SJCMS Statement on Racial Injustice

The St Joseph County Medical Society (SJCMS) Board of Trustees approved at their board meeting on February 25, 2021 to stand with American Medical Association (AMA) by stating their agreement with the AMA statement made on June 7, 2020 against racism. The statement reads as following:

· The AMA recognizes that racism in its systemic, structural, institutional, and interpersonal forms is an urgent threat to public health, the advancement of health equity, and a barrier to excellence in the delivery of medical care.

· The AMA opposes all forms of racism.

· The AMA denounces police brutality and all forms of racially motivated violence.

· The AMA will actively work to dismantle racist and discriminatory policies and practices across all of health care.

Additional, as an affiliate of the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA), the St. Joseph County Medical Society stands with the ISMA Board of Trustees and supports the following statement released by the ISMA on July 16, 2020:

ISMA opposes all forms of racism and denounces racially motivated violence, including police brutality. ISMA is committed to creating greater health equity by dismantling racist and discriminatory policies and practices across all of health care and amplifying diverse voices within the health care community through policy solutions, legislative advocacy, and professional development.

We also know the health of Hoosiers depends on more than just the health care delivery system – it depends on other social determinants of health, such as employment, housing, education, public safety, and access to healthy food. Racism is a contributing factor to social determinants of health and is a barrier to health equity. ISMA stands with people of color in the effort to improve public health outcomes, increase access to care, and reduce health disparities for our minority populations.

The SJCMS is collaborating with local organizations to what our role as an organization might be in trying to promote equality in healthcare in our community.