8G - Organizational Cultural Competence

Organizational Cultural Competence: Moving Your Agency/Organization Toward Becoming Culturally Competent

Harold Gates, MSSW, CISW Consultant
Midwest Center for Cultural Competence
268 Kelvington Drive
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
(608) 345-0196
[email_address]

Learning Objectives
Understand dimensions of cultural competence from an organizational perspective.
Learn organizational cultural competence target and focus areas.
Take a look at several potential need areas within each of these.
Review a process to improve an agency/organization’s level of cultural competence.
Take away skills and tools for implementing an organizational cultural competence plan in your agency/organization.

A Few Ground Rules
Respect for self and others
Listen carefully
Use “I” statements
Honor confidentiality
Value risk-taking
Okay to express emotions
Ask questions, engage in dialogue
Enjoy the experience

Characteristics of a Culturally Competent Agency
Acceptance and respect for cultural difference
Careful attention paid to dynamics of difference
Cultural self assessment
Cultural groups are viewed as being different
Attention is paid to hiring culturally diverse and competent workers
Agency is clear about what it is capable of providing to the multi-cultural community
Continuous expansion of knowledge, resources, and adaptations to service programs
Provides support to staff in their efforts to increase their cultural competence
Policies support and drive the effort

Process of Becoming a Culturally Competent Organization
Develop a mission/vision statement of cultural competence (get board involvement)
Develop a strategic plan that addresses:
Service Delivery
Staff/Team Development
Organizational Environment
Community Relationships
Monitor progress over time
Celebrate successes!!

Cultural Competence Target Areas
Service Delivery

1. Service Delivery

Service Delivery- Potential Need Areas
Language
Inclusive Language
Multilingual Services
CC Documentation
Assessments
Treatment Planning
Charting
Supervisory Reviews/Team Reviews
Documentation Review
Consumer Focus
Access to Support Services
Consumer Involvement
Family Orientation
Outreach Services
Grievance Process
CC Reception Services
Quality Assurance
Decentralization
Recovery Concepts
CC use of Resources/Technology
Cross Cultural Collaboration

2. Community Relationships

Community Relationships- Potential Need Areas
Visibility
Public Relations and Media
Social Presence
Community Trainings/Conferences
Political Activism
Community Representation
Consumer Advocacy
Community Alliances
Promoting Cultural Competence
Fund Raising

3. Organizational Environment

Organizational Environment- Potential Need Areas
Physical Environment
Accessibility
Visual and Auditory Environment
Space Allocation
Use of Equipment
Welcoming/Comfortable Environment
Staff/Management
CC/Diversity of Board of Directors
CC/Diversity of Management
CC/Diversity of Staff
Organizational Structure
Communication
Language Ability-Oral & Written
Agency Vision & Values
Policies & Procedures
Channels of Communication
Shared Language Cultural Competence
General Environment
General Feeling of Inclusive Nature
Safety/Respect

4. Staff/Team Development

Staff/Team Development- Potential Need Areas
Recruitment
Selection Criteria and Hiring Process
Hiring Diversity/Affirmative Action
Evaluating Cultural Competence
Development and Retention
Mentoring/Support
Empowerment
Personal Development
Training Opportunities
Performance Reviews/Accountability
Mediation
Removing Barriers
Compensation & Benefits

Cultural Competence Continuum
Where on the continuum does your agency fit in each of these areas?
Service Delivery
DESTRUCTIVENESS INCAPACITY DENIAL PRE-COMPETENCE COMPETENCE PROFICIENCY

1. Culturally Destructive
Make conscious efforts to destroy cultures that are different from them (because of values, beliefs, ethnocentricity, traditions, etc.) Slogan: “We’re number one.”

2. Cultural Incapacity
Unable to be useful or helpful to other cultures (because of values, beliefs, ethnocentricity, traditions, etc.) Slogan: “We take care of our own.”

3. Cultural Denial
Because of values, beliefs, ethnocentricity, traditions, etc. believes that color, culture, and dimensions of diversity are unimportant because “all people are the same.”

4. Cultural Pre-Competence
Realizes inadequacy of response to those who are different and attempts to improve approach to cultural difference, and other dimensions of diversity. “Nice policies, but limited action.”

5. Cultural Competence
Valuing and embracing differences, self examination, cultural knowledge, cultural skills, adaptation of service to fit the needs of those who are different, commitment to cultural encounters of a different kind, involvement in an inductive learning process designed to expand our knowledge about difference. “Mutual adaptation to difference.”

6. Cultural Proficiency
Mindfully/willfully are engaging in behaviors, values, traditions, etc. of our own that demonstrate a value for other dimensions of diversity. Organizing frame of reference is culture. “Hold culture in high esteem.”

1. Service Delivery

Language
1. Culturally Destructive : Intentionally selects and recruits staff and service providers fluent in dominant language. Prevents or demeans use of multiple languages.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Uses and maintains staff and service providers fluent in dominant language. Provides services in mainstream language only.
3. Cultural Indifference : Allows the use of dominant language only staff and service providers, regardless of client needs.

Language (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Recognizes the importance of meeting the language needs in order to serve the client population. Takes steps to provide bilingual services and seeks bilingual service providers.
5. Cultural Competence : Makes the commitment to recruit multilingual staff and service providers. Multilingual abilities among staff and service providers are highly valued and aggressively sought.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Provides services in languages that meet the needs of populations served. Adopts policies and allocate resources to support multilingual capacity of staff.

CC Documentation
1. Culturally Destructive : Promotes documentation that deliberately oppresses, discriminates, and stereotypes certain populations. Prevents or demeans the use of written language that values difference.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Uses documentation that oppresses, discriminates, and stereotypes certain populations. Provides documentation from a mainstream perspective only. Discounts difference in documentation.
3. Cultural Indifference : Does not recognize the importance of using documentation that address cultural issues. Allows the use of documentation that oppresses, discriminates, and stereotypes certain populations.

CC Documentation (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Recognizes the importance of using documentation that address cultural issues. Takes steps to train staff in the use of written language that address differences.
5. Cultural Competence : Makes the commitment to ensure that documentation reflects and values differences. Evaluates and audits documentation to ensure that no population is marginalized.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Has a system in place that ensures that all documentation reflects and values difference. Provides modeling and training to other organizations on culturally competent documentation techniques; shares forms and procedures.

Consumer Focus
1. Culturally Destructive : Prevents or demeans the use of service methods that address cultural differences. Refuses to offer services that are needed. Refuses to deliver services in a way that is meaningful to the consumer.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Minimizes or tokenizes the use of service methods that cultural differences. Provides only mainstream services. Delivers services from a mainstream point of view only.
3. Cultural Indifference : Does not see the need to provide services that address and value difference. Provides services in the same way to all populations. Makes no effort to address needs that are not being met.

Consumer Focus (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Recognizes the benefit of providing services that address and value difference. Evaluates the need for additional services and explores ways to address those needs. Begins to seek input from the consumer population.
5. Cultural Competence : Delivers services in a way that address and value difference. Makes a commitment to provide services that meet the needs of the population. Delivers services in a way that are meaningful to the consumer.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Maintains a system that values and addresses the needs of the consumer at every level of the organization. Seeks input from the consumer population on all organizational issues. Provides modeling and training to other organizations.

Quality Assurance
1. Culturally Destructive : Does not value consumer input at all.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Solicits token consumer input only.
3. Cultural Indifference : Does not see the need for quality assurance.
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Realizes the importance of consumer satisfaction and takes steps to develop a process to evaluate and monitor the quality of service.
5. Cultural Competence : Implements an effective process for evaluating and monitoring the quality of service.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Is successful at providing quality services through effective evaluation and consumer input. Provides modeling and training to other organizations.

2. Community Relationships

Visibility
1. Culturally Destructive : Creates material that intentionally perpetuates stereotypes and presents certain populations in a demeaning manner. Has a reputation as being a culturally biased organization.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Creates material perpetuating stereotypes and presenting certain populations in a demeaning way. Has a reputation as being a culturally insensitive organization.
3. Cultural Indifference : Creates material that ignores differences. Has a reputation as being culturally indifferent.

Visibility (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Makes a commitment to review all material and organizational images for overt and hidden bias. Gains a reputation for having a cultural awareness.
5. Cultural Competence : Ensures that all written and visual material that represent the organization is respectful, written in multiple languages, and emphasize the value of differences. Has an image of being culturally competent.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Takes proactive stance on the advancement of cultural competence within the community. Is viewed by the community as a leader in the advancement of cultural competence.

Community Representation
1. Culturally Destructive : Does not formally interact with other organizations due to bias. Maintains a staff and board that perpetuates prejudice and bias. Promotes status quo and laws that invalidate the rights of certain populations. Intentionally contracts with vendors and service providers who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Depicts organization in coalitions as being better than others. Displays a token representations of minority populations on staff and board. Speaks on behalf of supporting populations in efforts of self promotion. Contracts with vendors and service providers (intentionally or not) who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations.

Community Representation (continued)
3. Cultural Indifference : Promotes all groups as having the same needs. Does not address issues of difference in the make up of its staff and board. Is quiet on issues that affect the organization's various constituents. Contracts with vendors and service providers assuming a shared value.
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Recognized the need to be connected with community groups that promote certain populations and seeks to correct the situation. Seeks to maintain a balanced, diverse board and management team. Recognizes the need to be political on certain issues (e.g. needs of clients). recognizes the importance of contracting with vendors and service providers who demonstrate respect to all populations.

Community Representation (continued)
5. Cultural Competence : Displays a commitment to partnering with groups to address community needs. Develops a balanced, diverse, and culturally competent board and management team. Creates various opportunities to participate in the political process. Contracts only with vendors and service providers who demonstrate respect to all populations.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Partners with community leaders to bring attention to needs and possible solutions. Shares culturally competent policies and procedures with other organizations in the community. Takes a proactive position on issues of difference. Takes a proactive stance against vendors and service providers who demonstrate bias and disrespect to any population.

Fund Raising
1. Culturally Destructive : Intentionally seeks funds which actively support the destruction of a culture. Intentionally seeks funds from those who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Actively seeks funds to support the majority culture's service needs without any regard for serving other cultures. Seeks funding (intentionally or not) from those who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations. (intentionally or not) who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations.

Fund Raising (continued)
3. Cultural Indifference : Use the funds raised to support one-size-fits-all services. Accepts funding from those who have demonstrated bias and disrespect to certain populations.
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Policy states the importance of being funded by organizations that espouse Cultural Competence.
5. Cultural Competence : Only accepts funding for projects that promote cultural competence and actively advocates with funders to increase their cultural competence.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Actively seeks to influence other agencies and funders to embrace cultural competence.

3. Organizational Environment

Physical Environment
1. Culturally Destructive : Designs accessibility to facilities specifically to exclude certain populations. Displays artwork or other items that intentionally stereotype or offend certain populations.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Meets accessibility issues specifically to address legal compliance mandates only. Displays artwork or other items that stereotype or offend certain populations.
3. Cultural Indifference : Meets accessibility standards but disregards diverse religious/cultural practices when setting operational procedures. Pictures minority populations as service recipients, never as caregivers.

Physical Environment (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Exhibits emerging awareness of accessibility issues as barriers; makes commitment to evaluate problems and design for inclusiveness. Exhibits emerging visual representation of all populations as active and valued community members.
5. Cultural Competence : Takes clearly articulated inclusion measures to implement accessibility procedures that meet changing population needs. Displays visual representations throughout the organization that illustrate diverse populations in meaningful activity.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Maintains accessibility procedures that meet changing population needs; advocates for inclusion actions to improve accessibility throughout the community. Actively seeks to promote authentic representation of diverse population, traditions, etc.

Staff/Management
1. Culturally Destructive : Disregards cross-cultural awareness knowledge, behavior, skills in staffing pattern, service provision, program design, etc. Discourages training.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Does not accept multiple perspectives as valid, advocates for “right” or “best” way. Does not offer or support training.
3. Cultural Indifference : Makes no effort to recruit, retain, or train staff in cultural competence. Does not include diverse perspectives in decision making processes.

Staff/Management (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Supports basic cultural competence training for staff; provides free training and allows staff to attend during working hours. Provides for conflict resolution among staff.
5. Cultural Competence : Provides ongoing cultural competence training on a range of topics. Implements proactive strategies to employ diverse staff to meet needs of populations served. Demonstrates ability to work with differing points of view.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Provides resources and direction to involve staff at all levels of employment in receiving cultural competence training. Require and facilitate regular cultural assessments at all levels of the organization.

Communication
1. Culturally Destructive : Promotes language that discriminates, oppresses, and stereotypes. Prevents or demeans use of multiple languages. Refuse to select and recruit bilingual staff.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Makes remarks which reveal ignorance or fear of differences. Does not provide for oral or written language diversity to meet needs of population served. Uses token number of bilingual staff.
3. Cultural Indifference : Tolerates language which discriminates, oppresses, and stereotypes. Accepts the exclusive use of English when conducting client sessions, regardless of client needs.

Communication (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Does not tolerate use of language which discriminates, oppresses, and stereotypes; seeks ways to curb its use. Recognizes the importance of meeting the language needs of the client population. Offers language training to meet the needs of population served.
5. Cultural Competence : Actively seeks to remedy situations in which language is used to discriminate, oppress, or stereotype. Values multilingual abilities among staff. Incorporates language issues into training programs. Seeks a balanced bilingual staff/client ratio.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Never uses language which discriminates, oppresses, or stereotypes. Provides services in languages that meet the needs of populations served. Adopts policies and allocate resources to support multilingual capacity of staff.

General Environment
1. Culturally Destructive : Actively develops, promotes, and utilizes recruitment strategies that exclude certain populations in a deliberate effort to exclude them. Does not value or encourage diversity in the workplace.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Frames diverse populations as inferior in vision/mission statements. Frames cultural policy and procedures issues in condescending language.
3. Cultural Indifference : Adopts vision/mission statements that minimize differences. Adopts policies and procedures that minimize and discount difference; explains away destructive policies.

General Environment (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Examines vision/mission statements for effectiveness. Reviews policies, assess competencies, and identify changes needed.
5. Cultural Competence : Adopts meaningful culturally competent vision/mission statements that are translated into action. Frames policies and procedures in language that demonstrates cultural enrichment and enhancement.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Stresses culturally competent vision/mission statements in recruitment, orientation, and community presentations. Makes culturally competent policies and procedures available to other agencies.

4. Staff/Team Development

Recruitment
1. Culturally Destructive : Actively develops, promotes, and utilizes recruitment strategies that exclude certain populations in a deliberate effort to exclude them. Does not value or encourage diversity in the workplace.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Utilizes recruitment strategies that exclude certain populations in an effort to maintain mainstream culture. Uses ethnic and gender-specific advertisements. Practices token hiring.
3. Cultural Indifference : Allows the existence of recruitment strategies that exclude certain populations and does little or nothing to change them. Uses ethnic and gender-specific advertisements. Does not recognize specialized skills in recruitment.

Recruitment (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Questions recruitment strategies that exclude certain populations and explores ways to change them. Recognizes specialized skills in recruitment.
5. Cultural Competence : Actively develops, promotes, and utilizes recruitment strategies that include and attract all populations. Exhibits ongoing self-monitoring of strategies for continuous improvement..
6. Cultural Proficiency : Is successful in attracting and hiring a diverse workforce that includes all populations. Provides modeling and training to other organizations on diversity issues.

Development & Retention
1. Culturally Destructive : Actively develops and promotes staff development and training practices that deliberately oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations in order to exclude them from the workforce. Punishes non-English speakers. Redirects non-mainstream employees to low-paying jobs.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Utilizes staff development & training strategies that oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations in order to promote and maintain a mainstream workforce. Provides token advancement and/or training.
3. Cultural Indifference : Allows the existence of staff development & training strategies that oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations. Provides training that stresses assimilation.

Development & Retention (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Begins to explore strategies that develop & train populations that have previously been excluded or discriminated against. Develops meaningful components for leadership development.
5. Cultural Competence : Actively develops, promotes, and utilizes staff development & training strategies that reach out to all populations with the goal of maintaining a diverse workforce at all levels in the organization. Includes staff at all levels of employment in developing cultural competence training. Evaluates effectiveness of strategies.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Is successful at maintaining a diverse workforce at all levels in the organization by actively developing, promoting, and utilizing staff development & training strategies that reach out to all populations. Advocates for and/or provides cultural competence training to other community organizations.

Compensation & Benefits
1. Culturally Destructive : Actively develops, promotes, and utilizes compensation & benefit strategies that deliberately oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations.
2. Cultural Incapacity : Utilizes compensation & benefit strategies that oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations.
3. Cultural Indifference : Allows the existence of compensation and benefit strategies that oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations and does little or nothing to change them.

Compensation & Benefits (continued)
4. Cultural Pre-Competence : Makes a concerted effort to address compensation & benefit strategies that may oppress, discriminate, and stereotype certain populations.
5. Cultural Competence : Implements a culturally competent compensation & benefit plan and evaluates periodically for effectiveness.
6. Cultural Proficiency : Makes culturally competent compensation & benefit plan available to other agencies.

Strategic Plan for Cultural Competence
Identified Needs/Issues
Target/Focus Areas
Goals/Objectives/Outcomes
Strategies/Methods
Accountability
Responsible Party/Task
Target Date
Follow-up Dates
Status

Cultural Skill Exercise
Review the Strategic Work Plan given to your group
Pick a Target and Focus Area(s)
Discuss the areas listed as to where you are on the cultural competence continuum
Does the information gathering tool help you determine where the organization is now?
How might this change the way you provide services?

References
Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc. Target and Focus Areas, 2001
Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc. Cultural Assessment Tool, 2001
Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc. Cultural Assessment, 2001
Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc. Strategic Workplan, 2001

Harold Gates, MSSW, CISW Consultant
Midwest Center for Cultural Competence
268 Kelvington Drive
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
(608) 345-0196
[email_address]

Organizational Cultural Competence: Moving Your Agency/Organization Toward Becoming Culturally Competent

8G - Organizational Cultural Competence

by Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics