1st Edition

Cultural Competency in Health, Social & Human Services Directions for the 21st Century

    Cultural competency is an issue that is becoming increasingly more important as thousands of people come to this country every year. Because of widely different social mores, living conditions, traditions, personal beliefs, and practices of clients, health professionals in all specialties are finding it difficult to communicate effectively with the members of the diverse racial and ethnic groups that come to them for help. To give health and human services professionals the necessary training, material on cultural competency has been mandated in several different curricula, yet appropriate pedagogical material remains relatively rare. This pioneering volume presents the latest information and techniques for improving cultural competency in the delivery of health, social, and human services to ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States. Special attention is paid to the importance of understanding the social and culture backgrounds of clients when assessing diagnosis of policy and economic issues, which are rarely examined in this context. Notable for its combination of theory and practice, which will be invaluable for both professionals and students, this book also includes material on cultural competency within such special populations as the mentally ill, the elderly, children, and families.

    1: Cultural Competency Framework; 1: Cultural Competency Services for Multicultural Populations; 2: Cultural Values of the Major Ethnic Groups; 3: Cultural Competency and Its Role in Health Services; 4: Cultural Competency and Mental Health Services; 5: Cultural Competency and Child and Family Services; 2: Organizational Issues; 6: Cultural Competency and Services to the Minority Aged and Frail; 7: Cultural Competency and Practitioner Issues; 8: Cultural Competency and Leadership Issues; 9: Cultural Competency and Human Resources; 3: Policy Imperatives; 10: Future Policy Directions for Cultural Competency; 11: Twenty-First—Century Perspectives on Cultural Competency; 12: Conclusion

    Biography

    Pedro J. Lecca, Ivan Quervalu, Joao V. Nunes, Hector F. Gonzales