DEI Charter Signed by CEO Michael Hunter

We, at Sandstone Care, are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all employees and for individuals accessing our behavioral health services. Our DEI Charter outlines our principles, objectives, and ongoing initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization.

Our Vision

At Sandstone Care, we are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that not only enriches the lives of our employees but also ensures the wellbeing and care of our clients, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, ability, or background.

We believe that embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion are integral to our mission of providing high-quality behavioral health services. This DEI Charter outlines our core principles and commitments to uphold these values within our organization.

Our Commitment

We pledge to uphold the following principles:

1. Inclusivity
   • We will cultivate a culture of inclusivity where every member of our community feels welcome and valued.
2. Equity
   • We will work tirelessly to eliminate disparities in access to care and ensure that all individuals receive the treatment they need, free from bias or discrimination.
3. Diversity
   • We will actively seek to diversify our staff, leadership, and board of directors, recognizing the value that diverse perspectives bring to our organization.
4. Education
   • We will provide ongoing education and training opportunities for our staff, clients, and families to promote awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Our Objectives

Sandstone Care’s Core values include being Ridiculously Service Oriented, Integrity, Passion, Courage, Accessibility, and Partnership.

We believe the following objectives align with our core values:

1. Recruitment and Retention
   • We will actively recruit and retain a diverse workforce, including all staff and leadership, to reflect the communities we serve.
2. Cultural Competence
   • We will enhance the cultural competence of our staff by providing training on cultural awareness, humility, and sensitivity.
3. Accessible Services, Policies, and Procedures
   • We will ensure that our services and internal policies and procedures are accessible and culturally competent, recognizing the unique needs of various communities.
4. Client Advocacy
   • We will advocate for the rights and well-being of all our clients, especially those who may face barriers to access.
5. Community Engagement
   • We will actively engage with our local communities to build relationships and partnerships that support DEI initiatives. This includes using our various communications platforms (website, social media, etc.) to engage in the external facing conversations related to “Our Commitment”.

Our Ongoing Initiatives

At Sandstone Care, we recognize the profound importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of our organization.

We understand that DEI is not a static concept but an ongoing commitment to fostering an environment where every staff member and client feels valued, respected, and supported. With this understanding, we acknowledge our responsibility to adapt and evolve our policies to ensure that they best serve the diverse needs of our community.

This commitment includes:

1. Cultural Sensitivity Training
   • All staff members will undergo regular training on cultural sensitivity, unconscious bias, and cultural humility.
2. Community Partnerships
   • We will collaborate with local organizations and community leaders to address the specific needs of underserved populations.
3. Data Collection and Publishing
   • We will collect and analyze demographic data related to clients, staff, and leadership to measure progress toward our DEI goals and identify areas needing improvement. We will also annually publish our DEI improvement on our website and in our yearly outcomes data so that staff, clients, and stakeholders can monitor our progress.
4. Feedback Mechanisms
   • We will establish feedback mechanisms for clients and staff to report any concerns related to DEI issues and ensure they are addressed promptly.
5. Leadership Development
   • We will invest in leadership development programs to foster a diverse pipeline of future leaders within our organization.

Accountability

We hold ourselves accountable for the goals outlined in this DEI Charter. Our leadership team is responsible for the implementation, oversight, and continuous improvement of DEI initiatives.

Reporting Progress

The DEI committee will meet weekly to discuss, plan, and organize initiatives into subcommittees.

Each subcommittee will meet weekly and report their progress to the DEI committee until their subcommittee goals are complete. The goal of a subcommittee is to complete their initiative and dissolve.

We commit to transparently reporting our progress toward DEI goals through regular updates to our stakeholders, including clients, staff, and the community.

In addition to publishing our annual report within our outcomes and on our website, we will provide internal quarterly updates to all Sandstone Care staff to keep up accountable with our initiatives.

Conclusion

Our DEI Charter reflects Sandstone Care’s unwavering dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that by working together and fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and understanding, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve.