Cultural Competency in Health, Social and Human Services

Cultural competency is an issue that is becoming increasingly more important as thousands of people come to this country every year. Because of widely different social mores, living conditions, traditions, personal beliefs, and practices of clients, health professionals in all specialties are finding it difficult to communicate effectively with the members of the diverse racial and ethnic groups that come to them for help. To give health and human services professionals the necessary training, material on cultural competency has been mandated in several different curricula, yet appropriate pedagogical material remains relatively rare. This pioneering volume presents the latest information and techniques for improving cultural competency in the delivery of health, social, and human services to ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States. Special attention is paid to the importance of understanding the social and culture backgrounds of clients when assessing diagnosis of policy and economicissues, which are rarely examined in this context. Notable for its combination of theory and practice, which will be invaluable for both professionals and students, this book also includes material on cultural competency within such special populations as the mentally ill, the elderly, children, and families.

Pedro J. Lecca, Ph.D., R.Ph., LMSW, ACE Fellow is the sixth Dean and Professor of the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions at Texas Southern University in Houston.