On July 31 the Therapeutic Consultant Association hosted a two-hour training with Dare2Rise for its members. The goal of this training was to expand their analysis of systemic and institutionalized racism and how it relates to the Family Choice Behavioral Healthcare Industry.
The two-hour training had 30 participants. The panelists included Judith Sadora, Johnny Knatt, Alexandria Ravenel and Tracy Hopkins.
Hopkins from Dare2Rise said “The format of this training was designed for two critical components to occur, to guide consultants in achieving this goal; learning from those who are impacted on what the issues are and hearing how one can play a role in perpetuating systemic/institutionalized racism”.
The TCA members and panelists engaged in critical conversations aimed at understanding the issues and developing a process where they can learn from experts and work together on best practices for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) client populations.
Hopkins pointed out, “Too often, I see white people jump too quickly from awareness to action and skip the crucial step of expanding their analysis. If one does not become aware of how they may be part of the issue nor pause to know what the core issues are by asking those who are impacted, the solutions that typically get implemented end up being performative, unsustainable, and/or harmful for those whose identities include BIPOC”.
The TCA has formed a Diversity committee that will continue to evaluate their thinking and work to promote more training and education as well as advocate for change. The TCA has issued a statement on structural racism and their goals as a professional organization:
The TCA is acknowledging the implications of historical structural racism in the USA. As an organization, we are dedicated to deepening our learning and facilitating critical conversations about diversity, inclusion and social justice as it relates to the mental health of our clients and professional community. The TCA along with our treatment partners, programs, and the broader treatment community will work to develop best practices for our work with BIPOC populations. Moving forward TCA consultants will expect the mental health programs we work with to develop best practices and demonstrate cultural competency with our shared clients and families.
For more information on Dare2Rise, daretorise.org, contact Tracy Hopkins at tracyhopkins2@me.com
For more information on the TCA Diversity Committee contact Kathy Meyer at Kathy@PrepareToBloom.com