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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice

The Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for our Board of Directors, our members, and their staff. On this page you will find a compilation of ABH-driven information and resources documenting our efforts to challenge racism and discrimination in the behavioral healthcare system. This page will be updated as we continue to grow and evolve in this work.

Internal DEI Commitments

 

  • Data Collection. In order to ensure that we are making progress toward broadening the diversity of our leadership, ABH will annually survey our members to ascertain the demographic composition of the ABH Board, Committee Chairs, and ABH Member CEO/ED leadership.

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  • Board Nomination Policy. The ABH Board of Directors represents all ABH members and is committed to prioritizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEI&J) in ABH activities. The Board has formally adopted a Nominating Committee policy to include language reflecting intentionality relative to the promotion of DEI&J across race, ethnicity, gender, age, identities, and experience in nominating individuals for Board membership. The policy was formalized as an amendment to our bylaws on May 11th, 2021.

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  • Committee Leadership Criteria. Serving as Chair to one of ABH’s 21 Committees is one of the primary ways in which leadership is developed within the association. In order to ensure that we are being intentional about promoting DEI&J, the ABH Board adopted a policy to require “due consideration will be given to the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion across race, ethnicity, gender, age, identities, and experience” among the criteria for selection of Committee Chairs.

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  • Committee Chair Term Limits. In order to afford greater leadership opportunity within ABH, the Board determined that there should be more ongoing opportunities for growth. Where Committee Chair terms are currently undefined, Chair terms will now be defined as two-year terms and Chairs will be limited to three, two-year terms. The role of the Chair will expand to include mentoring future committee leaders.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Toolkit: Organizational Culture Change
 

The Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) and Wayside Equity Training Center (WETC) together developed the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Toolkit: Organizational Culture Change. This toolkit is part of a range of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEI&J) initiatives outlined in the ABH Annual Plan addressing issues of injustice, inequality, and inequity within the behavioral healthcare system. It was created at the urging of DEI&J Committee members, and in particular ABH CEOs, seeking support in responding to growing calls from people across the country, including providers' own staff and persons served, for stronger action on issues of equity and justice, following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, of 2020.
 

This DEI&J Toolkit was commissioned by the Association for Behavioral Healthcare’s Senior Leadership Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEI&J Committee) as we continue our work to achieve equitable access to quality mental health and addiction treatment services for the people and communities of the Commonwealth who face systemic, cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, ability, gender, socioeconomic, age, religious, and LGBTQIA+ disparities.
 

Click here to download the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Toolkit.

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A Note from the ABH DEI&J Committee

This toolkit is part of a range of DEI&J initiatives outlined in the ABH Annual Plan addressing issues of injustice, inequality, and inequity within the behavioral healthcare system. It was created at the urging of DEI&J Committee members, and in particular ABH CEOs, seeking support in responding to growing calls from people across the country, including provider’s own staff and persons-served, for stronger action on issues of equity and justice, following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, of 2020. In particular, we heard from ABH CEOs who recognized the need to focus on critical issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within their own organizations.

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So many of you expressed your deep concern, and desire to initiate or sustain culture change, but were uncertain about how to begin or grow that effort. In response, the ABH DEI&J Committee sought a partner with the capacity to deliver critical DEI&J technical assistance and training services to our members that shared our commitment to a diverse, equitable, inclusive and just behavioral health system. Further, we sought partner that shares ABH’s deep understanding of the behavioral health landscape in Massachusetts and the unique needs of our eighty one community-based mental health and substance use disorder treatment provider organizations, that make up the primary providers of publicly-funded behavioral healthcare services in the Commonwealth. We found that partner in the WETC.

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Read more

In addition to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Toolkit, WETC has helped ABH develop a guide for members on how to plan for implementation of DEI&J Initiatives. This resource will help members to address the following questions:​

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  • How do I find a consultant?

  • What type of equity work is the best fit for my organization and what is an appropriate timeline for what we need?

  • How much money should I budget and for what?

  • How do I vet consultants?

  • What other resources should I line up?

 

Click here to access Addressing Common Issues for Leaders in Equity Culture Change.

Addressing Common Issues for Leaders in Equity Culture Change: Budgeting, Planning and Problem Solving

ABH Annual Salute to Excellence

Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Award Winners

ABH's Salute to Excellence is a celebratory day when we recognize individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions to community-based behavioral healthcare in Massachusetts. The Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Award recognizes individuals and groups that demonstrate a commitment to advancing the integration and prioritization of diversity, equity, inclusion & justice in their organization and/or in the behavioral healthcare system. We are honored to have been able to recognize the following recipients of this award:

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