One of APNA’s main objectives as an organization is “to develop and maintain high ethical and professional standards of service” for our industry. We would be remiss if we did not address the racism and inequities facing our nation; issues that not only threaten our values and ethics as individuals, but APNA’s as an organization. We are unwilling to be silent, and thereby complicit, during this important and pivotal moment in history. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Our member agencies shape the lives of millions of adults and children across the United States, and beyond. It is our ethical obligation as a community to ensure our member agency owners, employees, clients, and candidates feel seen, heard, and safe in their interactions with each of us. The responsibility of educating parents and caregivers on legal and ethical practices often lies with us. If we are going to be effective advocates for all of our caregivers and clients, we also need to educate ourselves.
APNA is committed to the task of learning and educating ourselves and our members at this time and into the future. We want to ensure the APNA community is inclusive and supportive of all members. We will listen and we will do a better job of amplifying Black voices in our community.
In the meantime, APNA will be creating resources that will be shared openly with our membership and community to assist us in this mission and we will continue to focus on issues of equity, justice and diversity until we see the changes we believe are truly reflective of our organization’s ethics and values.