171518 Linguistic and cultural competency toolkit: An innovative resource for California family planning providers

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 4:50 PM

Veronica Estrella Murillo, MPH , Information and Education, California Family Health Council, Los Gatos, CA
Robin Lowney Lankton, MPH, CHES , Information and Education, California Family Health Council, Los Angeles, CA
Donna Bell Sanders, MPH , Information and Education, California Family Health Council, Bakersfield, CA
Geeth Veliah , Information and Education, California Family Health Council, Los Angeles, CA
Linguistic and cultural competence in the health professions leads to improved communication between providers and clients who may be from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. California is home to many diverse populations. As such, it is necessary that providers have resources they can use to improve their practices to better serve the dynamic and continually changing cultural groups in California.

A Linguistic and Cultural Competency Toolkit was developed based on the competencies covered in the CLAS (culturally and linguistically appropriate services) standards put forth by the U.S. Department of Minority Health. This resource was created specifically for family planning providers who participate in the Family PACT (Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment) Program funded through the California Department of Public Health. These providers have a unique interest in effective communication with their clients. Clients' continuous and successful use of contraceptives is dependent upon their providers' ability to understand their life circumstances. Through use of the communication techniques and resources in the Toolkit, family planning providers will be better equipped to serve their clients. The Toolkit is designed in such a way that providers can administer a self-assessment survey to their staff or complete it individually to assess their personal and organizational cultural and linguistic competency.

The presentation will explain the four areas of cultural competency that the survey assesses and how providers can use the survey and resources to develop a personalized strategic plan. Uses and the potential impact of the Toolkit on reproductive healthcare in California will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the development process for the Family PACT Linguistic and Cultural Competency Toolkit. 2. Articulate how the Toolkit functions as an instrument to help health care providers assess their cultural and linguistic competency. 3. List three ways the use of the Family PACT Linguistic and Cultural Competency Toolkit will lead to improved professional preparation in the work force and improved services and comprehensive health care for family planning clients.

Keywords: Family Planning, Cultural Competency

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I oversaw the writing and development of the Linguistic and Cultural Competency Toolkit, which is the focus of the abstract submitted.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.