I pledge… A Message from Dr. Josh Funk
Posted 6/11/2020
To the Community,
I have taken a lot of time to think over these past few weeks given the extremely challenging and unprecedented times surrounding COVID-19 and the death of Mr. George Floyd, Mr. Ahmaud Arbery and Mrs. Breonna Taylor. As someone who is deeply invested in the world around me, I have been thinking a lot about how I can best communicate a message which hopefully is transparent of my intent, and may motivate others to make a similar pledge. I am here to share with you, a little of what I think and what I pledge to do in the days ahead.
This country has had, and continues to have significant inequalities and inequities when it comes to race. Whether you look at the pandemic and metrics surrounding public health or the issues present in our criminal justice system, people of color, and in particular the black community, have been disproportionately affected by a host of issues, on a systemic level, for centuries.
If we look specifically at the pandemic, it is unacceptable that we have a situation in which black americans are three times as likely to die from COVID-19 compared to their white counterparts. We have all heard the word, vulnerability, thrown around a lot when it comes to COVID-19, and this vulnerability has been exaggerated by decades of failed public health policy. When you have a segment of the population (African-Americans and Hispanics) that is more likely to die earlier and significantly more likely to develop chronic disease, that speaks volumes to the environment and system in which those individuals are living within. We have to work towards a health care system that delivers upon its mission to provide health and wellness for all.
Then, if we look at the current issues surrounding race and our criminal justice system, we are long overdue for change, as well. Some of the interactions, responses, and outcomes that our minorities, and in particular, our black community receive through the current system are unfair, unjust and in certain instances, racist. In the instances in which there is significant racial bias, we must be swift and efficient at implementing necessary reform so as to ensure that our criminal justice system upholds the rule of law in as equitable a manner as possible. In addition, there is also a level of accountability that is placed on our citizens, that we should come to expect from our law enforcement as well.
I will add to this conversation that I have, in particular, black brothers and sisters, including close friends as well as team members at Rehab 2 Perform, who have shared with me countless stories over the years in which they have been on the receiving end of unfortunate and unwarranted treatment from some members of our law enforcement. These are men and women with whom I have had a relationship with for years, are productive members of our community, and who were not deserving of anything more than a fair and equitable lens in which they should be judged. Their stories matter and more importantly, their black lives matter, along with millions of others.
That all being considered, I have asked myself over and over, “what are you going to do?” I am not here to point fingers, but merely to be transparent about where I feel as though I can definitively contribute to change in our society.
I feel strongly that I have a moral imperative as an individual, as well as the owner of a business, to utilize my platform in a manner in which contributes to greater equality and equity in my local community. It is my belief that I can play a significant part through our internship structure, non-profit support, elevation of young leaders, purposeful interaction and finally, by creating a scholarship for students. So, with that being said, here is what I am pledging:
Revising the Internship Structure of R2P
Our internship program for High School, College and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students has been a staple of Rehab 2 Perform since its inception. We take great pride in providing opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to find their passion for health care, and potentially physical therapy, at our facilities. We recognize that while our internship structure is first class with regards to the experience and value that it provides, we must ensure that we are being even more intentional about the people in which it serves.
Currently, only 3% of DPT students in the U.S. are African-American. We realize that there are intentional decisions that we can continue to make, as well as implement, to ensure that the profession is more representative of our population in the years to come.
At the high school level, we will continue to build relationships with local guidance counselors in order to ensure that we have representation from as many schools and communities as possible in our internship program. We commit to making sure that we do not take more than one student from a given high school as we look to have spots in our internship filled by students that share a variety of backgrounds. We will also be sure to stay connected to these students after high school so as to serve as a location for them to get the necessary hours needed for physical therapy school during their college years.
When it comes to our DPT internship program, we were able to secure contracts with Hampton and Howard University (HBCU’s), as well as University of Maryland-Eastern Shore earlier this year, prior to the coronavirus outbreak. These universities have a significant percentage of minority students, and we will continue to seek out relationships as well as set up contracts with universities that share this diversity in the months and years to come.
Our internship program is an essential part of our recruitment and hiring process and we feel strongly that the initiatives listed will not only promote greater diversity in the profession, but allow us to develop and maintain a clinical staff that is a better representation of the diverse world that we live in.
Supporting Local Non-Profits
I have done my best over the years to be very intentional about where I contribute both money and time, when it comes to supporting our local and state level non-profit organizations. I am a big believer in supporting organizations right here in our “backyard.”
In the past few years, personal and company finances have been contributed to organizations in the following categories:
- Youth Service
- Youth Sports
- Homelessness
- Mental Health
- Second Chance Organizations that provide Training and Job Placement for Individuals who have been Incarcerated
- Child and Adult Victims of Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse and Neglect
I am also in the process of determining which local organizations we will get behind when it comes to racial equality and equity, and that will be a decision that our team will make in the coming weeks.
In addition, I have taken another step in my professional career by joining the board at the Primary Care Coalition (PCC). I was inducted to the board yesterday and am extremely excited to join this amazing group of professionals and local organizations. The mission of the PCC is to improve the health of vulnerable individuals and families by building partnerships and strengthening systems. I feel strongly about the level of impact that I will be able to have here, focusing predominantly on fundraising and public relations, as well as consulting with the respective organizations under the umbrella of the coalition. During a time in which our minority populations, particularly African-American and Hispanic communities, are being significantly affected by COVID-19, I felt a pull for me to get involved where my passion and expertise in health care can be maximized for the greater good.
Elevating and Amplifying of Young Minority Leaders
I recognize that something I can do a better job of is amplifying and elevating minorities in my circle, and in the community. Whether it is connections through the business or media, as well as introductions to people with resources in the community, I can definitely do more in this particular area. I will add that mentorship of all kinds, whether to youth or fellow business owners, are extremely beneficial and something I will be more intentional about providing in the years to come.
In addition, I am committed to providing opportunities for minority individuals on our team, and in the community, to participate in the Leadership Frederick and Leadership Montgomery programs. I feel very strongly about the impact that each of these programs has made on my personal growth and development, as well as connectivity within the community, and this is something that I will be supportive in my recommendation, and financial support, of minority candidates to participate in.
Purposeful Interaction
I pledge to be more empathetic and understanding of the differences from people not like me. This area is extremely multi-factorial and I think a foundation to it is being open to a variety of opinions and perspectives, from people of all different backgrounds. When we are receptive and willing to learn from anyone, this allows us to experience continual growth as we embrace every interaction with what I will typically reference as Shoshin, or a beginner’s mindset.
Once we have that mindset in place, it is essential that we then choose to interact with people, places, businesses in the local community that afford us a variety of exposure. It is then, and only then, that our level of understanding and appreciation for others, and the experiences and perspectives that they have, will allow us to continually adapt our view of the world.
A specific area that I can continue, and will raise my level of interaction, will be the selection of schools in which to participate in Career Days. I will be continuing to reach out to guidance counselors throughout Frederick and Montgomery County in an effort to share my path and my profession with students from a wide variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. This ideally will share the amazing profession of physical therapy with a wide variety of students, potentially sparking the idea that PT could be the career for them, where they will feel confident and comfortable embarking on that journey.
Scholarship Creation
As a result of the disproportionate number of minorities in health care, and particularly in the field of physical therapy, I am in the process of setting up a nonprofit organization 501 (c )(3) that will be focused on providing financial assistance and mentorship to minority students who express an interest in physical therapy. I will have more information on this in the weeks to come as we set up our board, plan our annual fundraising events, and put together the structure of what the organization will entail.
I am sharing this pledge with you, the community, in an effort to hopefully motivate others to do the same. I am a big believer that within Rehab 2 Perform, each member of our team has an equally important role, and that everyone is in a position to push our company forward. I feel strongly that each member of our society can share that mindset as well. You can do more than you may think, and I will add, that the most important part is that you start to think about the possibilities that will occur as a result of you doing more.
To close, I have realized more and more that equality is not necessarily about treating all people equally, but treating them in a manner in which respects their circumstances and what they have experienced throughout life. I have several people in my life with whom I can thank for adopting this mindset, but also note that Mark Cuban helped affirm this more recently. Our thoughts, words and action will largely shape what the future of equality will look like for the generations to come.
My focus has and will continue to be on the community and being a catalyst for others.
I am here to listen. I am here to support. I am here for the change.
Best,
Dr. Josh Funk
P.S. We will BE > YESTERDAY