Relearning Cultural Competence in our System

Monday marks the 81st birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is a time for us to reflect on those things which we have accomplished in our journey to a more socially just community, and to identify those areas which are our growth edges.

Traditionally, mental health and substance abuse systems and professionals have been a proactive group about issues of inclusion, equality, access, and dignity. A simple scan of our system shows so many people and organizations working to balance justice for our consumers. Every day, people who are marginalized by larger majorities are included in our services, shown compassion by our providers, and restored to their rightful places through the recovery supports they receive.

All of the agencies and providers in the We Care system have strong policies and leadership about respecting the differences of clients - their cultures, races, unique experiences, points of view, and histories. I have personally seen directors of our agencies take strong stands against discriminatory practices and interactions, advocating on behalf of our consumers with conviction that makes me proud to be their colleague. Every day our providers set aside the confines of their own culture and experience to nourish their understanding of our consumers' culture and to create a niche of safety for them to express themselves and to grow.

We have a unique asset in Lima UMADAOP. One of only 12 such organizations in Ohio, the Lima UMADAOP exists to ensure that African American and Hispanic/Latino people in our area receive prevention programming that is culturally appropriate. Lutheran Social Services, whose parent organization has a long history of attention to social justice, has one of the only Spanish-speaking counselors in our region, and has opened a thriving set of group services for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered. Family Resource Centers, our agency that concentrates on children and families, works every day in community settings such as schools to empower consumers who represent all types of familes, not just the traditional family with two parents and a white picket fence. It's all tough work, and in some ways very countercultural.

Even with these great examples, we need to do more. Cultural competence is often a sideline or even an afterthought in our program design and evaluation. Though we are well intentioned, we often neglect to ask the question of our consumers: "what do you really need from us, and do we create it with you in a way that celebrates the unique person you are?"

Dr. Debra Wilcox is a friend and mentor in this issue of deliberate attention to culture. She works with the Wellness Management and Recovery Coordinating Center of Excellence and is president of Confluency Consulting, Inc. She shares these ideas for enhancing our expertise and shaping our attitudes. She sees that providers need certain beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and skills to improve their practice.

Beliefs and Attitudes
Culturally skilled counselors have moved from being culturally unaware to being aware and sensitive to their own cultural heritage and to valuing and respecting differences.
Culturally skilled counselors are aware of how their own cultural background and experiences, attitudes, and values and biases influence psychological processes.
Culturally skilled counselors are able to recognize the limits of their competencies and expertise.
Culturally skilled counselors are comfortable with differences that exist between themselves and clients in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender expression, and beliefs.

Knowledge
Culturally skilled counselors have specific knowledge about their own racial and cultural heritage and how it personally and professionally affects their definitions and biases of normality-abnormality and the process of counseling.
Culturally skilled counselors possess knowledge and understanding about how oppression, racism, discrimination, and stereotyping affect them personally and in their work. This allows them to acknowledge their own racist and sexist attitudes, beliefs, and feelings. Although this standard applies to all groups, for white counselors it may mean that they understand how they may have directly or indirectly benefited from individual, institutional, and cultural racism (white identity development models).
Culturally skilled counselors possess knowledge about their social impact upon others. They are knowledgeable about communication style differences, how their style may clash or facilitate the counseling process with minority clients, and how to anticipate the impact it may have on others.
Skills
Culturally skilled counselors seek out educational, consultative, and training experiences to enrich their understanding and effectiveness in working with culturally different populations. Being able to recognize the limits of their competencies, they (a) seek consultation, (b) seek further training or education, (c) refer out to more qualified individuals or resources, or (d) engage in a combination of these.
Culturally skilled counselors are constantly seeking to understand themselves as racial and cultural beings and are actively seeking a non-racist identity. (Wilcox, 2007).

Throughout 2010, it is our commitment to remember to ask the questions of our consumers, our providers, and our system that lead us to a deeper understanding of the true cultural needs and aspirations of our consumers and our workforce. Every time we raise the question, we learn and we move our system and ourselves toward a deeper justice for all.

Peace,
Phil Atkins