Cultural Competence Exchange Newsletter

November 1999

The newest component of the NCCC is the SIDS/ID component which is also supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. In collaboration with the National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC) and the National SIDS Resource Center (NSIDSRC), the NCCC will infuse cultural competence into programs that serve families "touched" by SIDS/ID and that provide public education to address the disparities in infant mortality.

The NCCC SIDS/ID component will include activities such as identifying consultants for the NCCC pool, presenting at meetings, contributing to other newsletters, participating in task forces and providing technical assistance to SIDS/ID programs. One current focus is on contacting these programs to assess the current level of culturally competent policies and practices and the programs? needs for training and technical assistance. The NCCC will contact an appropriate group of state and local SIDS/ID and related programs. The group will identify the following:

• which cultural, ethnic and racial groups are currently served,
• which of these groups may not be adequately served,
• what policies these programs have related to cultural and linguistic competence,
• what barriers they encounter in trying to move along the cultural competence continuum, and
• what training and technical assistance needs they have related to cultural competence.

Later this year, the NCCC will look for any materials - literature, brochures and curriculum - related to cultural competence in serving families affected by SIDS/ID or related to addressing the racial and ethnic disparities in SIDS/ID. After reviewing and annotating these materials, information about appropriate resources will be posted on the NSIDPSC Web site. Watch for the NCCC request and think about resources you could recommend.

In collaboration with NSIDSRC, NCCC will develop a literature review on cultural competence in SIDS/ID services that will focus on peer reviewed sources.

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Page last modified December 1999