achieve Health Equity (February 2022)
- Webinar: Clinician Perspectives on Racism in the Health Care Workforce (June 23, 2021)
- Webinar Series: Building an Inclusive Organization (May 2021)
- Building an Inclusive Organization Tool Kit (March 2021)
More Information
To request a training, technical assistance, or learn more about ACU’s JEDI Initiative, please contact Sabrina Edgington, Senior Director of JEDI Initiatives, sedgington@clinicians.org.