Frederick County to Create Equity and Inclusion Office

FREDERICK, Md. — Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announced legislation that would create an Office of Equity and Inclusion in order to address issues of inequity within the county government. 

Additionally, the bill establishes the position of chief equity and inclusion officer and creates an Equity and Inclusion Commission to serve in advisory roles to the county executive, County Council and the Office of Equity and Inclusion.

“Under the leadership of the chief equity and inclusion officer, the Office of Equity and Inclusion will develop and manage a strategic framework to ensure equitable opportunities are available within all levels of County government and for all County residents,” a FrederickCounty press release states. “They will ensure equity informs planning, policy development, recruitment and hiring, and decision-making.”

County council member Kai Hagen authored the bill alongside Gardner and chief equity and inclusion officer Michael Hughes. In March, the county issued a joint declaration from county council member M.C. Keegan-Ayer, Frederick County Health Officer Barbara Brookmeyer and Gardner, declaring racism to be a public health crisis.

“Frederick County Community Health data shows that there are racial or ethnic disparities in our community for every health indicator with sufficient data available,” the text of the joint declaration read. “Racial and ethnic disparities are documented in Frederick County for adolescent alcohol and tobacco use, cancers, emergency department visits for dental care, HIV, maternal and child health issues such as C-section births, early prenatal care, infant mortality, low birth weight, preterm birth and teen birth, and sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.”

The objective of the office is to “develop and manage a strategic framework to ensure equitable opportunities are available within all levels of County government and for all County residents,” according to a release from the office of the county executive.

Establishment of the office and the commission was recommended by the county’s Equity and Inclusion Leadership Team, which issued its final report in June. The commission, composed of 13 members, will serve as advisors of equity and inclusion to the county executive, County Council and the chief equity and inclusion officer and are meant to “represent a wide range of ethnicities, professional backgrounds, and socioeconomic status.”

Residents at this time can submit a “complaint of discrimination” form on the Frederick County Government website. Further, the full recommendations of the Equity and Inclusion Leadership Team can also be found on the county government website.

“My vision for Frederick County Government is fairness and opportunity for all, so everyone can share in our community’s prosperity and fully participate in civic life,” Gardner said. “County government can lead the way by providing equitable programs, policies, resources and services, and by embracing diversity and inclusion in all we do. We are better together.”