In 2020, Fenway Health committed to becoming an anti-racist organization by working to overcome the racial inequities that exist in the services we provide, the people we reach, and the outcomes we achieve.
The Fenway Health Board of Directors unanimously approved an ambitious, 5-year strategic plan in June 2021 that centers a Racial Action Equity Plan (REAP) designed by a team of employees from across Fenway and several board members to ensure a deliberate, rigorous approach to racial equity in eight key areas of focus in the organization.
We completed the first of three phases of the plan in June. As part of the plan and in preparation for the next phase of our efforts, we have devoted concentrated time to reflect on our progress, evaluate our successes and setbacks, and realign our priorities.
We launched Phase Two of our efforts in January. In the spirit of accessibility, transparency, and accountability, we are pleased to share what we have learned, and where we are going.
Tightening Our Focus, Refining Our Vision
We engaged multiple internal and external stakeholders throughout the realignment period. We received significant, insightful feedback suggesting that we do more to amplify and address the distinctions between institutional goals, team-level goals, and individual goals toward antiracist practice.
The blueprint for Phase Two of our work incorporates this and other guidance we received. The plan identifies and brings forward those Phase One efforts in which the work continues. It sets forth a simplified structure for better understanding and accessibility, and it forecasts the capacity, bandwidth, and resources we need to deploy.
We are focused on creating lasting impact in three major areas:
Developing Team/Unit-Based Antiracism Plans
Creating Systems that Develop and Support Our People
Deep Listening, Telling Our Stories
We are supporting teams in their efforts to create antiracism plans specific to their day-to-day work, as well as renewed/amplified effort to achieve institutional goals related to our Board of Directors, leveraging patient race data via our new EPIC medical records system to improve outcomes based on race, continued improvement of our investment in BIPOC business as part of our procurement practice, and creating new training and development opportunities for our staff. All this work is in service to improving and sustaining the care we provide our patients and clients.
We continue to be committed to making this plan accessible to our community and to ensuring accountability for its implementation. The plan identifies at least one of point of contact who bears final responsibility for moving an item forward, and it contains provisions for regular and transparent updates on our progress. We invite you to engage with us at upcoming town hall events where we will provide updates on our progress and continue to solicit feedback and guidance from you.
As always, we are grateful that you are part of our Fenway Health community.
Sincerely,
Ellen LaPointe, Chief Executive Officer
Jonathan Matsui, Chair of the Board’s Racial Equity Action Committee
Scott Walker, Chair of the Board