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The Equity Edition is the Health Care Authority's (HCA's) newsletter that provides information on our health equity and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts. Equity Edition also shares what's happening in the Pro-Equity Anti-Racism (PEAR) sphere.
But before we dive into our updates, let's talk about vulnerability.
Vulnerability is at the center of change. We cannot make or realize real change without being vulnerable. Being vulnerable means to be authentic, transparent, take risks, and challenge the norms. To challenge the status quo, we first need to feel psychologically safe.
Here are a few ways you can help create an environment for change:
- Surround yourself with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Recognize that we will make mistakes and that’s OK.
- Look for opportunities to bring awareness to others.
- Listen and reflect when others bring awareness to you.
- Understand that how we say things is just as important as what we say.
- Put impact over intention.
- Focus on creating and improving relationships.
Look at the vulnerability hierarchy below and consider how being at different steps could affect your ability to challenge the status quo. The level of vulnerability you are at will change depending on the time, setting, and who you are around.
Image of the Vulnerability Hierarchy pyramid from @lisaoliveratherapy. Starting at the bottom of the pyramid, it reads: "within yourself." Moving up the pyramid, the steps say "with the most trusted person," "with a few trusted people," "within your personal community," "with the whole community," and "with the world."
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PEAR is an Executive Order from Governor Inslee and overseen and supported by the Washington State Office of Equity. The purpose of PEAR at HCA is to foster an environment that creates belonging and establishes a pro-equity and anti-racist culture for HCA employees and the people we work with and serve.
On way we work to foster such an environment is through these PEAR workstreams.
- Leadership Operations & Services
- Data Strategy & Reporting
- Engagement & Community Partnership
- Workforce Equity
Workstream updates
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Leadership Operations & Services is launching an HCA mentorship program.
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Data Strategy & Reporting is embedding equity in HCA's Apple Health managed care contracts.
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Engagement & Community Partnership organized the Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) and Beneficiary Advisory Council (BAC) workgroups, which are a federal mandate change related to Title XIX.
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Workforce Equity is reviewing our agency's Employer of Choice survey results. HCA staff complete this survey each year, and based on the results, our agency focuses on areas where we can improve.
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Fostering belonging at HCA
The MPD Culture and Engagement Committee (CEC), Communications, and Employee Resource Group Intersectionality Collaborative (ERGIC) collaborated to develop HCA's Observances Teams Backgrounds. The purpose of this group is to bring awareness, create appreciation, and to honor each month-long observance. Our goal is to continue to foster a culture of belonging throughout the agency.
Equity in spending
Executive Order 22-01 (Equity in Public Spending) directs agencies to implement measures to progress equity in government spending. The Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) leads these efforts and works with all state agencies to implement the measures.
The 2023 OMWBE Business Spend Goal Plan asked all agencies to establish collaborative relationships with their own internal PEAR teams. As we work to implement this policy within HCA, we are including our agency's PEAR team in our efforts.
Improving how we recruit
Over the last few years, HCA has improved recruitment by:
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Equity changemakers
Becky Carrell, deputy assistant director of the Medicaid Programs Division, was selected as a participant in the Equity Changemakers Institute Class of 2024. The Equity Changemakers Institute, led by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), selects participants based on their demonstrated commitment to advancing equitable health care access and outcomes.
Becky’s selection recognizes her consistent dedication to inclusive leadership and her passion for creating a fairer health system. Health Equity Program Manager Ashley Bennett was a 2023 program participant.
In March, Chief Communication Officer Kennedy Soileau received The Equity-Minded Leadership Award for her commitment to advancing health equity across the agency.
Congratulations, Becky, Ashley, and Kennedy!
A new executive order
A new draft executive order from Governor Inslee may include new direction for state agencies to remove specific required years of experience, or a specific degree or educational credential. This will change the way our agency screens for positions and drive us toward a more skills- and competencies-focused approach to recruitment.
Changes to standards for maintaining, collecting, and presenting federal data on race and ethnicity
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced revisions to the Statistical Policy Directive No.15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data and Race and Ethnicity (SPD 15).
The intent of these revisions is to improve the way race and ethnicity data is used and collected across the federal government. Read the White House announcement to learn more.
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The spotlight is a feature that recognizes an individual, program, or effort at HCA that is advancing health equity.
Equity in hiring and recruiting
This spotlight showcases Robin Vazquez, director of HCA's Employee Resources Division (ERD). ERD is also known as Human Resources or HR. Robin talks about her role and how she and her team work to ensure our agency's hiring and recruitment policies and practices are efficient; supportive of division needs; legally defensible; and fair and equitable.
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To HCA, health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Our vision is to represent a culture in which we recognize health inequities and work with the people we serve to reduce inequities.
Learn more about health equity and Pro-Equity Anti-Racism (PEAR) efforts.
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