Processes, Challenges, and Impacts of an Accountability, Respect, Community & Humanity Task Force: A Qualitative Evaluation.

Abstract

Objective: Qualitative, process-oriented evaluations are needed to evaluate equity and antiracism efforts in academic psychiatry. The purpose of the manuscript is to present results from an evaluation of an academic psychiatry department's Accountability, Respect, Community & Humanity (ARCH) Task Force, a coalition-based equity-focused task force formed in 2020.

Methods: A qualitative evaluation was conducted in 2024. Fourteen ARCH members were interviewed. Interviews were recorded and explored perceptions of ARCH's group processes, individual contributions, and perceived impacts. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: First, participants described ARCH's general climate and highlighted intentional efforts to foster vulnerability and connection that enabled difficult conversations. This climate varied by group size and leadership presence. Second, members identified tensions with the group's functioning, noting ambiguity in decision-making structures and frustration when input did not consistently translate into visible action. Third, participants described ARCH participation as personally and professionally meaningful but also experienced pressure to produce tangible change and frustration because of the absence of recognition or protected time. Although members perceived symbolic and cultural shifts within the department, many questioned the lasting impact of ARCH.

Conclusions: This study offers critical insights into the functioning and impact of an equity-focused committee within an academic medical setting. The tension between individual-level benefits and members' desire for broader systemic impact highlights the complexity of evaluating antiracist efforts in academic medicine. Findings contribute to the broader understanding of mobilizing for systemic equity in academic medicine and inform the design of future antiracist efforts.