Cultural Competence

Mental Health Association

June 2009

What is cultural competence?

Understanding the role values, beliefs, and behaviors play in how we develop as people.

Preserving diverse cultural ways of being.

Working to end cultural, ethnic, racial, and sexual orientation bias.

1. Understanding

How does culture influence values?

Understanding

Does cultural competence mean absolute understanding of all aspects of all cultures?

2. Respect and Preserve Cultural Ways of Being

You don’t have to share the value in order to value the person.

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

3. Work to End Bias

What is a stereotype?

An exaggerated belief

A distorted truth

What are some examples of stereotypes?

Black people are good dancers.

Native Americans are noble.

Stereotypes can be positive or negative.

What is prejudice?

An opinion about a group or its members.

A pre-judgment about a group or its members.

An attitude about a group or its members.

What are some examples of prejudice?

People with schizophrenia are dangerous.

Muslims should be searched at airports because they are more likely to be violent.

Prejudice is often accompanied by ignorance, fear, or hatred.

What is discrimination?

Behavior that treats people unequally because of their group memberships.

Discrimination often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices.

What are some examples of discrimination?

Refusing to rent an apartment to someone with mental illness.

Telling your grandchild she can’t play with children who don’t share your racial background.

What are some stereotypes about…?

Senior citizens Young people People with mental illness Amish Jews Case managers

How does discrimination affect people ?

Bias can affect employment, school performance, court decisions, and even split-second, life or death decisions.

“The burden of suspicion” can affect self-confidence, performance, and goals.

Prejudice, Stereotypes, Discrimination. STIGMA

Robs people of their individuality.

Limits their attempts to break out of stereotypical roles.

Do Something

Speak up when someone says

“That’s so gay.” The N-word. “He really jewed them down.” “She’s a real psycho.”

Ok, but how?

Six Steps to Speaking Up

1. Be ready. Have something in mind to say, like “Why do you say that?”

2. Identify the behavior. “It sounds like you’re saying that all Mexicans are lazy.”

3. Appeal to principles. “I’ve always thought of you as a fair minded person, so it shocks me to hear you say something like that.”

4. Set limits. “Don’t tell racist jokes in front of me anymore.”

5. Find an ally. Seek out like-minded people and ask them to support you.

6. Be vigilant. Don’t risk silence. If you don’t speak up, you’re surrendering part of yourself. You’re letting bigotry win.

Ideas to Increase Cultural Competence

Listen to music by artists whose race is different from your own.

Attend services at a variety of churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples to learn about different faiths.

Shop at an ethnic grocery store. Get to know the owners. Ask about their family histories.

Research your family history and share about your heritage.

Know how your culture influences

youKnow yourself.

Resources

Tolerance.org Teaching Tolerance: a project of the Southern

Poverty Law Center