Description

Join the Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and the Health Workforce Initiative as we explore Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Behavioral Health Workforce Preparation. Our culture impacts our beliefs and attitudes, including those around mental health. In an increasingly diverse society, the behavioral health workforce must attend to culture to maximize client outcomes and increase access to critical services. Research suggests that clients benefit from a workforce that reflects their cultural background. Despite these benefits, a lack of diversity in the behavioral health workforce persists. Therefore, integrating cultural competence into behavioral health workforce recruitment and preparation proves critical to meeting the needs of all clients. Participants will: - Define culture and cultural and linguistic competence - Increase their knowledge of the elements of culturally and linguistically competent approaches - Recognize the role culture and cultural competence plays in mental health work and professional preparation - Learn how to embed culturally and linguistically competent approaches into behavioral health curricula