Diversity Climates in Human Service Agencies

Abstract

This article focuses on “diversity climates” of human service agencies. An organization's diversity climate is comprised of both the degree of member heterogeneity and efforts to promote and sustain an environment conducive to maximizing the benefits of that heterogeneity. Data are from diversity audits conducted in 161 nonprofit and public human service agencies that provide health/mental health, welfare, child/adolescent, educational, and community programs. Findings indicate racial and gender segregation in that most organizations have management and staff that are overwhelmingly White and female. Strategies for the promotion of diversity tend to be basic and limited and are not likely to result in substantial or long-lasting change that would embed diversity into an organization's culture. Public welfare agencies appear to have the weakest diversity climates. Discussion addresses concerns regarding the absence of robust diversity climates in human service agencies.

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