Cultural Competence and Field

Learning Objectives

• To understand the importance of cultural competence in social work practice
• To understand the continuum of cultural competence
• To understand the components of organizational competence and ways to effect change
• To have an understanding individual cultural competence

Today, we live in an increasingly diverse society. Our nation is comprised of many ethnic, religious, and cultural groups. Its' people have different values, beliefs, traditions, and languages. In order to best serve our clients, we must embrace, and accommodate for, these differences. According to the NASW Code Ethics, social workers have an obligation to educate themselves on the issues of diversity and cultural competence.

Commitment by UMD MSW Program to Diversity

The UMD MSW program is dedicated to promoting cultural competence and diversity. Because of this, all field students are required to complete 48 hours (10% of total hours) in field activities, each placement, that focus on diversity. The objective is to demonstrate a professional level of competency in their knowledge and skills to issues of human diversity (people of color, gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/transgender and other oppressed groups). Emphasis should be on groups the student has not previously had personal and/or professional experience with. Examples of activities could include: interviewing professionals from diverse backgrounds regarding social work practice, visiting community agencies that serve diverse populations, attending community meetings where diversity is the focus or advocating for clients.

Additionally, our hope is that students will be exposed to the positive aspects of working and living with people of diverse backgrounds, not only those issues which are more frequently the area of focus of social work practice (poverty, drug abuse, discrimination,etc) We would like for our students to work with diverse community members on community projects, as co-professionals in their field agency, or in some other capacity.

If an agency is unable to identify appropriate activities, we are available to assist. We are working to identify appropriate experiences for students in communities where they are completing their field requirements. For additional information, contact Dr.Anne Tellett, Cultural Compentence Coordinator for the Department.

DEFINITIONS:

A Culturally Competent System of Care acknowledges and incorporates -at all levels- the importance of culture, the assessment of cross-cultural relations, vigilance towards the dynamics that result from cultural differences, the expansion of cultural knowledge, and the adaptation of services to meet culturally-unique needs.

Cultural competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enable that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.

Culture implies the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of a racial, ethnic, religious, or social group.

Competence implies having the capacity to function effectively.

Cultural competence is a developmental process and may be viewed as a goal toward which agencies can strive.

Adapted from: “Toward a Culturally Competent System of Care”,T. Cross, B. Bazron, K. Dennis, M. Isaacs March 1989

The following guides should assist you in working with students around issues of cultural competence. They have been developed by Dr. Priscilla Day, adapted from: “Toward a Culturally Competent System of Care”,T. Cross, B. Bazron, K. Dennis, M. Isaacs March 1989. All students in the MSW program are provided with this information as a part of their orientation and it is frequently referred to in our classes.

Individual Cultural Competence

Organizational Cultural Competence

Cultural Competence Continuum

We have developed a bibliography of resources related to diversity and cultural competence. An additional list of resources related to working with diverse families can be found here.

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