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Cultural
Competence Exchange Newsletter
November
1999
One important goal in the effort to make health services in
this country culturally competent is the infusion of cultural
competence into policy at every level. The efforts within MCHB
and across HRSA have paid off in changes in several important
policy areas.
1. The MCHB has
released its 1998-2003 strategic plan. Four objectives, under
two of three goals are related to cultural
competency and culturally diverse populations.
GOAL 2. ASSURE
QUALITY OF CARE - To assure the highest
quality of care through the development of practice guidance,
data monitoring, and evaluation tools; the utilization of evidence
based research; and the availability of a well trained, culturally
diverse workforce.
2.1 Assure
that 50 percent of all infants and children (ages 0 to 22),
including CSHN, are enrolled in a medical home.
(One of the elements of a medical home as defined by the American
Academy of Pediatrics is "culturally competent care.")
2.3 100 percent
of all MCHB long-term training grantees, and selected other
appropriate grantees, will include cultural
competency training as part of their curriculum.
GOAL 3. IMPROVE
THE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEM -
To facilitate access to care through the development and improvement
of the MCH health infrastructure and systems of care to enhance
the provision of the necessary coordinated, quality health care.
3.9 Increase the
percentage of states that implement cultural competency policies,
procedures and practices to 100 percent.
3.10 Increase the
percentage of states that demonstrate family/professional partnerships
in policy development and program implementation
to 100 percent. (Measure of this objective includes an indicator
for families of diverse cultural groups.)
2. The DSCSHN has
developed "Measuring Success for Healthy People
2010 (HP 2010) - A Working Document" which includes six core
measures related to CSHN and will be responsible for developing
a CSHN publication to accompany the HP 2010 document. We are
in the process of forming workgroups around each of the core
measures in order to develop a long term plan. Two core measures, "Services
Are Organized in Ways that Families Can Use Them Easily" and "Families
Are Decision Makers and Satisfied with Services", include issues
involving cultural competence and diversity.
3. With consultation from the NCCC, MCHB has included a standard
definition of cultural competence in guidance to Special Programs
of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) grantees and for
state Title V Block Grant Applications for 2000.
4. HRSA now has a Cultural Competence Workgroup with representatives
from all four Bureaus: BPHC, MCHB, Bureau of Health Professions
and the HIV/AIDS Bureau. June Horner, Director of the Office
of Minority Health and her staff coordinate the workgroup. Among
its accomplishments is implementing cultural competence as a
component of senior staff?s training.
5. The next annual Association of Maternal and Child Health
Programs meeting (March 4-8, 2000 in Washington D.C.) will have
a skills building session regarding reducing ethnic and racial
disparities.
6. The White House Initiative on Excellence in Education for
Hispanic Americans will be holding regional conferences for providers,
community based organizations and Hispanic families in Chicago,
IL on Nov. 5-6 and in Miami, FL on Dec. 3-4. If you are in those
areas and would like to attend, please e-mail Diana Denboba Ddenboba@hrsa.gov with
your name, title, agency and address so that you can receive
an invitation.
7. Phoenix Pediatrics, a medical home SPRANS grant, is assisting
Tsunami parents (an Arizona parent group that works with Title
V programs) to develop indicators for the elements of a medical
home as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Indicators
from a family perspective for the element of cultural competence
will be forthcoming.
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