About RiSE
RiSE is the official and intentional culture of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). Since 2017, the six core elements of RiSE have thrived because ODHS employees lead the way.
We don't just talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. We live it.
- We are committed to nurturing a positive and inclusive workforce to better serve our communities.
- We are guided by our
Equity North Star.
- We are a trauma informed agency. We meet people where they are and empower them with tools and supports for self-actualization.
RiSE Elements
Every culture has its own way of thinking, values, beliefs, mindsets and sociably acceptable behaviors. The ODHS culture is defined by the six RiSE Elements.
Safety, Well-being and Belonging
Individuals and environments contribute to physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological, social, cultural and environmental safety, health and well-being.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Acknowledging that belonging is foundational to well-being and that people face barriers to experiencing it.
- Supporting people in moving towards greater well-being and resiliency by being responsive to the trauma and adversity people experience.
- Stopping discriminatory and oppressive attitudes and actions.
- Creating inclusive spaces to share, process and heal from exclusion and harm.
- Recognizing that safety looks and feels different to all individuals.
- Expressing our thoughts and concerns without fear and encouraging others to do so.
- Encouraging community-care along with self-care, because giving and receiving support from others is important for our well-being.
Honor and Value Each Other
Relationships and communities flourish when everyone is valued for their full and authentic selves.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Honoring, valuing and believing each other's life experiences, needs and differences.
- Practicing self-reflection and cultural humility.
- Showing each other compassion, understanding and encouragement.
- Growing trusting, authentic and meaningful relationships.
- Acknowledging that different perspectives, often based on our upbringing and life experience can cause conflict.
- Pausing to thoughtfully work through conflict, which can strengthen relationships and bring diversity, creativity and innovation to our work.
- Taking responsibility for the impact of our words and actions, regardless of intention, and showing a willingness to learn and make amends.
Equitable Treatment and Racial Justice
Becoming an anti-racist and anti-oppressive organization requires a relational and humanistic approach and active, intentional and consistent participation from each of us.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Inclusively leading with race and intersectionality to address the roots of systemic oppression that impact all protected classes. (Equity North Star)
- Pursuing racial justice by acknowledging individual and institutional discrimination, bias and harm, repairing existing hurt, and creating proactive and preventative measures that will foster equity and inclusion.
- Honoring indigenous sovereignty and rights by offering gratitude to those whose territory we live and work on.
- Focusing our strategies on addressing the legacy of racial segregation and its lasting impacts on regions, neighborhoods and communities that create social and economic inequity.
- Practicing allyship built on genuine relationships.
- Promoting and taking personal responsibility for lifelong learning, exploration and self-awareness of our own culture, identity and implicit biases.
- Designing our workplaces, processes and services to be universally accessible.
Collective Responsibility and Growth
Our commitment, ideas and efforts are valued, affirmed and strengthened and we are connected through a collective responsibility to our communities.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Focusing on improving systems, rather than directing consequences, punishment or blame towards individuals.
- Providing individualized, reasonable and rising expectations that consider changes to our work and personal lives.
- Recognizing and valuing each person's unique strengths, motivations, perspectives and personal commitment.
- Organizational accountability that is clear, consistent, strengths-based and supportive.
- Offering equitable recognition and professional development opportunities that reflect the diverse experiences and insight we all bring.
- Demonstrating compassion towards ourselves and others when mistakes are made and cultivating a broader culture of learning.
Meaningful Participation and Shared Power
Individuals have the skills, resources and equitable opportunities to shape our environments and the direction of our agency.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Removing barriers to consistent, authentic and impactful participation by providing people with the supports and resources they need.
- Welcoming a diversity of people and perspectives in genuine, authentic and actionable way.
- Connecting and co-creating with internal and external individuals and communities early, meaningfully and often.
- Taking people's needs and preferences into account when engaging with them.
- Being mindful of power dynamics that may be a barrier to equitable participation.
- Driving solutions and decisions by those most impacted instead of those who traditionally hold the most power.
Interconnected Communities
The organization, our communities and teams are linked through shared goals and collaboration.
We are committed to practices and behaviors such as:
- Strengthening our internal and external community by building relationships and working together.
- Continually acknowledging and repairing the historical, current and intergenerational trauma that our agency has caused to communities.
- Reimagining and co-creating a shared vision of the agency and the influence the agency can have on the world around us.
- Building bridges through the collaboration and partnership.
- Celebrating individual and collective achievements with our communities and employees.
Learn more
Equity and Inclusion at ODHSCareers at ODHSWorkforce diversity and inclusion