OUR MISSION

Raising healthy children in Ohio is our priority. As child advocates, we aim to be a voice for children and communities whose voices may not otherwise be heard. Equity and inclusion are not simply words but are demonstrated through our actions. While many of our programs, including infant mortality prevention, lead screening and population health, focus on the needs of underserved and marginalized communities, we will work to strengthen our efforts to promote and implement equity and inclusion into the fabric of all our programs. In this vein, we commit as an organization to the following:

• Educate our 2,900 members on identifying and mitigating implicit bias and being anti-racist in both professional and personal settings

• Highlight the data gathered from our quality improvement programs related to the areas of the underserved, and integrate families into each of these programs to guarantee a better and more equitable perspective and approach to the children we serve in our programs

• Be a resource for families, empower them to have meaningful conversations about recent events and help mitigate the traumatic impact of racism,

• Promote advocacy at state and national levels to combat the crisis of racism in health care

• Strive for a more inclusive Chapter and Foundation leadership including appointing a diversity champion to serve in leadership of the Chapter’s membership work, and

• Commit funds through our Chapter’s Foundation to be awarded to members and/or residents to develop efforts to champion diversity and inclusion.

There is much work to be done and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to serve as a resource for our members and our communities. It is through patience, solidarity, ongoing self-reflection, courage, tireless advocacy and respect that we will build a healthier tomorrow for our children and our nation.