Diversity and Inclusion

The Diversity and Inclusion committee at Sindecuse Health Center has taken on the task of assessing and improving the environment, the processes, and the professional development of employees at the health center. Formed in spring 2014, the committee has been a purposeful team accelerating the health center’s adoption of inclusive practices, identifying physical challenges and putting a focus on staff development. The committee is composed of employees from all functional areas of the health center: business office; nursing, clinic and lab; counseling services; health promotion and education; sports medicine; and pharmacy.  Students from the Student Health Advisory Council are also regular, active committee members.

The committee secured grants from the Western Michigan University Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The first grant was to conduct an assessment of the environment at the health center in relation to diversity and inclusion, including accessibility. $3,000 was awarded and helped fund a graduate student employee who assisted with composing a questionnaire and conducting data collection and analysis. This grant was completed in January 2015. The second grant was for implementation of the assessment findings up to $15,000. Improvements were completed or confirmed in November 2015.

2019

The health center formalized gender-affirming care as a specialty to serve WMU and area college students

October 2016

Conduct focus groups, patient surveys and staff surveys to repeat the fall 2014 assessment of the health center environment in relation to diversity and inclusion, including accessibility.

February 2016

The Committee received the Rising Star in Diversity Award by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Committee chair Sarah Good summarized the work of the the group in a video that was played at the award ceremony.

November  2015

The final report for the implementation grant was submitted.

Improvements were made to create an accessible and more inclusive environment:

• Changed restroom signs throughout health center from “male/female” to “unisex”
• Added three baby changing stations to accommodate families
• Replaced furniture to improve accessibility, allow greater comfort for a variety of body shapes and sizes
• Removed furniture in some locations to increase accessibility
• Removed partitions and installed ADA-compliant railings in bathrooms for greater accessibility
• To reflect the diverse groups we serve, added photos of WMU students to plain walls
• Added more diverse publications to waiting rooms and removed magazines that put forth limited views of personhood (ongoing) to create a more inclusive atmosphere
• Painted wall in waiting room to provide calmer, more welcoming space
• Added larger lettering to glass doors to better identify Counseling Services entryway for low-vision visitors
• Created display board to highlight implementation work throughout health center (updated as improvements are made) to communicate with employees and visitors

Staff development made a priority.

The committee recommended multi-faceted efforts to improve staff understanding and skills. The committee sought to develop and maintain a shared understanding of inclusion, diversity, multiculturalism, and institutional bias by arranging for training and education

• All faculty and staff members completed the Intercultural Development Inventory in 2015 with more than half of the employees choosing to receive individualized feedback
• All faculty and staff members participated in a group IDI feedback session
• Created a professional development opportunities calendar for 2015-16

• Monthly Lunch & Learns offered at noon and 1 p.m. – coordinating with departments and units across campus to offer multidisciplinary education, support and collaboration
• One half-day training in April 2016 with speaker Joe Johnson
• Campus and community activities to be advertised, promoted to employees, webinars to be listed on internal network drive

• Departmental meetings to devote time each week to discussing upcoming diversity and inclusion initiatives, trainings, topics, etc.

• Added employee performance review requirement regarding diversity and inclusion
• Purchased resources for a diversity resource library accessible to employees
• Created a book club and lending library for employees to learn together on topics related to diversity and healthcare

Further improvements to health center forms and patient interaction were made:

• Modified patient information forms to reflect more inclusive gender identities
• Implemented University preferred names policy to accurately address patients
• Created laminated maps of the health center to assist newcomers navigating the facility

March 2015

A progress report detailing the results of the assessment and summarizing recommended action steps was shared with the campus community at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Racial Healing Symposium on March 20. Implementation is ongoing.