Free cultural competency training for health professionals

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Date: October 4, 2021

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New Free E-Learning Program on Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals
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To: Mainstream Medicaid Managed Care, HIV Special Needs Plans, and Health and Recovery Plans (MMCPs)

Re: Cultural Competency Training for Participating Providers

This notice is to inform MMCPs that the New York State Department of Health (DOH) has approved cultural competence training offered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Minority Health education program, Think Cultural Health. The training is online, free and offers several provider specific programs: Education - Think Cultural Health (hhs.gov).

The Mainstream Medicaid Managed Care, HIV Special Needs Plans, and Health and Recovery Plans Model Contract Section 15.10(c) requires that the MMCP "…ensure the cultural competence of its provider network by requiring Participating Providers to certify, on an annual basis, completion of State-approved cultural competence training curriculum, including training on the use of interpreters, for all Participating Providers’ staff who have regular and substantial contact with Enrollees.”

New York State previously approved cultural competency training for behavioral health providers. Therefore, for behavioral health providers, MMCPs may utilize either the Think Cultural Health or the approved BH training to meet this requirement.

Plans should begin messaging this training requirement to participating providers, with the expectation that it should be initially completed by appropriate staff within the next 12 months and then annually thereafter. MMCPs are advised to prioritize outreach to high volume and/or providers serving enrollees or located in regions with known significant health disparities.

Certification of such training should be kept on file by the MMCP, to be provided upon request to DOH.

With the approval and implementation of this training, MMCP participating providers will be positioned to provide more effective care delivery to enrollees and decrease health disparities.

If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please contact .

New Free E-Learning Program on Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals

The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) announced a new, free and accredited e-learning program: Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals. The program, available via OMH’s Think Cultural Health website, is designed to develop behavioral health providers' knowledge and skills related to culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS).

This online program is a practical tool for behavioral health professionals who want to gain skills and knowledge about culture and diversity, which could be applied daily to better serve your clients. The tool is particularly timely for professionals working to address the opioid epidemic among racial and ethnic populations, which have low treatment rates and some of the highest rates of opioid misuse and overdose.

OMH encourages all certified counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers to take this program and earn up to five continuing education credits at no cost.

The program’s 4 courses cover:

Connections between culture and behavioral health
The impact of cultural identity on interactions with clients
Ways to engage, assess and treat clients from diverse backgrounds

Learn more about the program | Spread the word - access the toolkit

About Think Cultural Health

Think Cultural Health is a program of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health that provides health and health care professionals with information, continuing education opportunities, resources, and more to learn about culturally and linguistically appropriate services, or CLAS. Are you looking for other free e-learning programs on cultural competency? Check out the suite of Think Cultural Health e-learning programs at thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/education

About the National CLAS Standards

The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (The National CLAS Standards) aim to improve health care quality and advance health equity by establishing a framework for organizations to serve the nation's increasingly diverse communities.

These curated trainings have been developed by external partners. They are available at any time and can be accessed by clicking the "Go to training" links.

Trainings

Title	Description	Format	Go To
Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World: Building Relationships with People from Different Cultures	Learn how to understand cultures and build relationships with people from other cultures. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: Self-paced Offered by: Community Toolbox Requirements: Registration not required Cost: Free	Online Toolkit	Go to training
Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World: Learning to be an Ally for People from Diverse Groups and Backgrounds	Learn how to be an ally to people in a diverse community. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: Self-paced Offered by: Community Toolbox Requirements: Registration not required Cost: Free	Online Toolkit	Go to training
Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World: Understanding Culture, Social Organization, and Leadership to Enhance Engagement	Learn how to understand people's culture, community and leadership to enhance engagement. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: Self-paced Offered by: Community Toolbox Requirements: Registration not required Cost: Free	Online Toolkit	Go to training
Vulnerable Populations in Health Care and Health Research	This training outlines how health professionals can work with communities to understand and address the factors leading to vulnerability in specific situations, including situations that arise in the course of public health research and practice. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Target Audiences: Public health processionals working with vulnerable population, health researchers, practitioners involved in research efforts, and students. Approximate Length: 1 hour Offered by: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Online Course	Go to training
Messaging Health Equity to Decision-Makers	In this one-hour webinar, which is part of the Hot Topics series, Jennifer Messenger Heilbronner shares strategies for messaging health equity to decision-makers to ensure underresourced communities have access to new programs and funding created by a policy. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Target Audiences: Local, state, and tribal public health professionals; policy advocates working with decision-makers; health equity advocates Approximate Length: 1 hour Offered by: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
#NYCHEealthEquity - Advancing Racial and Social Justice	In this 1 hour webinar, Dr. Aletha Maybank, Deputy Commissioner and Founding Director of the Center for Health Equity at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) discusses the work of the Center for Health Equity to decrease health disparities and create an equitable and thriving city for all. Dr. Maybank discusses the importance of working with sister agencies to advance the health equity agenda and emphasizes the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships to promote community change. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: 1 hour Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: registration is required Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to Training
A Class About CLAS: Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services	The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health released the enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards to systematically advance health equity and ensure the delivery of culturally respectful and linguistically responsive health care and services. This online video course will provide an introduction to the CLAS Standards. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: 15 minutes Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: registration is required Cost: Free	Webcast	Go to training
Breast Cancer Screening and other Health Behaviors among Latinas	In this webinar, Dr. Ana Abriado-Lanza gives an overview of the break down of the Latino population living in the United States, linking these statistics to breast cancer screening disparities between Latinas and non-Hispanic whites. Topic Areas: Cultural Competency Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Webcast	Go to training
CLAS Standards in Public Health and Health Care	The National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards in Health and Health Care are intended to advance health equity, improve quality and help eliminate health care disparities by establishing a blueprint for health and health care organizations. This presentation will introduce the national perspective and discuss New Jersey efforts in establishing a blueprint for health and health care. Health inequities result in disparities that directly affect the quality of life for all individuals. Topic: Cultural Competency Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Webcast	Go to training
Cultural Awareness: Introduction to LGBT Populations	The ever-increasing diversity of communities across the nation warrants increased cultural awareness on the part of public health professionals. This course was developed to address this changing landscape by providing a basic foundation into the philosophy, values, and conceptual frameworks of cultural competence and cultural humility as it relates to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations. Topic: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: 30 minutes Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Web-based Training	Go to Training
Cultural Awareness: Introduction to Organizational Cultural Competence	This training module provides a basic foundation in the philosophy, values, and conceptual frameworks of cultural competence and cultural humility as it relates to organizations. Topic: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: 30 minutes Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Web-based Training	Go to training
Cultural Awareness: Introduction to Refugee Communities	This training module provides a basic foundation in the philosophy, values, and conceptual frameworks of cultural competence and cultural humility as it relates to refugee populations. Topic: Cultural Awareness Approximate Length: 30 minutes Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Web-based Training	Go to training
Cultural Diversity, Health Disparities and Public Health	A primary aim of this course is to provide public health professionals with a broad overview of cultural diversity issues with a focus on race/ethnicity and gender. Health disparities is discussed using cultural diversity as the conceptual framework for thinking about the role of the public health community and health policy solutions for addressing these issues. As a part of this process, course participants are exposed to introductory cultural diversity concepts. Participants also have an opportunity to engage in critical thinking regarding the current social and health problems that impact the public's health, particularly racial minorities. Topic: Cultural Competency Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Web-based Training	Go to training
Culturally-competent Health Provider Communication: Insights from Research with Chinese, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island Diabetes Patients	As the population of the US becomes more diverse, the need for culturally competent health care providers has increased. This webinar was designed to help people learn about culturally-competent medical communication. The presenters will share their experiences developing and providing culturally competent health communication that meets the need of Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island patients with diabetes. Topic: Cultural Competency Approximate Length: 1 hour Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
Improving Your Practice and Advocacy of Cultural Competence through the Skills-based ASCN Model	This webinar has been designed as an inter-professional training for all healthcare providers. Nurses, pharmacists, and doctors, both in practice and in training, as well as PA’s, MA’s, front desk staff, receptionists, and other staff can benefit from learning about improving cultural competency skills and practices though identifying and removing potential roadblocks to care experienced by patients from different population groups. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 1 hour Offered by: CO TRAIN Requirements: Registration required Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
Fundamentals of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Healthcare	This live webinar, held on March 17, 2016, explored culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), why they matter, and how the National CLAS Standards can help organizations provide culturally responsive and respectful services. Following the slide presentation, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, answered questions posed by webinar participants. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 43 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: none Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
Why Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services?	This presentation explores why culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are important. The recording highlights the role of CLAS in accreditation, disparities reduction, responding to changing demographics, improving quality of services, and more. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 20 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: None Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
Exploring Culture in CLAS: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	This presentation provides an overview of the National CLAS Standards in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 25 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: None Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
The National CLAS Standards, Health Literacy, and Communication	Culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) help health professionals provide high quality services and communicate effectively with diverse communities. Communication and language are integral to one's culture and therefore are critical aspects of the provision of quality, patient-centered services. This presentation will describe the National CLAS Standards and the opportunities to address CLAS and health literacy at every point of contact. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 35 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: None Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
The Context of CLAS in Mental Health	This presentation explores strategies for understanding clients' and communities' cultural and linguistic needs, and how to adapt mental health services to fit those needs. It discusses the National CLAS Standards as a framework for improving the quality of mental health services. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 25 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: None Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training
The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care: A Tool for Tribal Communities	In this live webinar sponsored by the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a panel explores the National CLAS Standards as a tool for tribal communities' efforts to advance health equity and reduce health care disparities. The webinar presents real-life examples of providing CLAS in tribal communities. Topic: Cultural Competence Approximate Length: 1 hr, 5 minutes Offered by: Think Cultural Health - US Dept of Health & Human Services Requirements: None Cost: Free	Webinar	Go to training