Cultural competency
(Competencia cultural)

On this page:

• Tools (Herramientas)
• Funding (Financiamiento)
• Publications (Publicaciones)
• Organizations (Organismos)

Tools
(Herramientas)

• Study On Measuring Cultural Competence in Health Care Delivery Settings: A Review of the Literature
  A literature assessment, sponsored by HRSA, that synthesizes and examines the measurement of cultural competence, as related to health care. This review will serve as a basis for decisions about the scope, content, and value of the cultural competence measurement profile to be developed.
  Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Why The Difference Initiative
  Designed to increase provider awareness about disparities in health care. The website also provides a Speaker's Kit to help physicians talk to patients about cardiovascular care.
  Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation
• The Cross Cultural Health Care Program
  Serves as a bridge between communities and health care institutions to ensure full access to quality health care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Provides a combination of cultural competency trainings, interpreter trainings, research projects, and community coalition building.
  Sponsoring organization: Cross Cultural Health Care Program
• Physician Toolkit and Curriculum: Resources to Implement Cross-Cultural Clinical Practice Guidelines for Medicaid Practitioners
  This toolkit aids healthcare providers in the practical application of the Cross-Cultural Clinical Practice Guidelines. It introduces the basic fundamentals of cross-cultural practice and offers steps and processes essential to delivering quality care to culturally diverse populations.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
• The Provider's Guide to Quality and Culture
  Designed to assist healthcare organizations throughout the United States in providing high quality, culturally competent services to multi-ethnic populations.
  Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
• Culturally Specific Patient Health Information for non-English speakers
  Librarian recommended reference sites for culturally specific patient health information.
• National Prevention Information Network - Cultural Competence
  Provides information and resources about cultural competence and how it applies to HIV/AIDS, STD, and TB prevention.
  Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Cultural and Linguistic Competence Policy Assessment (CLCPA)
  A self-assessment instrument designed to examine cultural and linguistic competence in four dimensions: values, policy, structure, and practice.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
• Dictionary of Health Related Terms, 3rd Edition (English - Spanish)
  An instrument for health care personnel and other professionals working with the Latino population in the United States. Purpose is to strengthen communication between Spanish-speaking populations and the health workers serving them, and facilitate dialogue by reducing cultural and linguistic barriers.
  Sponsoring organization: California Office of Binational Border Health
• A Cultural Competency Toolkit: Ten Grant Sites Share Lessons Learned
  Provides an overview of 10 model cultural competency programs. Includes their project goals, implementation plans, and program materials. This information will assist other consumer supporter organizations to launch similar cultural competency outreach programs.
  Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
• Office of Minority Health Regional Minority Health Consultants (RMHCs)
  A locator map of the Office of Minority Health Regional Minority Health Consultants (RMHCs) who work to build partnerships with consumers and professionals working on minority health issues at the regional, state and community level.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
• A Guide to Choosing and Adapting Culturally and Linguistically Competent Health Promotion Materials
  Provides guidance on how to assure that health promotion materials reflect the principles and practices of cultural and linguistic competence.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
• Hablamos Juntos
  Mission is to improve communication between health care providers and their patients with limited English proficiency. To accomplish this they develop affordable models that will help doctors, hospitals and their staff care for a changing patient population by funding ten demonstration sites in regions with established or emerging fast-growing Latino populations. Also includes resources on interpreter services, signage, and developing Spanish language materials.
  Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Hispanic Worker Initiative
  Provides a variety of resources regarding multilingual and multicultural strategies for serving job seekers and workers with limited English proficiency.
  Sponsoring organization: Employment and Training Administration
• Civil Rights Division's Coordination and Review Section (en Espanol)
  Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Justice
• Multicultural Council
  Advocates on behalf of the cultural diversity and cultural competence mandates of the Developmental Disabilities Act. Serves as a conduit for technical assistance, providing input into policy, and engaging in other support activities necessary to advance cultural competency.
  Sponsoring organization: Association of University Centers on Disabilities
• Think Cultural Health
  Works to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of effective health policies and programs that help to eliminate disparities in health. Develops and tests curriculum modules that effectively equip family physicians with cultural and linguistic competencies.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
• Multilingual Glossary of Technical and Popular Medical Terms in Nine European Languages
  A multilingual glossary of technical and popular medical terms in nine European Languages: Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
• Contextual Health Profile for Rural Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations
  Tool for health planners on culturally competent health programming. The profile is a comprehensive description of the health status of a specific community. Includes community health status information typically in a community health needs assessment, as well as cultural and environmental information.
  Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
• National Resource Center on Advancing Emergency Preparedness for Culturally Diverse Communities
  An information exchange portal designed to facilitate communication, networking and collaboration to improve preparedness and eliminate disparities for racially and ethnically diverse communities in public health emergencies.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
• Office of Minority Health Resource Center
  An information service that provides publications, articles, and database searches on minority health topics. Can be contacted by phone at 1.800.444.6472, or by e-mail at info@omhrc.gov.
  Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Health Literacy and Cultural Competency: Research Findings
  Provides links to research activities regarding health literacy and cultural competency from the years 2002-2005.
  Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• A Physician's Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care
  A website that offers CME, CNE, and CEU credit and equips health care professionals with awareness, knowledge, and skills to treat the increasingly diverse U.S. population they serve. Includes a self-directed training course for family physicians and other health care professionals with an interest in cultural competency.
  Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Cultural Brokering Web Portal
  Encourages the use of cultural brokering in health and mental health care by providing information and resources.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
• Community Tool Box
  Practical and detailed information and curriculum to support community health and community development. Provides training and tools to help build skills on topics that include: cultural competence, community assessment, leadership, and advocacy.
  Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Funding
(Financiamiento)

• California Endowment Grant Programs
  Grants to expand access to affordable, quality health care for the underserved and to improve the health status of all Californians.
      Geographic Coverage: California
      Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
      Sponsor: California Endowment
• Regional Community Health Grants Program
  This program provides funding focused on reducing disparities in health care among racial and ethnic populations in eligible geographic areas.
      Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
      Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
      Sponsor: Aetna Foundation

Publications
(Publicaciones)

• And the Journey Continues: Achieving Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Systems Serving Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and their Families
  Offers insights and lessons learned by the National Center for Cultural Competence and provides success stories from State Title V Children with Special Health Care Needs programs.
  Author(s): Tawara D. Goode, Wendy Jones, Suzanne Bronheim, Clare Dunne
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
  Date: 2007
  Format: PDF
  
• Anthropology in the Clinic: The Problem of Cultural Competency and How to Fix It
  Discusses the idea of cultural competency and associated problems with definition, lack of research, and the constant changing cultural process.
  Author(s): Arthur Kleinman, Peter Benson
  Journal citation: PLoS Medicine Volume: 3 Issue: 10 Date: 09 / 2006
  Format: HTML
  
• Bridging the Cultural Divide in Health Care Settings: The Essential Role of Cultural Broker Programs
  A guide for implementing cultural broker programs in health care settings, particularly those that employ or serve as placement sites for National Health Service Corps scholars and clinicians in service.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
  Date: 2004
  Format: PDF
  
• Closing the Health Disparity Gap in New Mexico: A Roadmap for Grantmaking (Executive Summary)
  Provides information and recommendations necessary to be aware of, and respond to the health rights and needs of culturally and demographically diverse peoples and communities of New Mexico.
  Author(s): Lisa Cacari Stone, Deborah Boldt
  Date: 05 / 2006
  Format: PDF
  
• Cultural Competence Education
  Discusses the need for cultural competence curriculum for medical students and identifies ways in which to develop a curriculum.
  Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
  Date: 2005
  Format: PDF
  
• Cultural Competence in Serving Children and Adolescents With Mental Health Problems
  Discusses the need for culturally competent systems of mental health care and describes what such systems should include.
  Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  Format: HTML
  
• Cultural Competence in the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity: Latino Americans
  Discusses weight management among Latino Americans.
  Author(s): John P. Foreyt
  Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Permanente
  Journal citation: Permanente Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Date: 2003
  Format: HTML
  
• Cultural Competence Standards in Managed Care Mental Health Services: Four Underserved/Underrepresented Racial/Ethnic Groups
  Designed to provide readers with the tools and knowledge to help guide the provision of culturally competent mental health services within today's managed care environment. Document derived from experts from four core racial/ethnic populations: Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, African Americans, and Asian/Pacific Islanders.
  Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  Date: 01 / 2001
  Format: HTML
  
• Cultural Competence Works: Using Cultural Competence to Improve the Quality of Health Care for Diverse Populations and Add Value to Managed Care Arrangements
  Identifies and describes successful programs that address the needs of underserved, culturally diverse communities, including interpreter services, cultural competence training for staff, targeted outreach programs, and other culturally appropriate interventions.
  Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
  Date: 2001
  Format: PDF
  
• Cultural Competence: It All Starts at the Front Desk
  Discusses how developed policies, training, and direct resources targeted for support staff in health care organizations will develop the attitudes, behaviors, skills, and knowledge necessary to serve families in culturally and linguistically competent ways.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
  Format: PDF
  
• Cultural Competency and Quality of Care: Obtaining the Patient's Perspective
  This report identifies five domains of culturally competent care that can best be assessed through patients' perspectives: 1) patient - provider communication; 2) respect for patient preferences and shared decision-making; 3) experiences leading to trust or distrust; 4) experiences of discrimination; and 5) linguistic competency.
  Author(s): Quyen Ngo-Metzger, Joseph Telfair, Dara H. Sorkin, Beverly Weidmer, Robert Weech-Maldonado, Margarita Hurtado, Ron D. Hays
  Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
  Date: 10 / 2006
  Format: PDF
  
• Cultural Heritage Organizations: Nonprofits That Support Traditional, Ethnic, Folk, and Noncommercial Popular Culture
  Provides an overview of nonprofit cultural heritage organizations in the United States and a snapshot of their structure, finances and programs.
  Author(s): Carole Rosenstein
  Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
  Date: 03 / 2006
  Format: PDF
  
• Culturally and Linguistically Competent Hispanic Nurses Can Play a Key Role in Reducing the Serious Health Disparities Faced by U.S.-Mexican Border Populations
  Examines the impact that Hispanic nurses have had in Hispanic communities along the border.
  Author(s): Silvia Foti
  Format: HTML
  
• Diabetes Is a Community Issue: The Critical Elements of a Successful Outreach and Education Model on the U.S.-Mexico Border
  Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions on the U.S.-Mexico Border, and culturally competent diabetes education is not available in many communities.
  Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Journal citation: Preventing Chronic Disease Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Date: 01 / 2005
  Format: HTML
  
• The Diversity of Cultural Participation: Findings from a National Survey
  The central conclusion from a national survey of cultural participation. This project revealed important differences in participation among different ethnic groups, as well as by type of cultural event.
  Author(s): Francie Ostrower
  Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
  Date: 10 / 2005
  Format: PDF
  
• A Guide for Advancing Family-Centered and Culturally and Linguistically Competent Care
  Discusses ways in which family-centered care and cultural and linguistic competence can be integrated to support and sustain a community-based system of services that provide high quality of care to families who have children and youth with special health care needs.
  Sponsoring organization: National Center for Cultural Competence
  Format: PDF
  
• Health Resources and Services Administration Study On Measuring Cultural Competence in Health Care Delivery Settings
  Reports on a project to develop a cultural competence measurement profile comprising a conceptual measurement framework and set of measures for gauging cultural competence in health care settings. The goal of this effort is to contribute to an understanding of how the complex construct of cultural competence can be measured and advance the capacity of organizations to carry out such measurement.
  Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
  Date: 09 / 2001
  Format: HTML
  
• Holding Health Plans Accountable: The Provision of Culturally and Linguistically Competent Services by Health Plans Participating in the Healthy Families Program
  A report generated from a survey completed by participants in the Health Families Program of California to gauge health plan compliance with the culturally and linguistically competent service requirements.
  Sponsoring organization: California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
  Date: 03 / 2006
  Format: PDF
  
• Hospitals, Language, and Culture: A Snapshot of the Nation
  A qualitative cross-sectional study designed to provide a snapshot of how 60 hospitals across the country are providing health care to culturally and linguistically diverse patient populations.
  Author(s): Amy Wilson-Stronks, Erica Galvez
  Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
  Date: 2007
  Format: PDF
  
• National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care: Executive Summary
  A summary with list of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care as issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH) to ensure that all people entering the health care system receive equitable and effective treatment in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. These standards are proposed as a means to correct inequities that currently exist in the provision of health services and to make these services more responsive to the individual needs of all patients/consumers.
  Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
  Date: 03 / 2001
  Format: PDF
  
• National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care: Final Report
  Provides a list and discussion of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care as issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH) to ensure that all people entering the health care system receive equitable and effective treatment in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. These standards are proposed as a means to correct inequities that currently exist in the provision of health services and to make these services more responsive to the individual needs of all patients/consumers.
  Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
  Date: 03 / 2001
  Format: PDF
  
• National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)
  A list of the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards as developed by the National Project Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Minority Health. These standards are directed at health care organizations; however, individual providers are also encouraged to use the standards to make their practices more culturally and linguistically accessible.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
  Date: 2000
  Format: HTML
  
• Priority Populations Initiative: Breaking New Ground and Building Capacity in Cultural Tailoring
  Highlights the importance of cultural tailoring to the successful servicing of traditionally underserved populations.
  Author(s): Helen Lettlow, Guillermo Brito,
  Sponsoring organization: American Legacy Foundation
  Date: 03 / 2007
  Format: PDF
  
• Report: Setting the Agenda for Research on Cultural Competence in Health Care
  This project looks at the question of what impact cultural competence interventions have on the delivery of health care and health outcomes, and investigates the opportunities and barriers that affect how further research in this area might be conducted.
  Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of Minority Health
  Date: 11 / 2005
  Format: HTML
  
• Teaching Cultural Competence in Health Care: A Review of Current Concepts, Policies and Practices
  Reports the findings of an environmental scan that will serve to inform the development of Cultural Competence Curriculum Modules (CCCM) for family physicians. This work is supported by the Office of Minority Health (OMH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and represents the first effort to create such training materials at the national level.
  Date: 03 / 2002
  Format: PDF
  
• Transforming the Face of Health Professions Through Cultural & Linguistic Competence Education: The Role of the HRSA Centers of Excellence
  A compendium providing practical guidance in the form of strategies, tools, and resources for HRSA Centers of Excellence implementing and integrating cultural and linguistic competency content and methods into existing academic programs. It also provides guidance for evaluating cultural and linguistic competency efforts.
  Date: 03 / 2005
  Format: HTML
  
• The United States and Mexico: Forging a Strategic Partnership
  A report from the study group on U.S.-Mexico Relations.
  Sponsoring organization: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
  Date: 2005
  Format: PDF
  

Organizations
(Organismos)

• California Endowment
  Mission is to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.
• California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
  Works to ensure that all Californians have access to quality health care and can live healthy lives.
• Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
  Supports and promotes a national preparedness to foster the development and the adjustment of children with or at risk of developing serious emotional disturbance.
• Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture
  Conducts research and provides information about Latinos/as in California. Provides technical assistance to community organizations. Reports and data can be obtained on the website.
• Centro Nacional Para el Cuidado Médico Culturalmente Apropiado
  La misión del Centro Nacional Para el Cuidado Médico Culturalmente Apropiado (NCCC) es el de aumentar la capacidad de los programas de salud mental y física en la preparación, implementación, y evaluación de los sistemas de entrega de servicios culturales y lingüísticos.
• Cross Cultural Health Care Program
  Serves as a bridge between communities and health care institutions to ensure full access to quality health care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
• DiversityRx
  Promotes language and cultural competence to improve the quality of health care for minority, immigrant, and ethnically diverse communities.
• Institute for Diversity in Health Management
  Committed to expanding health care leadership opportunities for ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse individuals, and increasing the number of these individuals entering and advancing in the field.
• National Alliance for Hispanic Health
  Mission is to improve the health and well being of Hispanics. The Alliance informs consumers, supports health and human service providers in the delivery of quality care, improves the science base for accurate decision making by promoting better and more inclusive research, promotes appropriate use of technology, insures accountability, advocates on behalf of Hispanics, and promotes philanthropy. Information in English and Spanish.
• National Center for Cultural Competence
  Mission is to increase the capacity of health and mental health programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. Provides a variety of tools, publications and other resources online. Information available in Spanish.
• National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
  The mission is to promote minority health and to lead, coordinate, support, and assess the NIH effort to reduce and eliminate health disparities. NCMHD will conduct and support basic, clinical, social, and behavioral research, promote research infrastructure and training, foster emerging programs, disseminate information, and reach out to minority and other health disparity communities.
• National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
  A multidisciplinary organization based in the United States whose mission is to promote culturally competent professional health care interpreting as a means to support equal access to health care for individuals with limited English proficiency.
• National Health Service Corps
  Works to improve the health of the underserved by recruiting and retaining the health professionals to deliver health care in underserved communities. Provides technical assistance to federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) on projects that enhance the NHSC's site development mission. Part of the Bureau of Health Professionals, Health Resources and Services Administration.
• Salud En Acción: National Hispanic/Latino Health Communication Research
  Provides extensive expertise in the fields of public health promotion, health research, health communication and community networking with regard to working with the Hispanic/Latino communities.
• Southern Area Health Education Center & Border Health Education Training Center
  Serves as a culturally competent regional resource and training center for youth, the health workforce, and communities of New Mexico. Also provides resources to help communities increase environmental safety and for individuals to improve their home environments.
• Think Cultural Health
  Provides culturally competency continuing education programs and other resources for physicians, pharmacists, and nurses to better meet the cultural and linguistic needs of an increasingly diverse patient population. Offers a free online accredited educational program for health care providers.