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A culturally competent organization is committed to serving diverse clients, hiring diverse staff, and establishing programs that address the needs of different client populations. The culturally competent organization fosters a culture of openness and respect.

Learning to evaluate our own level of cultural competence and the level of cultural competence of our organization must be part of our ongoing effort to provide better health care.

This section addresses the practical implications of ensuring that your organization delivers high-quality, culturally competent health services. It provides information to help organizations assess their cultural competence, meet national standards for cultural competence, and find resources to improve their cultural competence.
Topics include:

Defining a Culturally Competent Organization

• The Culturally Competent Organization

• Planning Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services:
  A Guide for Managed Care Plans
• Providing Oral Linguistic Services: A Guide for Managed Care Plans

• The Cultural Competence Self Assessment Protocol for Health Care Organizations and Systems
• A Guide to Planning & Implementing Cultural Competence Organizational Self-Assessment
  (6 pages, 92KB)
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Government Policies

• Office of Civil Rights Policy Guidance for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Persons
• Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS Standards)
• U.S. Department of Justice LEP Guidance (June 2002)
• LEP.gov

Additional Resources

• The Guide to Managing for Quality