For the first time in its 80-year history, the National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis (NCCJSTL) recently worked with the executive leadership of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, which has earned a place on U.S.News & World Report''s list of America''s best hospitals for the past 15 consecutive years.

Early in 2007, both organizations began the process of coordinating two training sessions for the top leadership of the hospital administration, called Health Care Inclusion Training. Over two sessions lasting two and half days each, the training teams of the NCCJSTL led the Diversity Council and the senior leadership of Barnes-Jewish Hospital through a process focused on building community, self-awareness and applying leadership relating to issues of bias, bigotry and oppression.

“As one of the leaders in this community, Barnes-Jewish Hospital is aggressively working to improve the diversity of our workforce and the understanding of cultural differences amongst our patients,” said Andrew Ziskind president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

“The work of NCCJSTL is unlike any other training that we have been through. We have deepened our understanding to make changes in the way we grow a diverse leadership team and improve patient care.”

Participants in the first session, held in November 2007, were members of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Diversity Council.

“It is important that the institutions are inclusive and just places for all, not just some, and that no group of people is left out of the process on any level,” said Charisse Jackson, lead program director for the NCCJSTL.

“This training is designed to address and tackle the vital and complicated issues of health care in our region by impacting the professionals that make the decisions.”

Throughout a training day, the group was asked to challenge the foundation of “why we do some of things that we do, professionally and personally, individually and as a group, consciously and unconsciously.”

“The NCCJ training experience is an integral step in the journey toward self-awareness,” said Brenda Battle, director of Barnes-Jewish Hospital''s Center for Diversity and Cultural Competence.

“It provided our teams with a depth of personal revelation and accountability that enables us to really work on diversity and inclusion to the benefit of our staff and patients.”

Sessions dealt with taking personal responsibility, understanding generational bias, questioning systematic oppression.

“None of us expects a quick fix when dealing with such complex issues, especially when healthcare is part of the equation,” said Joseph Jordan, interim executive director of the NCCJSTL.

“However, each person that participated in the Inclusion Training now has new tools, new eyes, and a new plan to continue the work.”

Founded as the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1927, the NCCJSTL established a new 501(c)(3) to operate independent of the national arm of the NCCJ in 2005. The organization is dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and oppression and to promoting understanding and respect among all races, religions, and cultures. NCCJSTL can be reached at (314) 865-3042 or visit www.nccjstl.org.