PAEA Develops Strategic Partnerships with AHEAD and the Social Mission Alliance

PAEA is committed to supporting member programs in building more diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments for PA faculty, staff, and students. To honor this commitment, PAEA has recently developed relationships with two organizations: the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the Social Mission Alliance. Both partners will add significant value for members.

AHEAD promotes professional practice that operationalizes an expanded concept of access grounded in civil rights, disability equity, and social justice with the goal of disability equity in postsecondary education. As the premier provider of professional development to those committed to equity for disabled people in postsecondary education, AHEAD disseminates data, promotes research, and furthers evidence-based practice.

Our strategic partnership with AHEAD will allow for access to experts in disability equity and a plethora of resources on disabilities and accommodations in higher education. For example, AHEAD’s Deputy CEO Elisa Laird, JD, recently hosted a webinar on “Ensuring Inclusive and Accessible PA Education.” The webinar provided an overview of disability laws and tips on how to implement accommodations in programs. The goal is to help programs learn how to create a climate that includes disability as an aspect of diversity. Moving forward, AHEAD will continue to provide guidance and resources to support disability justice as a core tenant of our work.

The allyship with the Social Mission Alliance aims to elevate social mission in health professions education by mobilizing and amplifying learners, teachers, community leaders, policymakers, and their organizations to advance equity in education, research, service, policy, and practice. As partners with the Social Mission Alliance, PAEA invites PA programs to participate in the Social Mission Metrics Initiative, which aims to advance the field of social mission measurement and enhance the national conversation around social mission in health professions education through a national survey. Participation in the self-assessment allows a school to benchmark its performance to similar schools and national norms and track progress over time.

Other opportunities to engage with the Social Mission Alliance include their Health Workforce Diversity Initiative, the Student Assembly & Health Justice Council, and the Residency Fellowship in Health Policy (RFHP).

If your program is interested in working with AHEAD or the Social Mission Alliance, please contact Chief of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Emma Sellers at esellers@PAEAonline.org.