Promoting Cultural Competence
Cultural and Linguistic Competence Training
by Frances S. Priester, Bureau of Cultural Competence
The Bureau of Cultural Competence (BCC) wants to support your agency or program needs when it comes to providing cultural and linguistic competence training.
Cultural competence training enhances quality of services and provides positive outcomes that are “client-centered” and meaningful to the individuals and families served by the New York State public mental health system. Our training is provided at no cost to agencies, OMH facilities, and licensed programs.
The BCC provides several different trainings to meet different needs. One training we offer focuses on provider interaction.
“What’s Going on in Mental Health Care?”
This training consists of five learning modules (requires four class hours).
- What does the Cultural Landscape look like for the United States? Demographic Data and Factors that Impact Mental Health Care. Introduction of Cultural Competence as a Solution.
- How Cultural Competence can be used in the Engagement Process of Behavioral Health Care.
- How Cultural Competence can be used in the Assessment Process of Behavioral Health Care.
- How Cultural Competence can be used in the Treatment & Service- Delivery Process of Behavioral Health Care.
- How Cultural Competence can be used in the Recovery Process of Behavioral Health Care.
Each module addresses how behavioral health agencies/ providers can integrate cultural and linguistic competency skills into policy, procedure and practice. The training introduces information on evidence-based practices, cultural assessments, and a self-awareness tool to measure competency. This training and others provided by BCC have been updated this year.
The BCC conducts Cultural and Linguistic Competence webinars for OMH facilities and licensed programs. BCC strives to provide specific cultural and linguistic competence webinars to meet the changing needs of the diverse populations served in the New York State behavioral health system. The webinars highlight the importance of:
- Engagement
- Federal/State Laws and other licensing requirements
- Cultural assessment
- Treatment planning and the road to recovery
BCC periodically hosts live webinars, and all OMH agencies and licensed programs are invited to participate. Completed webinars can be viewed on our OMH webpage. The BCC has established a Listserv for 2012. The BCC and its Listserv members can inform each other of special events, resources, and best practices pertaining to cultural competence. Questions and information about resources can also be posted to the Listserv. The Listserv is monitored by the BCC, and posts are subject to review prior to posting.
For further information about scheduling BCC training, webinars, and the Listserv, please contact: Hextor Pabon, Education and Training Coordinator at (518) 473-4144.
http://www.omh.ny.gov/omhweb/resources/newsltr/2012/jan/cultural_competence.html