Working with persons from diverse backgrounds require that providers elicit and utilize patients’ or clients’ cultural perspectives so as to access appropriate and culturally conducive health care and behavioral health services.

This skills-building training is designed to instruct on agency and systems level issues of culture, potential impact of bias and macroaggressions on persons of marginalized communities, contrasting cultural values within the context of dominant culture, and the influence of culture on engagement and communication for both provider and persons seeking services.

Training content will provide a brief overview of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, (CLAS), for organizational guidance and support for building equity and inclusion in their settings. Participants will also engage in skills practice activities using culturally enhanced and process-oriented strategies for effective engagement, retention, and support the patient or client’s recovery process.