The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL) is proud to join the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Central East ATTC), funded by SAMHSA, to develop an evidence-based report describing and defining equity-grounded leadership for Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 3 behavioral health leaders HHS Region 3 states include Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The Central East ATTC is a technical assistance program under the auspices of The Danya Institute.
CBHL is partnering with Just Health Collective, a consulting and advisory services firm committed to building a healthcare system that is fair, impartial and representative of its community – giving employees a sense of inclusiveness, consumers a sense of trust and everyone the opportunity to achieve good health. CBHL is also partnering with Prevention Institute, a national nonprofit working to build prevention and health equity into key policies and actions at the federal, state, local and organizational level, in the development of this report.
Racial inequities are pervasive in the behavioral health system. Structural racism is one of the underlying reasons we see vast differences in social and health outcomes between communities today. Compounding this is that leadership in behavioral health often does not reflect the population served. Leaders of color report a need for intentional focus on equity and anti-racism, trusted leaders in positions of influence, and mentorship to develop leaders who embody equity and represent the communities served.
This evolution in leadership culture is stymied, however, by workforce shortages and high turnover. Seasoned leaders are stepping down, and new leaders are stepping into positions of influence, but often without the skillset and confidence needed to advance anti-racism and health equity. The result is status quo. To pave the way for new solutions, our focus must be on developing trusted leaders who will disrupt traditional interventions and strategies and effectively engage with communities of color. We must focus on developing equity grounded leaders.
The report will cover the following:
- What is equity grounded leadership?
- Why is equity important as a foundation for leadership?
- Relevant facts and statistics from HHS Region 3 states
- Themes from interviews and facilitated dialogue with Region 3 leaders
- Recommendations for state and federal policymakers.
To stay up to date and receive a copy of the report, visit the CBHL website at www.leaders4health.org and click “Join our Mailing List” at the bottom of the homepage. For information on how to join CBHL, click here for Membership Options. To learn more about The Danya Institute, Inc. Technology Transfer Program, click here.
For more information on equity-grounded leadership, contact Holly Salazar, CBHL CEO, at hsalazar@leaders4health.org.
