Cultural & linguistic competency is the ability to work effectively across cultures. For individuals, it is an approach to learning, communicating, and working respectfully with people different from themselves. Culture can refer to an individual's race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status and age, among other things.

For organizations, cultural & linguistic competency means creating the practices and policies that will make services more accessible to diverse populations and that provide for appropriate and effective services in cross-cultural situations.

Overview

This training is a new initiative to address the historical and unending reality of racial and ethnic disparities in health care which are well documented.

The increasingly diverse landscape in the US, especially in Florida requires 21st century strategies that are research-based and designed to specifically target underserved populations.

The evaluations derived from the pilot training sessions will provide an opportunity for recommendations for a statewide strategy to address more complete compliance with the intent of the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards (CLAS)and more specifically the 4 federally mandated standards.

Course Description (pdf, 43KB)

Training goal

To improve the quality of healthcare delivered to all Floridians

To increase the number of healthcare professionals and staff who are culturally and linguistically competent

To begin, enhance, enrich the journey to cultural and linguistic competency

To improve on the state’s return on investment (ROI) by increasing access to care, follow up, and improved health outcomes for the emerging majority and underrepresented

To obatin more information about future trainings or to request a training. Please contact Adele Porta by email at MinorityHealth@doh.state.fl.us or by phone (850) 245-4941.

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