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Calls for change and for greater justice for all continue across this country as people of all creeds, colors, beliefs, and backgrounds have taken action to help transform our nation into one that offers greater inclusiveness and equity for all. For the last several days we have heard in great detail about how systemic racism and social injustice have excluded Black Americans, other minorities, and other underrepresented groups of people from attaining not just their potential under the American dream – but simply living. This situation has to change, now.
Kaiser Permanente is committed to an inclusive, diverse workplace that provides an environment of equity for all who work here and for the people and the communities we serve. We continuously strive to improve upon the quality of care we deliver to produce better health outcomes for our members and to build healthier communities. At the same time there is a recognition that this organization cannot reach its full potential as a health care provider if groups of our people and various communities we serve have to live with the unspoken, but lingering fear for their physical and psychological health. And, if any point has been made over the last two weeks, it’s that many of our people, their families and their friends contend with this is reality daily, while there are others of us who have never had to deal with these circumstances and don’t understand how they can even exist.
This is why our organization is embracing the opportunity to listen, learn, and discuss racism, social justice, and racial equity, inclusion, and reflect on what has brought our nation to where it is today.
Please take a few moments and read the following message from our National Offices. It discusses Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity and what steps from a national level are being taken to put actions behind the words that have been spoken recently about these issues. These actions are in addition to those we will be taking regionally and demonstrate our aligned commitment to needed change. It is a beginning, but far from an end.
We hope that you’ll find a way to either directly participate or listen to replays of some of these sessions and that you will be inspired to find your own way or join with others to help expand the opportunity for a more just and inclusive world.
Thank you for your engagement.
With deep appreciation,
Julie and Ed
An Important Message From
David Bell, MD, Executive Vice President, People and Leadership Strategy, The Permanente Federation
Ronald L. Copeland, MD, FACS, Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Officer, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals
Christian Meisner, Chief Human Resources Officer, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals
Richele Thornburg, Executive Vice President, People and Leadership Strategy, The Permanente Federation
We stand with you and for you
It has been a very heavy few weeks of grief, anger, and sadness. We are outraged by the egregious murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black lives lost due to racial injustice and discrimination. The cumulative effect of ongoing exposure to racism and injustice wreak havoc on our hearts and consciousness. These events have happened with the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken a massive toll on public health and the economy and has disproportionately affected Black, Latinx, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians, and other historically marginalized populations. We must acknowledge these tragedies and commit to zero tolerance of racism, discrimination, and injustice.
This is a painful time for all our employees, members, and communities, but it’s particularly traumatic for Black Americans and members of other underrepresented groups who have been exposed to cumulative racial and discriminatory injustices. It’s critically important that as a Kaiser Permanente community we show empathy, listen, acknowledge each other’s feelings, and create a psychologically safe environment that allows open dialogue about what we’re experiencing and how to support each other during this difficult time.
For 75 years, Kaiser Permanente has viewed our diversity as a source of strength. We celebrate that our organization reflects the diversity of the communities we serve with race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, individuals with disabilities, sexual orientation, military experience, and so many other diversity dimensions working together for a shared mission. The events of the last month call on us to stand in solidarity with our Black employees and physicians. To demonstrate our ongoing commitment toward creating an inclusive workplace that reflects belonging, psychological safety, and a speak-up culture for all groups that have been marginalized or oppressed, we are taking the following immediate actions:
- Enterprisewide Open Dialogue Sessions on Racism in America
National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity will sponsor dialogue sessions across the organization focused on “Coping With Modern Day Racism in America.” Sessions are open to all employees and physicians wishing to participate and begin Thursday, June 11. Sessions will be scheduled on multiple days and varying times each week to reach employees and physicians in every region and function across Kaiser Permanente. The 90-minute sessions will be led by professional facilitators from The Winters Group, Inc., a global diversity and inclusion consultancy.- Learn more about the dialogue sessions and sign up [2].
- Business Resource Group (BRG) Leader Listening Sessions
Christian Meisner, Ron Copeland, MD, and leaders from the Permanente Medical Groups are holding engagement sessions with all our BRG leaders to acknowledge the crisis and provide a supportive space to voice their feelings and share potential actions we can take to support our people. Sessions began last week with Kaiser Permanente’s African American Professional Association and will continue for the coming weeks to ensure they can meet all BRG leaders. The output of listening sessions will be summarized and used to inform Kaiser Permanente actions going forward.
- Racial Equity and Social Justice Actions and Resources
We want all leaders and managers to have the current knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to support our diverse workforce during this difficult time. A new dialogue and action guide will be provided to every manager to activate awareness, education, and engagement throughout the organization on the issues of racial equity and social justice. This guide includes online training and a curated list [3] of suggested books, articles, webinars, and videos.
- “Prioritizing Equity and Inclusion During Uncertainty” Webinar Series
This series supports employees and physicians in prioritizing equity and inclusion during times of crisis and uncertainty. The series aims to create awareness; educate; and share tools, resources, and effective practices.
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- Join the Webinar “If You Stop at What You See, You’re Going to Miss the Best Parts of Me” for an authentic dialogue on the social epidemic impacting the Black/African American community and the importance of Allyship. Hosted by KP African American Professional Association (KPAAPA) and National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (NEID) on June 12 from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m. Pacific time, broadcast through the KP Learning Forum.
- Join the webinar “The LGBTQ+ Community Through Uncertainty and Beyond With KP Pride.” Hosted by KP Pride and NEID on June 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. PT, broadcast through the KP Learning Forum.
- Moments of Silence and Remembrances
Many employees and physicians have participated in impromptu and coordinated activities to honor George Floyd and show support for the African American community. Peaceful, nondisruptive activities — such as moments of silence and remembrances honoring those lost — that involve only KP employees and physicians may take place in spaces that are outside of patient care and other work areas of a Kaiser Permanente facility. These events should be approved by local leadership and follow normal security protocols, physical distancing, and masking guidelines at all times.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to our free and confidential Kaiser Permanente Employee Assistance Program [4] if you need individual support during this time. The EAP counselors are professionally trained to help support people during times of grief, stress, and uncertainty.
The immediate steps above are only the beginning. In the coming days and weeks Kaiser Permanente will take additional actions both internally and in our communities that align with our values and advance equality for all. These tragic events and this moment in history represent an opportunity to move our organization forward in our commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity in our workplace and our communities. We hope that this journey is transformative for the entire organization — that we stand together and move forward with a renewed urgency, shared accountability, and purpose.