The work of organizations and institutions in the health care and mental health sectors is rooted in using science-based medical intervention to treat illnesses of the body and mind. These services are developed and offered on an assumption that all people share largely similar physiology, and thus, health care is a neutral space. This is far from the case. Many of these organizations and institutions in this sector function without context, dismissing the idea that social analysis is necessary in science-based medical models. However, research has proven that social determinants of health like gender, culture, ethnicity, economic status and other socio-economic factors have a direct impact on the way that different groups experience health care.
Health Care and Mental Health
Health Care and Mental Health
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For example, studies have shown that Black, Latino (US) and Indigenous (US and Canada) patients admitted to hospitals are less likely to receive effective services like cancer screenings, and more likely to be given unnecessary and potentially harmful tests and interventions.[1] These same patient were also more likely to be uninsured.[2] Research also suggest that health care professionals often underestimate the pain levels of racialized patients even when they provide the same descriptions as their white counterparts.[3] Similar issues arise when you examine mental health. Children of colour are less likely to receive diagnoses of ADHD despite showing symptoms at the same rate as their white counterparts, but they were more likely to be placed in special education.[4] Meanwhile, some doctors are prescribing ADHD medications to low-income children, purely as a means of improving poor academic performance, despite uncertainty about the long-term effects of these drugs.[5]
[1] https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1416
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5370590/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843483/
[4] https://www.additudemag.com/race-and-adhd-how-people-of-color-get-left-behind/
[5] https://www.businessinsider.com/doctor-prescribing-stimulants-to-poor-kids-indiscriminately-2012-10
Health Care and Mental Health
As with any of our strategies for more equitable outcomes, the KOJO Institute approach to the health care and mental health sectors begins with the use of disaggregated identity data. We help organizations and institutions to analyze this data to determine who they are serving, who are being underserved, and what factors are contributing to those outcomes. We supplement these findings with the feedback of service recipients and racialized staff and students on where the systems are falling short.
Additionally, we provide decision-makers with important social context by educating them on the way that factors like oppression, violence, and low income can both cause physical and mental health problems and create barriers to care for racialized and minority groups. This information is used to develop strategies to make health care policies and practices reflective of the communities they serve, culturally safe for racialized groups, and accessible regardless of income or social status.
8 Levers To Organizational, Institutional and Systems Change
- Engaging the Board of Directors
- Impacting Staffing Strategies
- Examining the Accountability Framework
- Maximizing the Use of Data
- Implementing Fresh Training and Learning
- Amplifying Communications Strategies
- Widening Community and Stakeholder Relations
- Revisting Service or Business Models
What We Do Well
- Equity & Human Rights
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression
- Anti-Black Racism
- Employment Equity
- Human Resources Diversity
- Organizational Culture Change
How We Prepare You
- Training
- Executive Coaching
- Community Consultations
- Content & Research Development
- Keynotes & Guest Lectures
- Conferences
- Multi-Session Programs
Building Transformation Skills
KOJO Institute leads executives, managers and organizations through an innovative approach that reconstructs their paradigms and systems connected to equity, diversity and inclusion. We amplify the vision for change through deep-dive explorations that identify the scope, segment competencies and quantify resources required to birth social innovation.
With a clear focus on client expectations, we aim to produce actionable frameworks and solutions that ultimately better the lives your people and organization. Contact us.
What Our Clients Say
Development Manager, House of Friendship
Kike visited House of Friendship for a Leadership/Management training session last June. It was incredible and life-changing for many of us. Kike’s gift to the world is to be able to openly name and allow us to sit in the discomfort of this work, holding us accountable, but also not judging anyone. She created a…
Chair, London Police Services Board
The London Police Services Board asked Ms. Ojo-Thompson from the KOJO Institute to start off a day-long strategy session devoted to anti-racism in policing. Her presentation hit on all the right notes. In addition to challenging the Board to question long standing assumptions that are built upon racist legacies, she guided Board members towards actionable…
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Granting Committee Chair, Laidlaw Foundation
Laidlaw Foundation had the privilege and pleasure of having Kike Ojo-Thompson support our collective staff and board anti-oppression training. Our individual levels of awareness and competency on the issue was from ‘none’ to ‘well versed’. Regardless of where we were on the spectrum of knowing, she supported all of us, with patience and enthusiasm. Miigwetch…
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Co-President, BOLDforce for Salesforce Canada
Kike exceeded our expectations at Salesforce. She dynamically navigated audience demographics to provide extremely relevant Equity Training that stimulated immense conversation and insight. Her teachings should be at the centre of every organization’s strategy moving forward. I can’t wait to work with her again!
President, Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth
We thought we already had a pretty good handle on equity, diversity, inclusion and Anti-Black Racism, but Kike’s presentation was enlightening. I have used her concepts several times since. Her style is energetic and engaging and she has a very positive manner. Our thirteen board members were engrossed by her work. Extremely effective.
Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion
Kike Ojo has the depth, knowledge and experience to engage participants of diverse backgrounds with highly complex subject matters that are relevant to all organizations. The sheer brilliance of her mind and ability to connect ideas is masterful, which allows everyone in the room to powerful moments of learning.