Message to Seattle Children’s Workforce and Community
9.1.21
From Susan Betcher, Hospital Board of Trustees Chair and Dr. Jeff Sperring, CEO, Seattle Children’s
The Assessment Committee’s independent review of Seattle Children’s efforts to combat systemic racism and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion determined that we have not consistently lived up to the organization’s core values. On behalf of the Hospital Board of Trustees and the Executive Leadership Team, we are sorry. To Seattle Children’s workforce, patients and families, and the broader community, we promise to do and be better and to earn back your trust and become the anti-racist organization you expect us to be.
To that end, today we will release our Health Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan (en Español) based on the Assessment Committee’s work with Covington & Burling LLP, including their 11 finding statements and detailed recommendations. This plan reaffirms our commitment to anti-racism and sets forth specific actions that Seattle Children’s will take to address Covington’s recommendations, along with the milestones that leadership will be accountable for meeting.
We conclude by expressing our gratitude to everyone who came forward publicly and through the Assessment Committee’s anonymous process to share their experience. You have helped us better understand where we have fallen short and accelerated our response to these issues. As Seattle Children’s makes measurable progress toward becoming the organization we aspire to be, we will work tirelessly to rebuild trust with our workforce, patients and families, and the community.
Susan Betcher
Chair, Seattle Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees
Jeff Sperring, MD
CEO, Seattle Children’s
About Seattle Children’s
Seattle Children’s mission is to provide hope, care and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible. Together, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Research Institute and Foundation deliver superior patient care, identify new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research, and raise funds to create better futures for patients.
Ranked as one of the top children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children’s serves as the pediatric and adolescent academic medical center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho – the largest region of any children’s hospital in the country. As one of the nation’s top five pediatric research centers, Seattle Children’s Research Institute is internationally recognized for its work in neurosciences, immunology, cancer, infectious disease, injury prevention and much more. Seattle Children’s Foundation, along with Seattle Children’s Guild Association – the largest all volunteer fundraising network for any hospital in the country – works with our generous community to raise funds for lifesaving care and research.
For more information, visit seattlechildrens.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or on our On the Pulse blog.