Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Program Mission

The mission of the Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland Psychiatry Residency Program is to:

• Foster an environment of diversity and inclusion through the recognition and celebration of differences within our community, our hospital and our program so that trainees, faculty, staff and patients feel respected and heard.
• Provide culturally informed, compassionate and high quality mental healthcare for patients who come from marginalized and underserved backgrounds.
• Promote awareness-building about the healthcare impact of oppressive structures and racism in all its forms through educational programs and discussion.
• Recruit faculty, staff and trainees from under-represented and underserved populations so as to promote equity in healthcare representation.
• Maintain authentic appreciation for the richness of human differences with the ultimate goal of promoting equity in healthcare within and beyond our institution.

Program Values

These are the values of our residency program:

• We believe that social factors, in addition to biological factors, influence the health of our patients. These social factors include the cumulative and compounding effects of history, culture, ideology, institutions and policies that systematically privilege some groups of people and disadvantage others.
• We believe in the pursuit of health equity and that it must exist and be embraced for all individuals including people of different races, ethnicities, ages, religions, languages, sexes, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, abilities, and levels of education.
• We believe that an inclusive environment that supports the diversity in residents, faculty and staff helps foster compassion, understanding, and respect of the uniqueness of all individuals.
• We believe that both awareness and concrete actions related to the diversity of life experiences benefits psychiatric patients by promoting patient-centered care.

Program Vision

We will have succeeded in our mission when:

• Our training program and department are considered to be an inclusive atmosphere whereby all team members are able to “live their best lives.”
• We are able to maintain ongoing successful recruitment, mentorship, sponsorship, and retention of diverse team members.
• We can demonstrate authentic partnership and leadership in hospital-wide equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives.
• We have a national reputation in residency training for healing, teaching, and discovering – grounded in health equity, diversity and inclusivity.
• We have a national reputation for residency training leadership in psychiatric care for underserved and minoritized populations.