Moving Forward, Together

Throughout our community and our organization, people are feeling angry, frustrated, and afraid. The tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and others have stunned the entire nation and hit too close to home – particularly for African Americans and people of color.

Baptist Health is committed to positively influencing what happens next in our community. As the community’s only faith-based, mission-driven, locally governed health system, we are called to promote health – health in body, mind and spirit. And as the largest private employer in Jacksonville, we are committed to lead by example.

We are deepening our awareness of racism in all forms and leading productive conversations about how to overcome and eliminate it through responsible action. We are also working to address health disparities and inequities throughout the communities we serve.

Sadly, these health disparities and inequities often start at birth. A disproportionate rate of infant deaths in our community are African American, and in response, we provide significant funding for programs focused on reducing infant mortality. We mentor, train, and offer employment opportunities to black youth through programs such as Tipping the Scale. We are partnering with universities to infuse more students, administrative residents, and clinicians of color into our workforce.

These are just a few of the responsible actions we are taking. But there is so much more to be done.

In light of the unrest that has occurred across the country, this is a critical time for us to work together to create a healing environment. For us, this means reflecting the inclusive nature of our mission in our words and deeds.

At this painful and challenging time, we must remember that we all have the power to make a difference – for ourselves and others. Now is the time for us to move forward, together.

Please stay safe and be well,

Brett McClung
President & CEO