During the month of February, the Diversity & Inclusion team for Ballad Health has been emphasizing Black History Month. We are sharing with you the impact Black Americans have on the history of this region, and listing opportunities to virtually attend events, stories, videos and theater performances that help demonstrate this impact.
Our Diversity & Inclusion program’s mission as interested team members is to embrace an environment where inclusion is valued and where people respect each other as individuals. We work toward this goal not just during Black History Month, but every month. We share education, local events, important holidays and other interesting opportunities for learning and respecting each other. Our differences and similarities enable us to better serve our patients, one another and our communities.
We serve this mission through education and building awareness. We create a bridge, at times, when division occurs. Resources of supportive information are provided when concerns are discovered and addressed. When appropriate, we assist in developing solutions to challenging opportunities presented to us.
Diversity and Inclusion is divided into three star teams, each focusing on many aspects of human culture. These groups are made up of team members from across Ballad Health who have volunteered their time to help our system foster respect and inclusion.
- One star team is the Healthcare Equality Team. These team members join to focus on issues that impact sexual orientation and gender identity. They use the five criteria of the Healthcare Quality Index of the Human Rights Campaign as their working guide.
- Another star team is the Language and Mobility Team. This group supports the language carts, education and translations aspects for our organization. They also work with other departments to address opportunities in serving those who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind or physically challenged in navigating our facilities and campuses.
- A third star team is the Race, Religion, Age and Culture Team. The concentration of this group is providing understanding and education about the spiritual aspects of all of us that center around our race, religion, age and cultural upbringing.
Your support to these teams is greatly appreciated. We cannot know all there is to know in our region or across the nation or globe that impacts the diversity of our lives in the Appalachian Highlands. Please feel free to reach out and share activities, educational events, holidays and/or bridging opportunities for understanding and respect at gary.metcalf@balladhealth.org. You can visit our Diversity & Inclusion site on the intranet here.
Gary Metcalf
Corporate director, spiritual health services
