Self-assessment is considered to be a major component of learning in public health.1 It provides an opportunity for health professionals to reflect on competency-based strengths and weaknesses in order to identify learning needs and reinforce new skills or behaviors in order to improve performance. The MCH Navigator has been collecting data from our online Self-Assessment for five years and during that time have identified a number of data trends.
With nearly 3,000 completed assessments in the database, learners have consistently reported high levels of knowledge but low levels of skills across a number of competencies. This translates into MCH professionals having high levels of understanding of a competency but not as much self-efficacy in translating this knowledge into practice. In response to this need, the MCH Navigator has developed a series of implementation briefs that provide specific learning opportunities that focus on how to implement and execute skills associated with the MCH Leadership Competencies. This implementation brief is focused on Competency 7: Cultural Competency.
Trainings from the MCH Navigator
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has developed and maintained a high-performing workforce dedicated to the delivery of culturally responsive services. Between 2011-2014 this workforce created a cultural competence planning guide which highlights a model for implementing cultural competency in the workplace. The model is comprised of sixareas of action that serve as a framework for a cultural competence plan.2
View each of the sixareas of action below and corresponding learning opportunities for: 1) Foster cultural competence, 2) Build community partnerships, 3) Collect diversity data, 4) Reflect and respect diversity, 5) Ensure effective communication and language access, and 6) Measure performance and evaluate results.
Cultural Competence Self-Test.Date Developed: September 11, 2012. Source: Jefferson County Public Schools-Louisville, Kentucky. Presenter(s): Unknown. Type: Interactive Learning Video. Level: Introductory. Length: 5 minutes.
Cultural Assessment and Intervention in the DSM V. Date Developed: September 18, 2015. Source: University of Texas as El Paso Department of Social Work. Presenter(s): Mark Lusk, EdD, LMSW, LCDC and Silvia Chavez, PhD. Type: Video Lecture. Level: Introductory. Length: 30 minutes.
CLAS Standards in Practice – Building Community Partnerships.Date Developed: September 16, 2016 . Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Presenter(s): Rachele Espiritu, PhD and Lacy Kendrick Burk, MS, MBA. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 40 minutes.
Community Engagement and Cultural Competency. Date Developed: Unknown. Source: Association of Science-Technology Centers. Presenter(s): Chip Lindsey, Azuka MuMin, Frieda Smith, Marilee Jennings, Suzanne LeBlanc. Type: Video-Round Table Discussions. Level: Introductory. Length: 19 minutes.
Collecting the Data: First Steps in Achieving Health Equity. Year Developed: 2013. Source: School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York. Presenter(s): Nirav R. Shah, MD, MPH; Marcia J. Wilson, PhD, MBA; David Zingmond, MD, PhD; Steven M. Safyer, MD; Dennis Whalen. Type: Video. Level: Advanced. Length: 90 minutes.
Recruiting for Diversity. Date Developed: Unknown. Source: University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. Presenter(s): Amy Falink. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 6 minutes.
Communication, Collaboration and Cultural Competency. Date Developed: Unknown. Source: American Theological Library Association. Presenter(s): Nicole A. Cooke. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 44 minutes.
Exploring Cross Cultural Communication. Year Developed: 2004. Source: New York City, Long Island, Lower Tri-County Public Health Training Center. Presenter(s): n.a. Type: Online Course. Level: Introductory. Length: 150 minutes.
Cultural Competency: Training and Program Evaluation. Date Developed: May 18, 2016. Source: Case Western Reserve University. Presenter(s): Vivian Jackson and Toby Martin. Type: Video Lecture. Level: Introductory. Length: 110 minutes.
Assessing Cultural Competence in Evaluation. Date Developed: April 11, 2014. Source: The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University. Presenter(s): Jody Brylinsky, PhD, MS. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 43 minutes.
Sujata, B., Oliveras, E., and Edson, W.N. (2001). How Can Self-Assessment Improve the Quality of Healthcare? Operations Research Issue Paper 2(4). Published for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by the Quality Assurance (QA) Project.
Cultural Competency: Implementation Brief
May 2018 Authors: Keisha Watson, Ph.D., MCH Navigator Reviewers: Faculty and staff of the National Center for Cultrual Competence
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UE8MC25742; MCH Navigator for $225,000/year. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Self-assessment is considered to be a major component of learning in public health.1 It provides an opportunity for health professionals to reflect on competency-based strengths and weaknesses in order to identify learning needs and reinforce new skills or behaviors in order to improve performance. The MCH Navigator has been collecting data from our online Self-Assessment for five years and during that time have identified a number of data trends. 
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has developed and maintained a high-performing workforce dedicated to the delivery of culturally responsive services. Between 2011-2014 this workforce created a cultural competence planning guide which highlights a model for implementing cultural competency in the workplace. The model is comprised of six areas of action that serve as a framework for a cultural competence plan.2