Activity: My Knowledge and Skills as a Culturally Competent Mental Health Consultant
Culturally competent and effective ECMH consultants must be able to recognize, describe, and integrate the influence of culture and language in the consultative process; demonstrating cultural competence through knowledge, skills, and specific practices that are responsive to diversity. Use the self-assessment grid below to reflect on your strengths in knowledge and skills and identify next steps to build cultural competence for mental health consultation.
(California Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Training Guidelines Workgroup, 2009; Duran et al, 2009)
| Please indicate your level of knowledge/skill for each item and identify Next Steps for building cultural competence for mental health consultation | Next steps to build knowledge and skills |
|---|---|
| I have knowledge and understanding of | |
| The bio-social context of the family and community Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The wide range of family structures, family dynamics, and cultural influences on family functioning Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The influence of cultural issues in parenting and family/child development Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The importance of family expectations regarding child development Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The difference between cultural variations in development versus concern Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Cultural context as a source of resiliency Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The variance across cultures in mental health practices and how concerns or clinical issues present. Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| The significance of socio-cultural and political contexts for development of young children from diverse backgrounds, including the impact of poverty and marginalization Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| I have the skills that include the capacity to | |
| Acknowledge personal culture and reflect on impact of values, beliefs, perceptions on the consultant, child, family, and staff relationships Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Use varied approaches in working with children, families, and staff that engage all parties and their cultural perspectives Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Explore and understand cultural influences on family and staff perceptions and practices, Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Recognize and support cultural beliefs and values of families Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| View behavior through a cultural lens and consider cultural influences on variation in behavior and child development Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Consider culture and context as well as risk factors in planning assessment and intervention Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Integrate information from others (providers/caregivers) for a multidimensional assessment inclusive of health, physical, social, emotional, psychological and cultural aspects from a developmental and relational perspective. Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Provide guidance and information in a manner timed and suited to the parent’s strengths, concerns, priorities, and cultural values as well as in the appropriate language or literacy level. Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Offer individualized supports and interventions that are culturally relevant Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Select, demonstrate, and coach families on strategies to nurture a child’s development across all domains, including their strengths, emerging capacities, and cultural values Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Select strategies/interventions based on parent concerns, priorities and resources, including consideration for culture, language, and education Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Distinguish between resistance to change and a desire to uphold culturally appropriate behavior. Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Increase the capacity of families and staff to understand one another’s cultural perspective, Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Support continuity of care between home and the ECE setting Minimal Moderate Strong | |
| Address and negotiate cultural differences Minimal Moderate Strong | |