Justice, Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion

Red Oak Behavioral Health is a trauma-informed organization, committed to creating safe spaces for everyone to share their story.

To THOSE WE SERVE

We recognize that past and current social, racial, and economic disparities have adversely impacted the mental and emotional well-being of many in our community, including those we serve. We are mindful of our responsibilities as mental health professionals to demonstrate compassion, engage in equitable practices, and recognize the intersection of cultural diversity and mental health, continuously building on our knowledge about those implications. At Red Oak, we commit to:

• Acknowledge that you are the expert of your own experience.
• Create a safe space for everyone to have a voice and be heard without judgement.

To OUR TEAM MEMBERS

Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are intentionally woven into the fabric of our organization’s internal policies and our commitment to our team. Though Red Oak exists to serve those in the community in need of mental health care, it is important that we begin by treating each other with respect, extending empathy and support to each other when we need it. At Red Oak, we commit to:

• Provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for team members where they feel
  encouraged to bring their true, authentic selves to work every day.
• Foster a sense of belonging, where team members feel safe and empowered to use their
  talents and skills to ensure the best possible outcomes.

To OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Red Oak is honored to collaborate with the many community partners who are dedicated to providing access to mental health care for EVERYONE in need. We actively seek to build bridges within our community, finding ways for people to connect and get their needs met. At Red Oak, we commit to:

• Emphasize safety, compassion and understanding in all our interactions.
• Engage in a diverse array of partnerships that add value to the lives of those we serve.
• Equitably share our knowledge and resources with others to help build community resilience.

Red Oak is committed to creating and sustaining a culture that empowers our team, our agency, and our community to engage in ways that create an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and just environment.

We are grateful to be on this journey with you.

Red Oak’s JEDI Work in Action:

• Training and capacity building for staff, Board and Leadership in areas of diversity and inclusion and on issues of social justice.

• Ongoing assessment of our agency’s climate around diversity, equity & inclusion

• Development of a permanent JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Task Force with representation from staff, Board and clients.
• Development of a strategic plan to support the agency in becoming a more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace.

JEDI Rules of Engagement

• Be prepared and engaged
• Hold space for others to be heard
• Be curious and ask clarifying questions
• Remember that positive intent doesn’t negate impact
• Recognize positionality (social, cultural, organizational)
• Allow for more than one “right” answer or way
• Recognize assumptions about what you think someone else thinks
• Respect that engagement looks different for different people
• Engage in respectful discourse and a mutual honoring of one another
• Avoid re-traumatization
• Honor conflict as a critical part of growth

For more information about the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts underway at Red Oak Behavioral Health, or to get more involved in our work, contact us at jedi@redoakbh.org.