Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response: An OMH tool for first responders

Recent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina, September 11th, and the California wildfires have illustrated the importance for disaster responders to improve cross-cultural communication skills. Language and cultural barriers between responders and the populations they serve have significant impacts on the transmission of critical health care information and instructions, such as evacuation orders.

The Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has funded the development of the Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response in order to address this service gap. The curriculum intends to equip disaster and recovery responders with the knowledge, awareness, and skills needed to provide emergency health care services to diverse populations during disaster situations. It will also teach participants the concept of cultural competence and its relevance to the readiness, response, and recovery phases of a disaster. Examples of skills to be taught include working with interpreters, locating translated materials, negotiating cultural differences, and implementing the CLAS Standards.

The curriculum is currently in the development phase and is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2009. The development phase of the curriculum includes a review of current literature and practices, needs assessment focus groups, and guidance from a panel of experts in the fields of cultural competence and disaster response. The CCCDPCR will be an interactive Web-based program, offered at no cost, and accredited for continuing education credits. The curriculum audience includes emergency medical services personnel, disaster mental health workers (including social workers), and disaster response organization employees.