Racial Equity/Social Justice Commitment Strategies

The staff of Bates College Counseling and Psychological Services is committed to social justice and examining the impact of systemic and historical issues of power, privilege, and access to resources at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. We are dedicated to the active process of critical thinking and rigorous self-reflection to ensure that all students are treated fairly and competently as well as to compensate for obstacles and unequal treatment that can be set in place by individuals, institutions, and society.  Some of the ways we are engaging in this commitment include:

  • CAPS Staff are engaging in monthly social justice reading/discussions on topics related to equity, inclusion and social justice.
  • All CAPS professional staff have engaged in a multi-day training on racial equity / social justice.
  • Ongoing consultation and supervision on racial equity and social justice issues and how they impact mental health assessment and service delivery. 
  • Launching Let’s Talk, a nationally recognized off-site drop-in consultation model, as a way for counselors to meet with students who might otherwise not come to CAPS
  • Bates Green Dot and Active Ally training
  • Ongoing professional development of CAPS staff both in training and supervision on racial equity / social justice and mental health assessment and service delivery.