About

The Eliminating Structural Racism (ESR) Advisory Group to the ADAMHS Board will serve as a partner to the Board. The group’s role is to identify and address structural inequities with a focus on racism in the areas of workforce, health equity and data and research in the local ADAMHS Board behavioral health network. Additionally, the group will advise the ADAMHS Board on the implementation of key strategies and actions of the DEI Strategic Implementation Plan.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Implementation Plan

The ADAMHS Board of Directors unanimously approved a Three-Year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Implementation Plan for the Board as well the public behavioral health system of mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and recovery at its June 22, 2022 General Meeting via Resolution 22-06-08.

This plan includes clearly defined goals and action steps that the ADAMHS Board will use to develop a culturally competent, culturally appropriate, and diverse mental health, addiction and recovery support system that delivers treatment, recovery and prevention services that prioritize equity and inclusion to meet the needs of the diverse residents of Cuyahoga County.

Click here to view the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Implementation Plan.

The DEI Strategic Implementation Plan was created for the ADAMHS Board and its system of providers by Rice Education Consulting, LLC (REdCon).

History

This group began meeting in October 2020, to address the items put forward in Resolution No. 20-06-01 declaring Racism as a Public Health Crisis, and as a result of the ADAMHS Board signing onto a statewide declaration as a member of the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities.

In October 2021, the ADAMHS Board entered into a contract with REDCon for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consultant services, to plan immediate, short-term and long-term goals for eliminating discrimination and structural racism in the ADAMHS Board public behavioral health network.

Changes to the ESR group have occurred since the group’s inception. In November 2021, the name of the group changed to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Behavioral Health Care Work Group. During the same month, the ADAMHS Board amended its resolution to declare Discrimination is a Public Health Crisis. In February 2022, the Board unanimously voted to rescind the Discrimination is a Public Health Crisis resolution and reinstate the Racism Is a Public Health Crisis resolution.

In May 2022, the group reviewed options for its name and its schedule. The group came to consensus that its name would be the Eliminating Structural Racism (ESR) Advisory Group to the ADAMHS Board.

Please note that the ESR Sub-group meetings originally scheduled for 2023 have been suspended to allow participants time to contribute to related DEI activities. THE FULL GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET QUARTERLY.

OACBHA's Health Equity Report and Building Capacity to Enhance Behavioral Health Equity One-Pager

The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), of which the ADAMHS Board is a member, released a Health Equity Report and one-pager titled, Building Capacity to Enhance Behavioral Health Equity. They shared this report and the one-pager with the General Assembly.

• Click here to view the letter to the General Assembly
• Click here to view the Health Equity Report
• Click here to view the Building Capacity One-pager

Cuyahoga County Citizens' Advisory Council on Equity

Click here to view a report from the Citizens' Advisory Council.

HIP-Cuyahoga

Click here to learn about the HIP-Cuyahoga partnership.

Black Therapists Ohio/Black Mental Health Ohio

Male Behavioral Health launched a website to feature black therapists and clinicians in Ohio. The goal of this website is to make it easier for individuals and families to gain access to competent and qualified black mental health professionals. View the website here: blackmentalhealthohio.com.

Health Policy Institute of Ohio

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio published a Health Policy Fact Sheet outlining connections between racism and health outcomes.