Inclusion, Diversity and Equity

At SunCloud Health we welcome the opportunity to treat everyone in need and strive to ensure that we are open, inviting, and respectful of every person in our community regardless of race or identity preference (men, women, transgender and non-binary).

SunCloud Health values all patients, family members, employees, volunteers, and interns. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of our organization. We continue to seek greater diversity in our community at the level of patients we serve, employees, and leadership team. We are committed to equity and diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual identity, body size, education, and ability.

We provide equal opportunity employment and equity in advancement in all our departments, programs, and workplaces.

We respect the dignity and uniqueness of all life experiences and seek to ensure that historically silenced populations’ voices are heard and BBIPOC (Black, Brown, Indigenous and Other People of Color) and marginalized populations are centered.

We provide liberated spaces for our leaders, clinicians, and employees to grow in awareness of our complicity in systemic oppression as we transform our treatment center into a multicultural, antiracist organization. We stand in solidarity with all who believe that systemic racism is harmful to every culture and society, to the dominant culture as well as to communities of color.

VIDEO: TERESA HALEY, PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS NAACP STATE CONFERENCE, SPEAKS AT SUNCLOUD HEALTH

Here is brief update of the action steps SunCloud Health is taking to build an inclusive and antiracist organization. Dr. Kim and David Newton (Director of Operations) are sending a group of employees to an intro to antiracism training taught by an agency known as Crossroads. Crossroads partners with organizations and institutions to dismantle systemic racism. In addition SC will be hiring a consultant to guide our dismantling white supremacy efforts at an executive team level. 

VIDEO: WHAT WE ARE DOING TO COMBAT SYSTEMIC RACISM AT SUNCLOUD HEALTH?

The Diversity, equity and inclusion committee consists of SC employees who meet biweekly on Fridays from 2:15-3:15 to discuss systemic racism and identify action steps we can in effort to become an anti-racist organization. We understand this work is long term, requiring a level of commitment and willingness to unlearn white supremacy culture by looking within and working together as a group. The committee is aligned with the SunCloud Health treatment model in that we recognize anti-racist work cannot be done without the assistance of others to help us recognize our blind spots.

VIDEO: IN OUR MODEL THE UNDERLAY IN TRAUMA, INTERGENERATIONAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL, SUNCLOUD HEALTH

The DEI committee is open to all staff members and we encourage anyone to join at any time! It is an open and inclusive group and we are learning as we go! It’s a place to ask questions, share experiences and be vulnerable. Just like we ask our patients to do!

Recently we decided to start with the book, So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo. Each member will read the intro and chapter 1 and reflect through writing on what stands out. We will then share as a group and discuss ways in which we have been powerless over our own racism left to our own devices. An emphasis is placed on the principle of step 1-Honesty. 

VIDEO: INCLUSION AND TRANSFORMING OUR INSTITUTION, SUNCLOUD HEALTH

At SunCloud Health we are committed to the idea that all people deserve a safe and affirming atmosphere both within our treatment programs and in the world at-large.

VIDEO: What is racialized trauma?

Hear from Dr. Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, at SunCloud Health, on racialized trauma and the unequal access to care many persons of color face.

While no person deserves to be treated as less than anyone else, we know that’s not yet the reality for a lot people and we want you to know that we will not only show you the compassion you deserve and help equip you with tools to face an unjust world as you learn to live a fulfilling life during and after treatment.

VIDEO: THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL AND THE POLITICAL IS PERSONAL

A word from the leadership team at SunCloud Health

We have seen a week of sustained mobilization of energy and action in world-wide protests to police brutality and systemic racism in the wake of George Floyd’s tragic murder‎. Many of you have reached out to me in that time expressing concern, fear, heart ache and outrage.

Persons of color are discriminated against across all of the domains that we hold onto our society as markers of security–economic opportunity, education, housing, access to good health care including mental health care, and fair treatment in the justice system. ‎White privilege continues to this day to set us and our children up to succeed in this system.

At SunCloud, one of our core values is inclusiveness. Seeing and hearing the humanness in every patient we treat and every employee we hire.

As we move into action rooted in that value, we will launch an Inclusivity Action Committee. 

We will also be donating to Black Lives Matter, and hope to partner with them to organize events both specific to mental health and more broadly. Part of the committee’s work will be increasing outreach to persons of color in our recruiting activities.

We are encouraging our staff to use their voices and take some small action to be part of the solution that our broken system and the broken‎ heart and soul of our communities. Sign a petition, write to local and state politicians and law makers. If you join a march or a protest, please wear a face covering and honor social distancing guidelines. Speak out when you see/hear/witness microaggressions in our SunCloud Health community.

Violence begets violence, until love interrupts it.

Small acts of kindness and grace to those deeply affected by discrimination is a good start.

Expect to see more information about our inclusivity initiative in the coming weeks.

Warmly, SunCloud Health