Cultural Competence:

Challenging Our Own Perspectives To Meet Patient Needs

In a nation of constantly evolving cultural demographics, one treatment plan doesn't fit all.

Each patient entering treatment for behavioral health issues brings a unique background, and culture is a dynamic part of past experiences and current perspectives.

Structuring culturally responsive treatment strategies from an organizational standpoint requires time and commitment. In the process, counselors must expand beyond their own personal understanding of culture and the world around them.

As Minority Mental Health Awareness Month comes to an end, share the following SAMHSA resources among your colleagues to encourage cultural competence in behavioral health services around the country:

SAMHSA's Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 59: Improving Cultural Competence assesses the significance of culture in the delivery of behavioral health services and how organizations can benefit from a broader understanding of it.
Administrators: Use SAMHSA's Quick Guide for Administrators Based on TIP 59 for an easy-access breakdown of cultural competency and how you can incorporate it into your behavioral health care strategies.