Medical Board reviews DEIA strategic supplement; keeps current mission, adds values and compassion
May 22, 2026 | Medical Board of California, Other State Agencies, Executive, California
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Facilitators from the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Solid Planning team led a strategic‑planning session to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) into the Medical Board of California’s strategic plan consistent with Governor’s Executive Order N‑16‑22.
Trisha St. Clair and a co‑facilitator described the process (environmental scan, stakeholder surveys, and public feedback) and ran the board through definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, a short video on unconscious bias, and the implications for the board’s mission, vision, values, and staff‑edited objectives.
On the mission statement, several board members voiced concern that a proposed, overly concise version removed references that reflect the board’s licensing and regulatory role. After discussion the board decided to retain the existing mission wording but remove a brief introductory clause for brevity (an editorial change).
Members reached consensus to explicitly add "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility" to the board’s values and to add the word "compassion." Several members emphasized that DEIA should not lower licensure standards; rather, DEIA should inform processes (for example, removing stigmatizing questions from license applications was cited as an earlier DEIA‑driven change). The facilitators noted staff edits to objectives in licensing, enforcement, outreach and said the amended strategic plan will be drafted for executive‑officer review and then returned to the board for approval.
Public comment included Lucas Evensson (California Medical Association), who said CMA supports the board’s proposed changes and encouraged adoption.
Next steps: staff will draft an amended strategic plan that incorporates the DEIA supplement edits, circulate it for executive‑officer review, and bring it back for board approval; the plan term will be extended two years to 2029 to accommodate the mid‑cycle changes.
Trisha St. Clair and a co‑facilitator described the process (environmental scan, stakeholder surveys, and public feedback) and ran the board through definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, a short video on unconscious bias, and the implications for the board’s mission, vision, values, and staff‑edited objectives.
On the mission statement, several board members voiced concern that a proposed, overly concise version removed references that reflect the board’s licensing and regulatory role. After discussion the board decided to retain the existing mission wording but remove a brief introductory clause for brevity (an editorial change).
Members reached consensus to explicitly add "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility" to the board’s values and to add the word "compassion." Several members emphasized that DEIA should not lower licensure standards; rather, DEIA should inform processes (for example, removing stigmatizing questions from license applications was cited as an earlier DEIA‑driven change). The facilitators noted staff edits to objectives in licensing, enforcement, outreach and said the amended strategic plan will be drafted for executive‑officer review and then returned to the board for approval.
Public comment included Lucas Evensson (California Medical Association), who said CMA supports the board’s proposed changes and encouraged adoption.
Next steps: staff will draft an amended strategic plan that incorporates the DEIA supplement edits, circulate it for executive‑officer review, and bring it back for board approval; the plan term will be extended two years to 2029 to accommodate the mid‑cycle changes.
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