Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism Statement

These are Austin Child Guidance Center’s (ACGC) commitments and goals around diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. ACGC will review the statement annually to ensure that we are mindful of how we engage with each other, our clients, and the greater Austin community. We use this along with our mission, vision, and values to  

1. Challenge racism and discrimination  
2. Serve the needs of our unique Austin community and the surrounding areas  
3. Be a safe space for all who walk through the doors  

We understand that we will make mistakes and we welcome your feedback. If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@austinchildguidance.org.  

A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO KIDS & YOUTH  

We want you to know that ACGC cares about you. We want you to feel welcome and safe. We ask questions to get to know you. You can ask us any questions. If you ever feel worried or scared, you have someone to talk to at ACGC. You can also talk to an adult you trust.  

Tell us what you need. We care about you.  

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

ACGC strives to ensure that all children and families, no matter their income or identity, have access to excellent quality mental health care. We understand there are barriers to seeking help, and we are committed to helping children and families overcome them.   

We commit to:  

• Creating spaces where children and their families feel safe, cared for, and supported  
• Providing treatment that is culturally responsive and based on the best available research   
• Working with children and their families on their mental health treatment plans  
• Providing support to families that might be struggling to meet their basic needs  
• Ensuring that cost does not get in the way of quality mental health services   
• Providing mental health services and resources in Spanish and English  
• Hiring staff that represent the diversity within our community   
• Continually evaluating how we can better serve the children and families within our community

COMMUNITY

We understand the impact that oppression has on our communities and families, and we hope to make a positive impact and be good stewards of the spaces we occupy. We acknowledge the impact of systems of oppression, including colonialism, imperialism, the U.S. slave trade, racism, white supremacy, colorism, ableism, religious persecution, ethnic oppression, transphobia, oppression of LGBTQ communities, sexism, ageism, linguistic oppression, classism, poverty, immigration status, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, islamophobia and more historic and current harms. We acknowledge that ACGC sits on indigenous land. The Tonkawa lived in central Texas and the Comanche and Apache moved through this area.  

 Acknowledging forms of trauma are often overlooked, including the influence of race-based, generational, cultural, or other discrimination-based trauma.  

We commit to:   

• Elevating community voices   
• Making mental health services accessible   
• Offering multilingual services, including services in both English and Spanish   
• Compensating our multilingual staff   
• Training our staff, interns, and Board on trauma-informed care and equity  

STAFF

ACGC promotes a healthy, open, supportive, caring and inviting community among our staff. We work collaboratively to ensure our backgrounds, strengths, and identities are respected. We see our diversity in backgrounds and values as a strength to better serve our clients and the Austin community.   

We commit to:  

• Approaching each other with respect to create a trusting community  
• Empowering each individual’s voice and perspective  
• Respecting each other's strengths  
• Celebrating our differences to help us reach our goals  
• Engaging in conversations about equity and oppression   
• Maintaining accountability with each other  
• Welcoming our fellow staff to learn alongside us on our professional journeys   
• Continuing our learning and understanding through research, conversations, and policy changes 

GOALS  

We want to share some of our long-term and ongoing goals related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism.   

We strive to:  

• Hold space for difficult conversations related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism  
• Reduce barriers to services   
• Acknowledge our mistakes and address concerns as they are brought to our attention  
• Provide multilingual services, including access to interpreters and multilingual staff  
• Build stronger community partnerships and learn about community needs  
• Research about and outreach to underserved communities  
• Be active members of the Central Texas community and build a cohesive referral network 
• Be a safe place where people from all backgrounds feel comfortable reaching out to ACGC for help 

DEFINITIONS