Cultural Competency

		Email Follow these Steps to email a friend or colleague a link to this information. Cultural Competency Year Published: 2009 http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/acloserlook/culturalcompetency/ While today's child welfare administrators address the challenges of improving child safety, well-being, and permanency, they also must meet the needs of an increasingly culturally and ethnically diverse child welfare population. The disproportionate numbers of children of color who are part of the child welfare population represent only the tip of the iceberg in dealing with cultural issues. Children of color are overrepresented in almost every part of the child welfare system. However, child welfare systems are not alone in facing culturally significant issues such as disproportionality. This issue of A Closer Look defines cultural competency, reviews its history in public child welfare, and highlights strategies to operationalize cultural competency in a systems of care framework for change. The report draws on current research in the field as well as the knowledge and experiences of nine grant communities currently in the fifth year of a 5-year demonstration grant. (Author abstract) Step 1: Recipient email address(es) (First one is Required) To Email Address 1: To Email Address 2: To Email Address 3: To Email Address 4: To Email Address 5:   Step 2: From Email Address (Required) From Email Address:   Step 3: Verify You are Human (Required) Are you Human? True False   Step 3: Send the link Print (PDF 1360KB)  Share
Author(s)	National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center for Systems of Care
Year Published	2009

Demonstration Sites and References

Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care Demonstration Sites

California - Partnering4Permanency - Valerie Earley, Project Director, vearley@ehsd.cccounty.us

Colorado - Jefferson County System of Care - Susan Franklin, Project Director, SFrankli@jeffco.us

Kansas - Family Centered Systems of Care - Beth Evans, Project Director, ebme@srs.ks.gov

Nevada - Caring Communities Project - Tiffany Hesser, Project Director, HesserTi@co.clark.nv.us

New York - The CRADLE in Bedford Stuyvesant: A Systems of Care Initiative - Nigel Nathaniel, Project Director, Nigel.Nathaniel@dfa.state.ny.us

North Carolina - Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care - Eric Zechman, Project Director, ericzechman@ncmail.net

North Dakota - Medicine Moon Initiative: Improving Tribal Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care - Deb Painte, Project Director, debp@nativeinstitute.org

Oregon - Improving Permanency Outcomes Project - Patrick Melius, Project Director, Patrick.J.Melius@state.or.us

Pennsylvania - Locally Organized Systems of Care - Andrea Richardson, Project Director, anr63@pitt.edu

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References

Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity. (n.d.). Places to watch: Promising practices to address racial disproportionality in child welfare services. [Online] Available: http://www.cssp.org/uploadFiles/Promising_Practices_to_Address_Racial_Disproportionality.pdf

Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity. (2006). Synthesis of research on disproportionality in child welfare: An update. [Online] Available: http://www.racemattersconsortium.org/docs/BobHillPaper_FINAL.pdf (PDF - 512 KB)

Casey Family Programs. (2007). Engaging communities in taking a stand for children and families: Leadership development and strategic planning in the Texas child welfare system. [Online] Available: http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/TexasLeadershipChronicle.htm

Child Welfare League of America. (2001, revised). Cultural competence: About this area of focus. [Online] Available: http://www.cwla.org/programs/culturalcompetence/culturalabout.htm

Cohen, E. (2003). Framework for culturally competent decision making in child welfare. Child Welfare, 82(2), 143-156.

Cross, T., Bazron, B., Dennis, K., & Isaacs, M. (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of care: A monograph on effective services for minority children who are severely emotionally disturbed: Volume 1. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Child Development Center.

Cultural Competency Charter Team. (n.d.). Why there is a compelling need for cultural competence in child welfare. Topeka, KS: Kansas Family Centered Systems of Care Demonstration Grant Program.

Hornberger, S., Gardner, S., Young, N., Gannon, N., & Osher, T. (2005). Improving the quality of care for the most vulnerable children, youth, and their families: Finding consensus. [Online] Available: http://www.cwla.org/programs/bhd/qualityofcarebody.pdf (PDF - 460 KB)

McPhatter, A. (1997). Cultural competence in child welfare: What is it? How do we achieve it? What happens without it? Child Welfare, 76(1), 255-278.

McPhatter, A., & Ganaway, T. (2003). Beyond the rhetoric: Strategies for implementing culturally effective practice with children, families, and communities. Child Welfare, 82(2), 103-124.

National Center for Cultural Competence. (n.d.). Conceptual frameworks/models, guiding values and principles. [Online] Available: http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc/foundations/frameworks.html

Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care. (2004). Fostering the future: Safety, permanence, and well-being for children in foster care. [Online] Available: http://pewfostercare.org/research/docs/FinalReport.pdf (PDF - 264 KB)

Vidal de Haymes, M., & Siman, S. (2003). Transracial adoption: Families identify issues and needed support services. Child Welfare, 82(2), 251-272.

Westbrook, T., Ellis, J., & Ellett, A. (2006). Improving retention among public child welfare workers: What can we learn from the insights and experiences of committed survivors? Administration in Social Work, 30(4), 37-62.

The National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center for Systems of Care is funded by the Children's Bureau, under contract with ICF International. The Center assists and supports grantees funded through the Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care demonstration initiative by providing training and technical assistance and a national evaluation of the demonstration initiative. Contact: Raymond Crowel, Project Director, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031, 703.934.3000.

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