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 1.
Purpose
This section
of the module is to provide faculty with a basic foundation
in the philosophy, values, and conceptual frameworks of cultural
and linguistic competence.
2.
Rationale for cultural and linguistic competence in health
care
The NCCC
identified several compelling reasons why health care systems
should focus on cultural and linguistic competence, adapted
as follows from its Policy Brief series for this curricula
enhancement module series:
- To understand
and respond effectively to diverse belief systems related
to health and well-being
- To respond
to current and projected demographic changes in the United
States
- To eliminate
long-standing disparities in the health and mental health
status of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups
- To improve
the quality and accessibility of health care services
Creating
and sustaining cultural and linguistic competence will require
leadership in every aspect of health care including, but not
limited to, health care training and education, public health
policy, state public health agencies, research, health care
financing, practice and service delivery, workforce development,
community engagement, and advocacy.
The DRTE
is committed to developing such leadership within its training
programs.
3.
Rationale for infusing content related to cultural and linguistic
competence into health care training and programs
There are
numerous reasons to infuse content related to cultural and
linguistic competence into health care training and programs.
Though not intended to be all-inclusive, the following list
reflects contextual realities and provides reasons that are
substantiated in the research literature in this area:
- To address
historical issues in health care, such as those issues relating
to racism, discrimination, access to care, and significant
disparities in health outcomes
- To address
the fact that the formal education of many faculty and staff
has not prepared them to incorporate cultural and linguistic
competence into teaching and research methodologies
- To ensure
that students develop prerequisite areas of awareness, knowledge,
and skills in cultural and linguistic competence
- To facilitate
workforce diversity, both for its reflection of the population
served and for its inherent strengths
- To prepare
the future workforce to lead, teach, develop, and administer
public health policy and to practice in a multicultural environment;
- To respond
to legislative, regulatory, and accreditation mandates
- To serve
the institution’s and professional’s best interests
by providing a competitive edge in (1) recruiting and retaining
faculty and students and (2) obtaining grant funding for
teaching, service, research, and other initiatives
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