Our DEI Commitment

 

Dear Constituents,

 

At the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, we put everything into reaching our mission - curing IBD and improving the quality of life of ALL children and adults affected by these diseases.  Successfully doing so is contingent on us continuing to expand our reach to communities that are underrepresented at the Foundation, as well as being mindful of everyone’s perspectives and circumstances.  None of this can effectively happen without prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This involves engaging the full spectrum of the diverse IBD community and our workforce, providing equitable resources and solutions for all patients and staff, and ensuring those diverse voices are included and uplifted within our work.

The Importance of Reaching the Broader Community:

Without taking a DEI lens to all we do at the Foundation, we risk never fully achieving our mission. The IBD community is diverse – comprised of people living throughout the country with various backgrounds, beliefs, upbringings and lived experiences – and what works for one may not work for all.  The more diverse the group is with which we engage, the more successful the resources we build and provide will be for the broader community.

 

Furthermore, we specifically identify underrepresented populations within the IBD community that are impacted by health inequities. Our commitment to reaching all IBD patients and their caregivers includes finding ways to provide equitable resources and support to help offset such inequities and meet every patient where they are on their disease journey.

Our Strategic Framework:

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has successfully prioritized DEI efforts because of the alignment and support from our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.  While DEI is reflected in our Core Values and is embedded into our overarching Strategic Plan, our leadership has also collectively endorsed the following DEI multiyear strategic framework to help better direct our activities with intention. This framework is used to develop tactical plans annually, where we establish metrics for success, monitor progress over time, and evaluate and share program outcomes each year.

Foundation in Action:

Here are a few examples of some recent efforts:

  • Improving Health Outcomes in Black/African American Community - In collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), we are working on a five-year project aimed at identifying and addressing barriers to diagnosis and care among IBD patients, with an emphasis on those from the Black/African American community. 
  • Accelerating Enrollment in IBD Clinical Trials - The Foundation is embarking on a three-year initiative aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of patients in IBD clinical trials, primarily focusing on Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino patients. The goal is for patients from these communities to be more adequately represented in research studies so future treatments and innovations meet the needs of more patients.
  • Education Programs for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino Communities – Our “Morning of Culture” and “Morning of Community” education programs bring together patients and caregivers from the Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino Communities to learn from IBD experts and build a local support community.
  • DEI Advisory Committees – Comprised of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who predominantly serve and/or are part of underrepresented communities, our DEI Advisory Committees inform work throughout the Foundation and help ensure the most urgent needs are being addressed in the most authentic way.
  • Expanding Reach Throughout the Country – The “DEI Field Pilot Program” was initiated to help expand our reach to more patients and volunteers from underrepresented communities via our local Chapters and provide more accessibility to our programming and resources.
  • Resources for Underrepresented Communities – From community-specific support groups and education materials to our IBD Help Center that accommodates questions in 170 languages, we provide a variety of resources that are tailored to meet different needs among underrepresented communities.

We recognize all of these efforts are part of an ongoing journey and more work is needed to enhance, expand, and evolve our DEI plans.  Learn more about how this framework is put into action through our dedicated DEI webpage. 

 

Sincerely,

Michael Osso, President and CEO of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation

Michael Osso

Amber Backhaus, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees

Amber L. Backhaus