Preparing for Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities in Child Welfare James L' Mason, Ph'D' Portlan

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Preparing for Diversity Challenges and
Opportunities in Child WelfareJames L. Mason,
Ph.D.Portland, Oregon

• Washington, DC
• October 19, 2005

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Dimensions of Diversity

• Cultural Groups of Color
• Black or African Americans
• Hispanic or Latino Americans
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
• Native Americans and American Natives
• Non-Ethnic Cultural Groups
• (e.g., women, people w/disabilities, poor)
• Refugees and Immigrants
• Survival vs. Opportunity

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Cultural Factors That Influence Diversity Among
Individuals and Within Groups

• Cultural Identity
• SES
• Nationality
• Language/Style
• Family Constellation
• Social History
• Sexual Orientation
• Generational Status

• Health Beliefs
• Time Orientation
• Age/Life Cycle
• Spatial Patterns
• Gender Sexuality
• Physicality
• Religion/Spirituality

Modified from James Mason, Ph.D., NCCC Senior
Consultant
Developed by National Center for Cultural
Competence, 2002
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Cultural Factors That Influence Diversity Among
Individuals and Within Groups

• Cultural Identity
• SES
• Nationality
• Language/Style
• Family Constellation
• Social History
• Sexual Orientation
• Generational Status

• Health Beliefs
• Time Orientation
• Age/Life Cycle
• Spatial Patterns
• Gender Sexuality
• Physicality
• Religion/Spirituality

Modified from James Mason, Ph.D., NCCC Senior
Consultant
Developed by National Center for Cultural
Competence, 2002
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Stereotypical Values Anglo vs. Ethnocultural

• Anglo American
• Mastery over nature
• Personal control
• Doing
• Time dominates
• Egalitarianism
• Individualism/privacy
• Youth
• Self help
• Competition
• Future orientation
• Informality
• Direct/open
• Practicality
• Materialism

Ethnocultural Groups Harmony with
nature Fate Being People dominate Hierarchy/rank G
roup welfare Elders Birthright inheritance Coopera
tion Past orientation Formality Indirect, face,
ritual Idealism Spiritualism
(Adapted from Schilling and Brannon, 1986) Taken
from Strategies for Working with Culturally
Diverse Communities and Clients, Elizabeth
Randall-David, Ph.D. Office of Maternal and
Child Health and Resource Development, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services,
Washington, D.C.
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Environmental Issues That Influence Diversity
Between Groups

• Institutional Biases
• Community Economics
• Inter-group Relations
• Natural Networks of Support
• Community History
• Political Climate
• Workforce Diversity
• Community Demographics

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Natural Helpers and Leaders

• Natural Networks of Support
• Merchants and Businesspeople
• Natural Leaders Community Elders
• Faith-Based Institutions
• Ethnic Media Personalities
• Advocacy Organizations
• Collateral Agencies
• Social Networks

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Cultural Competence

• For the Individual
• The state of being capable of functioning
  effectively in the context of cultural
  differences.
• For the Organization
• A set of congruent practice skills, attitudes,
  policies and structures, which come together in a
  system, agency, or among professionals and enable
  that system, agency or those professionals to
  work effectively in the context of cultural
  differences

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Organizational Cultural Competence
Self-Assessment Questions

• What culturally diverse groups are you serving?
• What drives your diversity efforts?
• What are the cultural barriers/issues you face in
  providing quality services?
• Describe the linkages and contacts you have
  within culturally diverse communities?
• Identify any cross cultural success stories or
  examples of cultural strengths you have
  experienced. Why? How? Replicable?