Addressing Race, Diversity, and Intersectionality in Health

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (October 17, 2018)—Monday, over 200 people gathered at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights, Brooklyn as the Institute for Community Living (ICL) hosted its first community conference, Beyond Cultural Competence in Health and Social Services, addressing issues of race, diversity, and intersectionality and their impact on the delivery of health and social services. The conference launched a multi-year initiative that will address pressing strategies for meeting healthcare needs in communities of color. The need for this initiative came into clearer focus with the impending opening of the agency’s $30 million comprehensive health center—the East New York Health Hub—in a neighborhood with unique and longstanding needs. Panelists, speakers, and participants included City Council Member Jumaane Williams, Executive Deputy Commissioner of Health-Mental Hygiene Dr. Gary S. Belkin, community members, educators, clergy, service providers, city agencies, and ICL staff from across the agency.

“Everyone deserves to live the healthiest and most productive life possible, and understanding all of the factors that affect wellness is integral to helping people get better,” said David Woodlock, President and CEO of ICL. “Ninety-eight percent of our 10,000 clients are African American or Lantinx, so it is imperative that our work encompasses not just our technical expertise but an empathic approach to race, diversity, and intersectionality. By learning and collaborating with the communities we serve, we can better put our skills to work supporting our clients. This is a reciprocal relationship: we’re helping them get better and they’re helping us get better.”

“Traditional social work programs do not typically teach this kind of work, so when students graduate and begin working in diverse communities, they may not be prepared to fully support their clients. We have been doing this work on an individual basis at ICL, but now we’re creating this comprehensive program to ensure that all of our staff have an understanding of the community they’re serving; and at the same time, the community knows that we are here and we are listening,” said Carmen Collado, Chief Networking and Relationship Officer, ICL.

The new Beyond Cultural Competence program is a series of workshops and educational forums as well as one-on-one supervision that looks at issues facing the community through the lens of race, diversity, and intersectionality and how these can affect staff interactions, treatment, and a client’s ability to get better. This conference at Medgar Evers College, which acknowledged the launch of the two-year program, covered topics such as Power and Privilege in Health and Social Service Systems; Historical, Intergenerational, and Community Trauma; Understanding and Reducing Implicit Bias; Oppression, Trauma, and Substance Misuse; Navigating Social Service Agencies; and Engagement and Support Within Faith-Based Communities.

“Because ICL takes a whole-person approach to health care—looking not just at a client’s presenting issues but learning about where they came from, where they are now, and what their lives are like—the agency is already ahead of the curve,” said Candida Brooks-Harrison, President of The Village Enrichment Associates and adviser on the conference and the initiative. “With this comprehensive and ongoing education effort, all staff—at every level—will hone skills in providing relevant and responsive services that engage and support diverse clients as they increase their own self-empowerment in achieving their own goals and ultimately living healthier lives.”

The Beyond Cultural Competence in Health and Social Services is a collaborative effort between colleagues from Medgar Evers College, the National Association of Social Workers NYC, the Caribbean American Social Workers Association, and ICL and is based on the Race, Diversity and Intersectionality (RDI) model developed by Candida Brooks-Harrison. What distinguishes this conference from others with similar goals is that it is inclusive of the community, where everyone is learning from each other. Each panel discussion includes not just experts in the area, but also individuals with lived experience to ensure that the community has a voice that is integrated into the process.

“As President of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)-NYC Board of Directors, one of the largest chapters of NASW, I am honored to be a panelist in the Beyond Cultural Competence Conference. NASW-NYC’s commitment to race, diversity, and intersectionality, the core facets of this conference, make it unquestionable that we would be a part of this important day. In my work in developmental disabilities at ICL, I often thought about the need for culturally responsive work. I am excited to share my perspectives on this important topic,” said Benjamin R. Sher, President, NASW-NYC, Director, Office of Global and Lifelong Learning, NYU Silver School of Social Work, SCIPR Trainer, ICL.

“As the Caribbean American Social Workers Association (CASWA) celebrates 15 years as a professional organization formed in Brooklyn, and committed to improving the social conditions of the Caribbean diaspora in NYC and beyond, we recognize the gap in culturally responsive service delivery for Caribbean Americans and new immigrants. We are excited to be a part of this collaborative effort to address the inequities that exist to better serve our communities,” said Shaun B. Henry, LCSW, President of CASWA.

Throughout the day-long conference, attendees heard from a variety of voices:

New York City Council Member Jumaane Williams:

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. We change the conversation of what public safety is and what public safety isn’t. Everything does not have to be a police response. We need to change that dynamic. We need to hold elected officials accountable. Tough on crime means addressing other issues. Zip codes where unemployment is high, where housing is inadequate. Community groups do better at addressing these issues than government does when they're properly funded.”

Dr. Gary S. Belkin, Executive Deputy Commissioner of Health-Mental Hygiene, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene:

"The mental health system has been slower to come to a conversation about how structural racism has impacted outcomes. This program today will dive into harder topics. We see segregation in our workforce, our programs, in access to services and needs for them, in the data we gather and don't gather. We need to talk about these things and act on these things in the mental health profession. If we are going to challenge these structural issues, we need to structurally change the work we do. We've tried to head in that direction as a health department. ICL has been a headfirst dive-in partner in this work. Mental health should take aim at racism head-on."

Dr. Rudolph F. “Rudy” Crew, President of Medgar Evers College:

"ICL has done extraordinary work with students in transition, and those who are the first in the families to access college, and for the communities served by Medgar Evers College. We at Medgar Evers College have committed ourselves to making the world a better place by supporting our students, regardless of what neighborhood they come from or what language they speak at home."

Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers, Assistant Vice President/Associate Provost of Medgar Evers College:

"I can’t think of a better place for ICL's first conference than Medgar Evers College, because Medgar Evers College was born of the community. Medgar Evers believe in everyone in the community having their voice heard. It is about dialogue and discourse. No one should be left out of this discourse, no matter your color, race, religion. True, democratic, community discourse is at the heart of this conference, and is what will make this conference impactful."

About ICL

ICL is a not-for-profit health care organization providing trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, integrated, and person-centered care through supportive and transitional housing, counseling, rehabilitation, and other support services for adults, veterans, children, and families. We serve nearly 10,000 people each year and every night some 2,500 New Yorkers call ICL home. Our goal is to help people achieve greater health and independence.