Cultural Competence – Equity and Social Justice

Organizations today need to be agile and responsive to the community in order to create and sustain equity and social justice for those they serve. Creating spaces where equity and justice are core values is not only the right thing to do, it’s a business imperative.

CCSI’s Cultural Competence team specializes in helping organizations become culturally intelligent change agents so they can foster equity and justice among employees, as well as on behalf of their customers and clients.

Our process begins with a thorough review and analysis of your organization’s culture, demographics, and other information to identify and address needs and gaps in cultural competence. Through expert consultation and technical assistance, our team will support your organization in the enhancement of existing, and the design of, new practices and programs. Let our team help you examine your current practices, create and implement strategic plans, and educate and train your leadership, workforce, customers, and stakeholders.

The CCHE Transformative Process:

A current state evaluation of your organization’s history, development, values, and operational climate- as well as the levels of cultural awareness of top management, supervisors, and staff - all that are essential in the development of an effective transformative strategy.

An anonymous survey completed by your staff that collects the demographic composition of your organization.  This information aids in diversity initiatives and strategic recruitment, promotion and retention of a diverse workforce.

A self-assessment process used to aid in your organization’s transformative process and the improvement of internal and external customer service delivery to culturally diverse populations: including specific strategies that address cross-cultural areas of strength and those that require improvement to engender the enhancement of staff attitudes and practices, and organizational policies, procedures, supports, and structures. 

Introduces CCHE as a way of doing business and is a developmental process, focused on change management, with the goal to promote positive movement in achieving desired organizational and customer outcomes.  Coaches, mentors, and supports leadership, through adaptive approaches, while they are engaged in managing change within their organization. Provides technical assistance and supervision support in building a CCHE workforce.

CCHE training and resources are designed to increase participant awareness and knowledge, build skills and competencies, and to drive practice change within your organization.

The Prevention, Access, Self-Empowerment and Support (PASS) Program

An innovative, curriculum-based prevention program for adolescents who experience challenges in their daily lives, or whose parents are contending with mental health issues. A strength-based approach aides participants and their families in developing the resources needed to maintain healthy and fulfilling lives. Learn More about PASS.

Poverty Simulation

A highly interactive experience infused with cultural nuances, designed to help participants better identify with the needs of individuals contending with poverty. Decision-makers peek into the realities of the impoverished to better inform policies and service delivery, and professionals and community stakeholders gain empathy and awareness for the diverse world in which they work, live, play and worship. This 3-hour exercise includes the simulation, pre-/post-survey, and a debriefing at the conclusion.  A 2-hr follow-up session, 6-8 weeks after the Poverty Simulation, is a facilitated discussion where participants are guided to determine their “Commitment to Action” in addressing poverty.  Click here to learn more.

Community Stakeholder Forums - “Voice Your Vision”

An intentional and safe space for community stakeholders to express their “truth” and detail their experiences as service recipients.  Translating the collection of voices to inform critical policy-making activities in devising solutions to address programmatic, organizational, and systemic challenges and barriers.

CCHE Trainings Offered:

  • Culture, People & Me – Working with Diverse People
  • Adaptive Leadership: Thinking Beyond “Out of the Box”
  • Organizational Cultural Competence and Health Literacy Self-Assessment
  • Health Literacy, a Key Component to Providing Culturally Competent Services
  • Confronting Health Disparities
  • Cultural Groups: Messaging, Communication & Media
  • Population Health: Keeping an Eye on Who We Serve
  • Poverty in Perspective
  • SDOH - We Get Sick & Heal in Our Communities
  • Using Data: Get to Know Me to Better Serve Me
  • Outreach, Engagement and Retention: Consumer Cultural Activation Prompts (CAPs)
  • Cultural Humility
  • Organizational & Team Culture
  • How Structural Racism Works
  • Cultural Activation Prompts (CAPS)
  • The Cultural Identity of Families
  • Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination

Cultural Competence Webinars

Social Determinants of Health:
Morality in the Culture of Apathy and Privelege

In this webinar, CCSI's Nancy Shelton, MA, Senior Consultant, deconstructs morality and explores it in the context of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). When society’s principles and policies work to improve these SDOH, this promotes justice and equity for everyone, and health improves across society. It is essential for us to not only have a clear understanding of what happens when SDOH supports are lacking, resulting in health inequities and disparities, but we also must focus on what needs to be done to prevent these injustices from occurring in the first place. Morally we have a duty to speak up and act when we encounter injustice and wrongdoing. To affect change, Nancy talks about the different hats we must wear, and that we must examine the impact of our thinking, attitudes, and behaviors. Morality impacts what we do and how we do it, so this must be considered if we want to address inequities, disparities, discrimination, bigotry, and racism.