Cultural Competence

Goals and Principles

Culturally competent systems of care provide appropriate services to consumers and families of all cultures. Services are designed to respect the uniqueness of cultural influences, these systems work best within a family’s cultural framework. There are nine principles that govern the development of culturally competent programs. These are:

1. The family, however defined, is the consumer and the focus of treatment services.
2. Americans with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds are often bicultural or multicultural, and as a result they may have a unique set of mental health issues that must be recognized and addressed.
3. Families make choices based on their cultural backgrounds. Service providers need to respect and build upon their own cultural knowledge as well as the family’s strengths.
4. Cross-cultural relationships between providers and consumers may include major differences in worldviews. These differences must be acknowledged and addressed.
5. Cultural knowledge and sensitivity must be incorporated into program policy, administration and service delivery.
6. Natural helping networks such as neighborhood organizations, community led interventions and natural healers can be a vital source of support to consumers. They should be requited and included in the treatment.
7. In culturally competent systems of care, the community, as well as the family decide on direction and goals.
8. Programs must do more than offer equal, nondiscriminatory services: they must tailor services to their consumer population.
9. Programs that include staff who share the cultural background of their consumers need to make other providers aware in order to have more effective programs.