How Can C-L Psychiatrists Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through Their Work? A Joint Submission of ACLP's DEI Task Force and Bioethics SIG

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the extraordinary disparities in health and healthcare for persons of color in the United States. Disproportionate rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality for BIPOC individuals in the U.S. demand justice on behalf of all affected individuals . We are now faced with a twin pandemic – one of mental health and addiction challenges, with both suicide rates and drug overdoses on precipitous rises. As psychiatrists trained and practicing at the intersection of medicine and psychiatry, CL psychiatrists have both the opportunity and the professional – including ethical – responsibilities to contribute to addressing racial disparities in health, including mental health as central to care, and to identifying and eliminating institutional and structural racism. These interventions may occur at the level of the patient, the care team, the institution, and more broadly, at a societal level. In order to meet these needs, CL psychiatry must invest in resources to diversify itself on behalf of its patients.

Diversity is important and part of equity and inclusion for many reasons. Studies have shown that racial, ethnic, and religious concordance between physician and patient may have particular beneficial value to patients who are members of ethnic, racial, and/ or religious minority groups. A diverse psychiatric workforce can broaden the explanatory model of illness with patients, helping to contextualize present symptoms in lived experience and shared social context. CL psychiatrists can serve in this critical role by attending to patients’ subjective understanding and explanatory contexts both in consultative and liaison roles. However, there is a risk of burnout for physicians of color in the form of minority tax, or the added burden of serving minority colleagues, patients, and communities, necessitating continued diversity and inclusion in CL psychiatry for the future of our patients, colleagues, and society.



During this session the speakers will:

1.Discuss the historical context, current status of CL in the broader context of medicine, and the work of the DEI task force.

2.Explore the ethical approaches and paradigms for the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, including justice considerations.

3.Discuss the potential roles of CL psychiatrists in addressing racial disparities through direct patient care, institutional advocacy, and identification and addressing of existing power structures contributing to systemic racism and healthcare disparities.

4.Describe how CL psychiatry and CL psychiatrists can support our colleagues throughout the practice lifespan to avoid burnout, especially related to DEI responsibilities and initiatives.