Purpose: As Massachusetts' demographics change and the population becomes more culturally and linguistically diverse, there is an increasingly critical need to effectively deliver health care services in multi-cultural environments. The participants of this program are professionals working in health care settings across the Commonwealth where their low-income and uninsured clients represent a broad range of ethnic and racial groups, with differing religious and sexual orientations, faced with a range of medical needs, disabilities and/or homelessness. Given the context, the focus of this module is to help emerging leaders fully understand the characteristics of culturally competent health care organizations, and learn how to enhance and promote excellence within their agencies. Health care organizations that are considered “centers of excellence” in delivering culturally competent care* have achieved this status and reputation because of full and continuous engagement of senior leadership including the board of directors. Participants in this program will learn how to increase their own personal influence and impact to help their organizations become and remain more culturally competent for their ever-changing patients and communities.

Learning Objectives: Through completion of this module participants will:

• Understand the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care (CLAS).
• Examine the importance and need for ongoing organizational self assessment.
• Learn tools for effectively conducting a self-assessment.
• Understand how to institutionalize cultural competence in day-to-day practices.
• Learn the impact of cultural competence on quality of care and patient safety.
• Identify ways to create a culturally competent organizational framework that effectively serves all patients as well as staff and clinicians.

* HRSA designation for organizations in compliance with all CLAS standards.

Faculty for this module: Tawara Goode, M.A. Jose Diaz, M.D.

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