In 1883, the founder of Washburn Center for Children had a vision to provide hope to children, “without question or distinction to age, sex, race, color or religion.”
Today, this compassionate, inclusive vision continues to guide our work.
As a children’s mental health center, our purpose is to help children, and their families, heal from painful emotional experiences. We value the well-being, mental health and equality of every person, especially those who have experienced discrimination based on their race, gender identity and/or expression, socio-economic status, ability, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, immigration or refugee status.
Washburn Center for Children believes it is our responsibility to promote an inclusive community and foster a supportive and respectful culture for all families and staff. We strive to provide a safe space for all who come through our doors.
We are committed to the ongoing process of creating an inclusive environment that celebrates, honors and respects the seen and unseen diversity of all individuals, groups and families.
We acknowledge that our commitment to inclusion is a journey requiring continual growth and room for improvement. We strive to be open and welcoming to individuals who bring new ideas and insight to this journey. We recognize that we may hold unintentional attitudes and beliefs that influence our interactions with others. We challenge ourselves to expand our awareness and seek to understand how our decisions and actions may impact groups that are marginalized.
Washburn Center for Children puts this commitment into action by supporting several initiatives, including:
- Within their first year at Washburn Center, all new staff members participate in a series of trainings, both web-based and in-person, about diversity, inclusion and cultural responsiveness
- Washburn Center for Children therapists and interns experience on-going dialogues and reflection in both clinical supervision and in their teams
- Staff members are given the opportunity to support each other through affinity groups
- Inclusion conversations are held twice a month to help staff and interns increase their knowledge on topics related to diversity and inclusion, as well as offer space for self-awareness and self-reflection
- An Inclusion and Equity Task Force fosters an environment that integrates equity and inclusion into the agency’s culture at all levels
- Various events and cultural responsiveness trainings are held throughout the year