EQUITY IS IMPERATIVE
We are committed to creating an environment of belonging that embraces and celebrates the visible & invisible qualities of all individuals. We strive to uplift the voices of the historically unheard – communities of color and other under-represented peoples.
ABOUT OUR COMMITTEE:
The Partners For Quality family of agencies is proud to have a Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion promoting a standard of diversity, racial equity, and inclusion to ensure that all people thrive in our workforce and communities.
The Committee, formed in 2020, is comprised of staff from all levels at all of our Partners For Quality family of agencies.
Our Committee is dedicated to making equity and diversity a regular part of our daily conversations. Committee members plan and implement diversity celebration events and diversity educational training for staff at all agencies, with the constant goal of improving the culture of our work environment.
Our vision is a culture where every individual has an opportunity to succeed; where every voice is not only heard, but valued; where respect is the norm; where all aspects of diversity are embraced and celebrated; and where the services we provide extend equally to all persons of all cultures and are reflective of the population we support.
Committee Initiatives Include:
- Working with a third-party vendor to assess the environment of Partners For Quality and its subsidiaries and provide meaningful staff diversity & inclusion training.
- Celebrate Diversity week/month every April.
- Committee Leadership Council meets monthly; full committee meets regularly.
- Subcommittees:
- Hiring & promotions
- Celebrating diversity
- Recruiting to the committee
- Communications
Allegheny Children’s Initiative (ACI) is committed to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for our staff members and the young people and families we serve. In the summer of 2020, ACI staff members were instrumental in launching what is now the Partners for Quality Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion that works to advance equity and inclusion at all levels within the organization.
To further the work within ACI, in early 2022, ACI partnered with the Two5Five Group to deliver an impactful antiracism education and dialogue series. Following this experience, we invited an expert in the field of social work to further our understanding of the Social Workers’ Code of Ethics and its impact on service delivery. From there, four committees were launched based on feedback from our staff: Community Engagement, Diversity in Hiring, Education and Dialogue, and Policies and Procedures. All staff members at ACI are actively involved in a committee of their choosing with each committee committed to advancing their mission.
Community Engagement: dedicated to fostering connections and building trust within our community by attending community events and connecting with providers. We are committed to being an engaged community partner.
Diversity in Hiring: dedicated to ensuring that ACI is attracting and hiring diverse staff members. This includes recruiting a diverse applicant pool, to ensuring our interview practices are equitable and just, ultimately leading to a diverse staff population that reflect the communities we serve.
Education and Dialogue: dedicated to providing educational materials and opportunities that promote conversation and growth to advance ACI’s efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Policies and Procedures: dedicated to ensuring ACI’s Policies and Procedures incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion standards.
The Partners For Quality Committee was formed in the spring of 2020 following the killing of George Floyd. Three passionate employees (two from Allegheny Children’s Initiative and one from Milestone) approached Partners For Quality’s CEO and expressed concern that our agencies were not adequately or appropriately addressing Floyd’s senseless killing. These staff respectfully but adamantly pointed out that we needed to do more to respond to the trauma caused by this event and others like it.
CEO Maggie Rothenberger rolled up her sleeves and immediately got to work with these three staff. They agreed that an all-agency Committee was the best first step.
The Committee was launched and instantaneously grew, as staff from all Partners For Quality agencies enthusiastically came together with the common mission of making our workplaces welcoming, respectful and safe.
Months of open and honest discussion occurred as the Committee determined the best steps to achieve its mission. We knew from the beginning that this important initiative would be a marathon, not a sprint. Every decision is made with careful thought.
We are proud to report that our family of agencies has collectively engaged the services of Dan Houston and the 1750 Group, a dynamic coach and trainer providing our staff with education, knowledge and training in diversity equity and inclusion.
We remain committed to living each day committed to the fact that Equity is Imperative.
