The Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs through executive orders and federal enforcement actions have created uncertainty for hospitals, universities and medical schools that depend heavily on federal research dollars.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice have signaled heightened scrutiny of programs that may be deemed discriminatory, advising hospitals that receive federal funding to review DEI programming tied to Medicaid services, federal employee health benefits, military healthcare, and other government-supported operations.
But even with the heightened scrutiny, Mercy Hospital St. Louis says its commitment to equity will not change.
Dr. David Meiners, president of Mercy’s St. Louis Communities, said the hospital remains “very strongly” committed to its DEIB — the “B” stands for “belonging” — priorities. St. Louis Communities includes Mercy’s network of regional hospitals, outpatient clinics, surgery centers and other facilities.
“In my presentation, I say, ‘those letters (DEI) may not be popular right now but it’s still a big thing for Mercy,’” Meiners said, recalling remarks he delivered the previous day to new employees at the hospital’s weekly Monday morning breakfast. “I want to make sure everybody knows we support it in its entirety.”
Meiners spent more than five decades at Mercy as a surgeon and administrator before becoming the system’s first physician leader. He emphasized that Mercy’s DEIB work is not tied to federal grant applications.
“It’s not that we’re trying to hide anything,” he said. “Our initiatives simply don’t rely on government funding.”
He noted that President Trump’s restrictions largely affect institutions that receive substantial federal research support, such as academic medical centers. Mercy is one of the region’s busiest hospitals — “one of every three babies born in St. Louis is born at Mercy Hospital St. Louis,” according to its website — but it is not a major research institution.
Bridget Marzette-Bender, Mercy’s vice president of caregiver experience and DEIB, said the hospital took a “proactive approach” after the administration announced its anti-DEI directives, seeking to balance compliance with what she called Mercy’s “unwavering commitment to compassionate and equitable care.”
Marzette-Bender highlighted several initiatives the hospital continues to support. They include recruiting from historically Black colleges and universities, a “Mentoring Your Way” program that pairs minority candidates with mentors who share cultural backgrounds, and “unbiased training” intended to help employees recognize conscious and unconscious biases and promote an inclusive workplace.
In recent years, DEI programs have become a political flashpoint. Critics argue the initiatives are discriminatory, a position amplified by some conservative lawmakers after the 2023 Supreme Court decision restricting affirmative action in college admissions. Technology billionaire Elon Musk posted on X that “DEI is just another word for racism … shame on anyone who uses it,” later calling such practices “immoral and illegal.”
The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health research organization, has pushed back against those claims. In a March analysis, KFF wrote that DEI programs help build “more diverse and inclusive work environments” and address policies that have historically limited opportunities for certain groups.
Several of the Trump administration’s actions already are facing legal challenges.
Mercy’s commitment to inclusion is rooted in its origins. The health system traces its heritage to the Sisters of Mercy, founded in 1831 by Catherine McAuley, an Irish woman dedicated to serving impoverished women and children. The order later established hospitals across the Midwest, including in St. Louis.
Religious institutions do not automatically receive exemptions from federal rules if the government determines certain DEI practices are unlawful. Experts say Catholic hospitals face the same regulatory expectations as any federally funded provider.
Still, Mercy leaders say their mission guides their decisions.
“We obviously want to make sure that when somebody comes to our hospitals — whether it’s the emergency room or an elective surgery — they feel absolutely welcomed no matter their backgrounds,” Meiners said. “Even though we’re a faith-based, Catholic organization, we welcome everybody no matter their faith, race, creed or sexual orientation.”
When asked about allegations that DEI programs give minorities unfair advantages or put unqualified candidates into the workforce, Meiners rejected the claim.
“Well, if I had witnessed that, I’d probably feel differently, but I have not witnessed it in any way, shape or form,” he said. “I have not seen that white people have been disadvantaged by it or that we’ve made mistakes by promoting people with various backgrounds.”
Pastor Bethany Johnson-Javois, president and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, said Mercy’s stance stands out at a time when many institutions are retreating.
“Mercy is demonstrating the courage that too many institutions have traded for silence,” she said. “Because they are not bound by the same federal funding pressures, they can speak boldly from their faith for dignity, belonging and the people they serve.”
For Meiners, that commitment is foundational.
“One of our largest tenets is dignity,” he said. “It’s not just because we’re faith-based. We believe in the dignity of other individuals — it’s central to who we are.”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.