Innovation in cultural and linguistic competence self-assessment: Tools and processes for health care providers and organizations

Assessing attitudes, practices, structures, and policies of health care organizations and their personnel is a necessary, effective and systematic way to plan for and incorporate cultural and linguistic competency. The National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) views cultural competence as a developmental process that evolves over time. Engaging in self-assessment helps organizations to: (1) gauge  the degree to which they are effectively addressing the preferences and needs of culturally and linguistically diverse groups; (2) establish partnerships that will meaningfully involve consumers and key community stakeholders; (3) improve consumer access to and utilization of health and mental health services; (4) increase consumer satisfaction with services received; (5) plan for the systematic incorporation of culturally and linguistically competent policies, structures, and practices;  (6) allocate resources to improve the quality of services; and (7) determine individual and collective strengths and areas of growth.
The NCCC continues to pioneer innovative instruments and processes for conducting self-assessment for both organizations and personnel. This session will describe these innovations and provide a forum to explore in depth rationale, tools, and processes for conducting cultural and linguistic competency self-assessment for providers and organizations concerned with promoting equity, addressing disparities, and improving the quality of health and mental care.  The session will offer insights and lessons learned and cite data from conducting self-assessment processes in public health programs and community health centers in 12 states, describe phases to conduct self-assessment, and provide an opportunity to respond to selected self-assessment measures.  Participants will be introduced to a self-assessment guide and develop an action/ strategy plan for implementing self-assessment within their respective settings. Descriptions of the instruments and processes follow.    
The Cultural Competence Health Practitioner Assessment (CCHPA) is an interactive Web-based instrument designed to improve the delivery of high quality services to culturally diverse individuals and underserved communities, and as an important tool for eliminating racial and ethnic health and mental health disparities. The CCHPA measures knowledge and practice in six subscales including: Values & Belief Systems, Cultural Aspects of Epidemiology, Clinical Decision-Making, Life Cycle Events, Cross-Cultural Communication and Empowerment/Health Management.   Preliminary assessment of the psychometric properties of the CCHPA is strong. There is confirmation that the six subscales via factor analysis demonstrated high internal reliability for items and subscales (most Cronbach’s alphas ³.96). 
The Cultural and Linguistic Competence Policy Assessment (CLCPA) and an accompanying guide are designed for organizational self-assessment.  The CLCPA examines cultural and linguistic competence in four dimensions - values, policy, structure, and practice.  Within these four dimensions, the CLCPA assesses Knowledge of Diverse Communities, Organizational Philosophy, Personal Involvement in Diverse Communities, Resources and Linkages, Human Resource, Clinical Practice, and Engagement of Diverse Communities.
Initial results of an innovative approach to CME designed to address racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. The model uses self-assessment as a learning tool for providers to: (1) heighten awareness, (2) influence attitudes toward practice and (3) motivate the development of knowledge and skills to incorporate cultural and linguistic competence into the diagnosis and treatment of depression.