Updated June 4, 2020
In the words of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
As the nation’s largest collective of not-for-profit advanced illness, hospice and palliative care providers, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation’s (NPHI) commitment to fighting and eradicating racial injustice is personal – and it’s a core tenet of our values and mission.
The death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident and the impact of racial injustice extends beyond the everyday violence people in our communities face. Communities of color also face systemic barriers to accessing health care. Racial disparities in health care are unacceptable.
Together, we are reflecting on where we, as community-based programs, can do better in addressing racial disparities in both access to high quality end-of-life care and gaps in culturally relevant training and interventions.
Ensuring access to advanced illness, hospice and palliative care, as well as caregiver support is critical during what is often the most challenging time individuals and families face.
Our commitment goes beyond a sentiment. As a small part of our long-standing efforts to support mission driven programs in delivering care that reflects the unique preferences, needs and wishes of individuals across diverse groups, and in creating environments that promote diversity, equity and inclusion throughout their employee and volunteer teams, we commit to providing even more resources. We will also be creating an NPHI Center for Equity and Inclusion to lead the development and implementation of our diversity, inclusion, and health equity actions.
“We must dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote many years ago, ‘to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world.'” Robert F. Kennedy on April 4, 1968.
Tom Koutsoumpas, President & CEO