The ACAAM Is Still Addicted to DEI

One would think that, as more and more Americans realize the harms associated with DEI, medical associations would read the room and ditch their commitments to this ideology.

Not so at the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM).

In April 2025, the ACAAM Board of Directors “reconfirmed the organization’s commitment to the following actions, which are based on advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in all the organization does,” the organization announced in a statement.

These actions include: “Commit to ongoing efforts to embrace diversity within the organization and act to promote an inclusive and equitable environment among the addiction medicine workforce”; “Maintain educational resources related to anti-racism, cultural competence, social disparities of health & social justice […]”; and “Recruit and train students, residents, fellows and addiction specialists from minoritized populations in the addiction medicine workforce and pathways.”

The last item in particular, depending on how the ACAAM aims to achieve it, appears to imply that the ACAAM will engage in racial discrimination.

Additionally, on its website, the ACAAM promotes a host of resources aimed at promoting DEI in the substance use field.

This includes the “Advancing Racial Equity in the Substance Use Field” presentation, a “two-part pre-recorded racial equity training series focused on the substance use field.” 

That training is through the Opioid Response Network, and includes segments on “Developing a Shared Language for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” and “Systemic Racism and Substance Use Disorder: Anti Racist Strategies.”

One of the recommended behaviors in the presentation’s call to action was to “stare at awesome black people.” 

Yes, really.

Another segment of the presentation stated that as part of “anti-racist” leadership, organizations should “promote and elevate BIPOC employees” and “recruit and hire staff to reflect the client population.”

Other presentations included “Academic Addiction Medicine Responds: Addressing Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” and “Unpacking Racial Disparities in Addiction and a Path Forward.”

Moreover, one presentation titled “Identifying and Addressing Implicit Bias in Our Work” featured an article arguing that “medicine is not a stand-alone institution immune to racial inequities, but rather is an institution of structural racism.”

In sum, these resources demonstrate the ACAAM’s deep institutional commitment to DEI.

Healthcare professionals should be guided by merit and excellence, not ideology.