According to a Jan. 12 notice from Providence Alaska, the state’s largest hospital has hired Anchorage Police Chief Kenneth McCoy, Jr. to serve as its first-ever chief “diversity, equity and inclusion officer,” or DEI.
Starting Feb. 14, McCoy will be responsible for “coordinating efforts to promote culturally competent, patient-centered care as well as diversity and inclusion within the Providence Alaska workforce,” the hospital stated.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion, grounded in justice and integrated into all aspects of health care, are vital for improving patient health outcomes and quality of life,” said Preston M. Simmons, the chief executive officer of Providence. “Ensuring Providence continues creating a diverse and equitable workforce while providing equitably delivered services is essential to our mission of serving all.”
Nationally, corporate DEI initiatives typically go far beyond simply affirming that all people are created equal and deserving of equal respect and dignity. These programs often include teaching employees and others to suspend all preconceived morals, beliefs and ideas regarding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression with the goal of affirming all lifestyle choices. This often includes requiring staff to affirm people in whatever sexual identity they demand. Failure to do so for personal or religious reasons can result in punishment.
The Providence announcement lacks specifics about what McCoy’s duties will entail but does note that he will be tasked with integrating “diversity and inclusion” with the hospital’s health initiatives.
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In recent years Providence has moved away from the traditional religious values of its Catholic founders to embrace some of the most radical initiatives and goals of the far left. It now openly offers services such as transgender surgery, cross sex hormones, and refers patients for abortions. The hospital’s website also states that it strives “to provide safe and affirming quality healthcare to our LGBTQI patients, friends, and families, to recruit, retain, and support an LGBTQI inclusive workforce, to train our physicians and staff about health disparities that impact the LGBTQI communities, and how we can start to overcome those.”
Exactly how these initiatives fit into McCoy’s overall duties is unclear.
McCoy previously served as Anchorage’s chief of police, a post he will retire from on Feb. 1. He earned a bachelor’s degree in justice from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a certificate in criminal justice from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“After serving the public for nearly three decades, it was important for me to continue to make an impact in our community,” McCoy stated. “Joining Providence allows me to continue my work guiding teams and organizations with diplomacy, dignity and fairness.”
