CULTURAL COMPETENCY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR MAJOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS

Course overview

This course is based upon material published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is part of their recently published Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) on improving cultural competence. According to SAMHSA ¿ The development of culturally responsive clinical skills is vital to the effectiveness of behavioral health services. According to Cross et al in 2001 cultural competency is a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that . . . enable a system, agency, or group of professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations This Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) uses Sues (2001) multidimensional model for developing cultural competence. Adapted to address cultural competence across behavioral health settings, this model serves as a frame-work for targeting three organizational levels of treatment: individual counselor and staff, clinical and programmatic, and organizational and administrative. Chapter 5 provides a review of the literature as it pertains to specific racial and ethnic groups identified by the U.S. Census Bureau. After a brief introduction, the chapter explores each major racial and ethnic group¿s specific patterns of substance use and substance use disorders, help-seeking patterns, beliefs about and traditions involving substance use, beliefs and attitudes about treatment, assessment and treatment considerations (including co-occurring disorders and culturally specific disorders), and theoretical approaches and treatment interventions (including evidence-based and best practices as well as traditional healing practices). This course also offers assistance in providing treatment to African and Black Americans, Asian Americans (including Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders), Latinos, Native Americans, and White Americans. Counselors, clinical supervisors, and administrators are encouraged to use the information in this chapter as a starting point for learning about the major cultural groups of their clients. Nonetheless, many forces shape how an individual identifies with, is influenced by, or portrays his/her culture, and numerous subcultures can exist within any culture; thus, generalizations about various population groups should be avoided. Although this document was written from the perspective of providing drug treatment services, it contains some of the most current research and collaboration from renowned sources in the field. It was extensively revised and vetted by a wide array of behavioral health specialists and has undergone a more rigorous screening and review than most peer reviewed publication. As a result, the information is appropriate for clinicians who work with a wide variety of presenting problems, not just those involved in substance abuse treatment. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of cultural competence. The course material provides a literature review of racial and ethnic group differences in terms of substance use, help-seeking behaviors, beliefs and traditions about substance abuse and theoretical approaches, including evidence based and best practices for the culturally responsive treatment of substance abuse disorders. This course is particularly useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical continuing education courses for license renewal. It is especially appropriate for behavioral health workers who require cross cultural counseling content for license renewal. Authors: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Come visit us on the web at www.ce-classes.com