Implementation of a Comprehensive Anti-Racism Plan in an Academic Physical Therapy Department: An Administrative Case Report

Abstract

Objective: Transforming the University of Southern California health care system requires that institutions and organizations position equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), and anti-racism as central to their missions. The purpose of this administrative case report was to describe a systematic approach taken by an academic physical therapy department to develop a comprehensive antiracism plan that engages all interested and affected parties and includes processes for sustainable, long-term engagement.

Methods: Four strategies contributed to organizational change toward anti-racism: Holding Ourselves Accountable; Developing a Plan; Building Consensus; and Providing Education, Support, and Resources. The attitudes of faculty and staff about racism and anti-racist actions were assessed through surveys at the start of the process and after 1 year. Engagement in activities, meetings, and trainings related to EDI and anti-racism was logged for faculty and staff.

Results: From November 2020 through November 2021, several outcomes were achieved, including: making structural organizational changes; updating faculty merit review to include EDI; developing a bias reporting mechanism; establishing faculty development activities, resources, and groups; and implementing structured efforts to recruit a diverse cohort. Within that year, faculty and staff engaged in 99.32 hours of EDI and anti-racism trainings, workshops, and resource groups. Survey data showed persistent high support and commitment to EDI and anti-racism. Faculty and staff reported that they felt more equipped to identify and address individual and institutional racism and they reported risking their reputations to talk about race more often. Confidence in their ability to identify and resolve conflicts related to microaggressions, cultural insensitivity, and bias improved. However, their self-reported ability to identify and address structural racism remained unchanged.

Conclusion: By approaching anti-racism as transformative rather than performative, an academic physical therapy department was able to develop and implement a comprehensive anti-racism plan with high support and engagement.

Impact: The physical therapy profession has not been immune to racism and health injustice. Organizational change to become anti-racist is imperative for excellence and a necessary challenge to undertake if the physical therapy profession is to transform society and improve the human experience.

Keywords: Anti-Racism; Diversity; Equity; Inclusion; Institutional Racism; Race; Social Determinants of Health; Social Justice.

Figure

Organizational anti-racist growth can be conceptualized as a planetary gear set. The central “sun” gear is Holding Ourselves Accountable. It is surrounded by the 3 “planet” gears: Developing a Plan; Building Consensus; and Providing Education, Support, and Resources. The concurrent movement and interaction of the gears generate motion in the “ring” gear: Organizational Anti-Racist Growth. Note that the sun and planet gears are interdependent, meaning headway in 1 organizational process will generate headway in the others, and Holding Ourselves Accountable acts as the link and central driver for sustained anti-racist growth within the organization. Keeping these gears moving results in transformative, not just performative, action toward making the organization more anti-racist and equitable.