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1999
- National focus on cultural competence
For organizations providing support
to mental health consumers, "cultural competency"
- the ability to reach out effectively and appropriately
to individuals of different cultural backgrounds
- is central to meeting the needs of a diverse
community. Recent U.S. census data indicate that
nearly 70 million Americans are people of color
and that this number is growing. This shift in
the U.S. population has a significant impact on
the mental health services system. According to
the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General Report on Mental
Health, language barriers, cultural barriers and
stigma prevent people of color from receiving
necessary or adequate services.
Advocates
and policymakers have called for all mental health
practitioners to be culturally competent: to recognize
and to respond to cultural concerns of ethnic
and racial groups, including their histories,
traditions, beliefs, and value systems. In the
end, to be culturally competent is to deliver
treatment that is equally effective to all sociocultural
groups.
1999
- State focus on cultural competence
State and regional planning for
mental health services is guided in part by requirements
of the federal Community Mental Health Services
Block Grant (MHBG). The federal law that created
the MHBG calls for each state to have a Mental
Health Planning and Advisory Council (MHPAC) comprised
of citizens of the state who are representative
of the people to be served by the block grant.
The MHPAC is charged with the responsibility to
assist the state in the development of a plan
for mental health services and to monitor service
delivery and effectiveness. In fulfilling this
responsibility, the Council created a number of
committees and work groups to focus monitoring
on specific areas of the service system. One such
committee is the Multi-Cultural Committee of the
Council.
2000
- State plan to promote cultural competence for
mental health providers
Approximately 27 percent of Georgia's
population is African American, yet low utilization
rates by African Americans of hospitals and community
based care suggests that this population is being
underserved. The Multi-Cultural Committee identified
in a letter of support for the 20000 MHBG application
a need to improve the cultural competence of mental
health provider agencies. The Multi-Cultural Committee
worked with state staff to develop a 5 year plan
for enhancing cultural competence for mental health
providers. When Georgia received a MHBG increase,
monies were allocated to support this plan and
a Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted.
Through
the competitive bidding process, Georgia State
University was selected through the Anthropology
Department for the year 1 project with a possibility
of continuing for the duration of the 5 year plan.
2001
- Implementation of State 5 year plan for cultural
competence training
GSU completed the Cultural Competency
Training Needs Assessment
(copy of assessment report can be found under
Assessment Results)
2002 - Continuation of 5 year plan for cultural
competence training
GSU installed the Cultural Competence
Website
GSU installed the toll free referral line
GSU conducted statewide workshop, "Cultural
Competence in Social Service Settings"
GSU conducted statewide workshop, "Toward
Cultural Competence: In Working with People of
African Descent"
2003
- Continuation of 5 year plan for cultural competence
training
GSU to enhance the Cultural Competence
Website
GSU to maintain toll free referral line
GSU to conduct statewide workshop, "Toward
Cultural competence: In Working with People of
Hispanic Descent"
2004
2005
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