Children's Hospital L.A. Awarded for LGBTQ-Inclusive Policies

LOS ANGELES, CA — Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been designated a LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader for the third year in a row. The award, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, measures health care facilities' policies and practices to insure total inclusivity in the patient room.

The HRC summarizes a hospital's commitment to inclusivity with the Healthcare Equality Index, which rates a provider's response on a scale of 1 to 100. The Healthcare Equality Leader award is reserved for facilities with a perfect score of 100.

"Perhaps more than any year, 2020 has been a clarion call that discrimination in any form is a barrier to proper, equitable health care," CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano said. "At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, we not only serve every patient and their family with hope, compassion and respect; we value the broad experience and background that each team member brings to the continuum of care."

"I am proud of CHLA’s three-time designation as a Healthcare Equality Leader because it is a clear sign of the organization’s continued commitment to providing the same world-class pediatric care and experience for all patients and families," Viviano added.

CHLA was one of 495 facilities to receive the award in 2020. HRC evaluated a total of 765 health care facilities, 35 of which were children's hospitals.

Organizations were measured by non-discrimination staff training, services and support for LGbTQ patients, employee benefits and policies, and community engagement.

“This designation is a testament of our organization-wide actions and collective commitment to dignity and respect for all patients, families, visitors and team members,” says Ryan Parker, interim Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for CHLA. “We are honored for the designation, and we realize we still have work to do to further develop an intentionally inclusive enterprise where all feel valued, where diversity and health equity thrives and where patients and families can receive exceptional care.”