The reason for disparities in health care, mental health, and other human services are complex.  They are rooted partly in factors such as history, language, immigration experiences, and long-held beliefs and customs regarding family, health, and well-being.  But there are other factors that contribute to the problem; for example, there is still a lack of diversity in human services leadership, poor cross-cultural communication between providers and consumers, and systems that are not designed for diverse populations.

To eliminate these disparities and to deliver meaningful services, helping professionals must work effectively in cross-cultural situations.  This means acknowledging cultural differences, understanding cultural influences, and incorporating cultural strengths and values into one’s practice.

According to the National Association of Social Workers, “cultural competence refers to the process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each.”

Hospital professionals and social workers can use a five-step process to ensure they are practicing in a manner that is respectful and sensitive to the unique culture of their patient/clients.  The five steps, each of which will be covered in this course, include:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Awareness and Acceptance of Difference
3. Developing Cultural Knowledge
4. Developing Cross-Cultural Skills
5. Collaboration

Before you learn more about these steps, review the characteristics of practicing cultural humility and consider the degree to which these characteristics align with your current practice. 

Characteristics of Practicing Cultural Humility

▶ Awareness of cultural heritage and genuine respect for different cultures.

▶  Awareness of values and biases and how they may affect perceptions of other cultures.

▶  Acknowledgement and acceptance of differences that exist between personal values and beliefs and the values and beliefs of others.

▶ The ability to work with a wide range of people who are culturally different and to find respectful, effective, and mutually acceptable ways to learn about the cultures of these clients.

▶ The ability to assess the meaning of culture for individual clients and client groups and to encourage open discussion of differences.

▶ A mastery of interviewing techniques that reflect an understanding of the role of language in the client’s culture.

▶  An intense curiosity about the human experience in a cultural context.

▶ The skill to conduct assessments in which cultural norms and behaviors are evaluated as strengths and differentiated from problematic or symptomatic behavior.

▶ The ability to help clients and patients resolve problems in collaboration with the client’s natural support system, including family members, folk healers, religious and spiritual leaders, and other community resources.

▶ The self-awareness and insight to identify features of one’s own professional style that enhance or impede the ability to deliver culturally competent, culturally appropriate services.

▶  A readiness to consult with supervisors and colleagues for feedback and monitoring of performance.

The ability to recognize when circumstances call for outside consultation and/or assistance from a member of the client’s cultural group.