Statement of Inclusion

June 11, 2020 — Statement of Inclusion
By: Nicholas Oliver, Executive Director

This afternoon, The Partnership’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to adopt a “Statement of Inclusion”. As The Partnership’s Executive Director, I am expressing my support for today’s action:

While the Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care holds longstanding values of supporting diversity and inclusion, the association did not have a written statement that reflects our values. In light of the series of recent events and unprecedented responses from companies and associations across the globe, this opened our eyes to the need for our association to publicly state our concerns about discrimination that some of our colleagues, patients and clients face daily. Rhode Island, like the rest of the country, is a ‘melting pot’ that should celebrate its diversity and inclusion. None of our fellow Rhode Islanders should continue to face barriers based on the color of their skin.

We did not jump to issue a statement in the immediacy of last week’s protests because we wanted to carefully and constructively make a statement that accurately portrays our collective emotions on this issue and how our association can continue to take action to make positive changes for our industry, especially for our colleagues and their patients and clients. The words may never be perfect, but our actions prior to today and into the future will say more than any statement that we release. However, our words must always reflect our mission of ‘Advancing quality healthcare at home’. Unequivocally, we are Rhode Islanders that stand in support of fellow Rhode Islanders. Unilaterally, we are leaders and employers that support our dedicated employees. Unconditionally, we are healthcare providers that care for our patients, clients and their families. It is our hope that the Rhode Island General Assembly appropriately responds to our requests for action that reflects equity for all those that deliver optimal home care services and for all those that receive our care in their time of need.


Statement of Inclusion:

The Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care, as the state’s association for healthcare service providers delivering optimal personal care attendant, home nursing, home infusion, palliative care and hospice, recognizes diversity and inclusion as an essential component of our mission toward “Advancing quality healthcare at home”. We vehemently reject social injustice and barriers to equity in any form. We encourage all of our members to continue to foster workforce diversity and to act as meaningful agents toward change to end inequities and expand efforts contributing toward a better Rhode Island. As community leaders and employers, we believe that this is a time to listen and to change.

While the answers to solving inequalities are complex, multi-faceted and reach far beyond the healthcare services that we deliver, home care as an industry and The Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care as an association by its nature has always been a leader in diversity, advocating for equity and creating jobs and career ladders for all. Throughout the history of our association, we have fought and will continue to fight for a dignified wage and benefits for nurse assistants, nurses, social workers, therapists and office staff that values the quality care that they deliver in every zip code. We led and will continue to lead the charge to have equal access to home care for all Rhode Islanders in their time of need, especially when we have and continue to face barriers by our state and federal governments and their elected and appointed representatives. We want and will continue to advocate for home care workers to receive the respect and appreciation for the work being done every day to keep homebound Rhode Islanders safe and independent with supports regardless of their housing status, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, or physical, behavioral and cognitive abilities.

Unequivocally, we are Rhode Islanders that stand in support of fellow Rhode Islanders. Unilaterally, we are leaders and employers that support our dedicated employees. Unconditionally, we are healthcare providers that care for our patients, clients and their families.

It is time to elevate the wage for home care nurse assistants through substantive reimbursement rate increases by government and commercial insurers to support this change. It is time to end inadequate alternative home care delivery systems that provide subpar quality to minority and disabled patients and clients. Through these actions, our elected leaders will demonstrate that our community values home care workers, many of whom are persons of color, for their work as not just a job, but as a profession with a career track and a healthcare setting of choice for a meaningful career.

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