Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Equity
Equity is the act of providing resources and services according to need.
Equity is not getting the same resources; it is getting the resources needed so that everyone can have a similar chance at achieving positive health outcomes. We tailor care according to need.
We acknowledge the social contexts of those we serve and promote actions that further equity.
We are aware of social inequality and aim to remove systemic barriers to care.
Diversity
Diversity is the representation of various identity groups in the overall composition of a collective.
No one person is diverse, we become diverse through purposefully seeking out employees who represent the various populations we serve, so that we can be culturally responsive to the needs of our communities. We promote diversity at every level of our organization.
We celebrate diversity and believe our differences make us stronger.
& Inclusion
Inclusion is the feeling of belonging, which stems from intentionally affirming and celebrating difference.
Inclusion requires the ability to exist in the fullness of our cultural identities and expressions, without having to change to belong.
We recognize that felt inclusion builds resilience and mediates trauma.
Access
Health disparities occur when groups with social disadvantages have limited access to quality healthcare and, therefore, have disproportionately poor health outcomes. Factors can include marginalization based on race, disability, gender identity, and class but also daily disadvantages such as being uninsured or underinsured, lack of access to reliable transportation, language barriers, and stigma. Health equity, or the ability for all people to access quality healthcare, is achieved through improving access, removing barriers to care, and providing quality care to all.
Employee Resource Groups at Seven Counties Services
At Seven Counties Services, Employee Resource Groups are a network of employee-led groups designed to enhance support, equity, access, and belonging for our staff and model diversity and inclusion for our organization and the communities we serve.
CARE (Caregivers Advocating Resources for Everyone)
Supporting working caregivers through informing and advocating for resources and cultivating an understanding, encouraging, and flexible work environment.
Emerging Professionals
NEW EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP!
Interfaith Alliance
An interfaith alliance that puts faith into action, communicates openly, and supports various religious customs, cultures, and beliefs.
Operation Military Connect
Bringing together our unique military service connections, we seek to harness these strengths to better serve our staff, clients, and community.
PRIDE
LGBTQ+ and allied employees establishing safe and respectful spaces where we honor and celebrate employees of all orientations.
REDI (Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion)
We affirm the value of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color’s lives and are committed to furthering racial equity for staff and clients through accountability, education, and advocacy.
RISE (Recovery, Inclusion, Support, Empowerment)
Nurturing staff so that they can thrive, grow, and advance in order to create a recovery-ready, supportive, and adaptive workplace.
Our Commitment to Communities of Color
Seven Counties Services is committed to providing quality and culturally responsive services to all. We recognize that among those we serve, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color face disproportionately negative health outcomes, which is not a feature of their character but a function of systemic racism. We are committed to embodying antiracism and affirm that this statement is an internal call to action, not a benchmark of our success. Therefore:
We commit to anti-racist practices, acknowledging that it is a continual process of identifying all forms of oppression. We recognize that institutional racism can hide in everyday practices that appear standard and universal.
We commit to implementing policies that further the dismantling of institutionalized racism.
We commit to confronting unconscious bias and racism based microaggressions as firmly as we do overt forms of racism.
We commit to developing a multilingual and multicultural organization through our hiring, retention, mentorship, and promotion practices.
We commit to transparency, sharing how and when we meet our racial equity goals, and learning from our mistakes to continuously shape change.
We commit to providing all staff with the education, training, and motivation needed to adopt anti-racist practices.
We commit to being in right relationship with the communities we serve, including historically excluded populations, positioning ourselves as partners on the healing journey. We understand that being in right relationship can only occur when there is fairness, respect, and solidarity.
Seven Counties Services affirms the value of all people, celebrating differences in race, ethnicity, and culture, as well as age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, and life experience. We understand that maintaining an anti-racist identity is essential for the overall success of our vision and mission.
