MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Oct. 16, 2023) – Children’s Minnesota is proud to be recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of 2023’s Top Diversity Leaders. The national honor recognizes the top diverse healthcare executives and organizations influencing public policy, care delivery, and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in their organizations and the industry.
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“This prestigious honor is made possible by all the kid experts dedicated to fostering a culture where everyone who comes into our hospitals and clinics feels valued, respected and supported,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, president and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “Establishing a culture that reflects the rich and diverse backgrounds of the families and communities we serve is vital to our vision of being every family’s essential partner in raising healthier kids.”
Children’s Minnesota has implemented several strategies aimed at fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, including:
- Initiating a strong presence at career fairs for professionals of color, like the People of Color Career Fair.
- Developing nursing recruitment programs with historically Black colleges and universities nationally, including Howard University and Florida A&M University.
- Expanding an equity and inclusion internship program to create a pipeline of talent that ensures individuals from diverse backgrounds have access to future employment opportunities at Children’s Minnesota.
- Expanding its employee resources group (ERGs) to eight, adding ERGs for military/veterans and disability advocacy within the last 12 months.
“Recognition as a Top Diversity Leader is a proud milestone on our journey to advance equity and inclusion here at Children’s Minnesota and in our community,” said James Burroughs, senior vice president of government and community relations and chief equity and inclusion officer at Children’s Minnesota. “This honor is also a reminder that achieving equity requires an ongoing commitment to action. Action that improves access to care, achieves better patient satisfaction, reduces health disparities and creates a place where people want to work.”
In 2022, Children’s Minnesota established The Collective for Community Health which aims to improve the health of children and families by addressing disparities – inside and outside of its hospitals and clinics – by working with community partners and other organizations. Since launch, The Collective has achieved the following:
- Partnered with community organizations to advance policies benefiting kids and families during the 2023 Minnesota legislative session.
- Partnered with the United Health Foundation on a three-year, $3 million grant to address pediatric disparities related to asthma, vaccinations and mental health for underserved children and families in the Twin Cities.
“Modern Healthcare’s 2023 Top Diversity Leaders and organizations exemplify a commitment to meaningful diversity, equity, and inclusion. They have exceeded industry standards and continue to devote necessary resources to providing internal opportunities while advancing community health equity, setting a great example for others,” said Dan Peres, President of Modern Healthcare.
The profiles of all the winners are featured in the October 16, 2023, print issue of Modern Healthcare. Subscribers to Modern Healthcare can also read the profiles here: https://www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/top-diversity-leaders-healthcare-2023.
About Children’s Minnesota
Children’s Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children’s Minnesota is one system serving kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, nine primary care clinics, multiple specialty clinics and seven rehabilitation sites. As The Kids Experts® in our region, Children’s Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children’s hospital.
Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Twitter and Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org.
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