Diversity, Oppression & Change Chapter 13: Community-based helping

Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Diverse Professional Teams There are two main avenues of outreach to culturally diverse communities: (1) culturally specific agencies and (2) culturally specific outreach programs within existing culturally neutral service-delivery systems. The key criteria for both are to avoid stereotyping the minority client and to keep in mind that every population is heterogeneous and every individual unique.

Role of interpreter Because most social workers in the US are English monolingual, interpreters are often a key part of social service delivery teams. Interpreter should be certified If you can’t obtain certified interpreter than provide the individual with comprehensive training.

Guidelines working with interpreters Introduce yourself and interpreter. Always look at client when speaking, at interpreter when you are talking to him/her. Avoid saying “ask him” or “tell her”. Speak in short units of speech. Be patient. Interpreter may ask you for clarification. Agree on basic rules when interviewing family. Avoid slangs, metaphors, etc. Interpreter will relay all that is said. Listen to client and watch nonverbal communication Repeat important info more than once. Check accuracy by asking to repeat important info.

Paraprofessionals, Community-Based Practitioners, and Traditional Healers Paraprofessionals are agency employees who may or may not have experience in working with certain populations but who are usually hired because of their cultural familiarity with the community. They may serve as interpreters not only of the language but also of the culture through interpretation of the meaning, affect, tone, and voice of the clients. They can advise a therapist on whether the client’s words, attitudes, and behaviors are considered the norm and are acceptable in the culture of origin.

Helpers & Healers Client challenges, such as illness, may need to be treated through both natural practices (herbs and human touch) and those that address supernatural forces. Spirituality and organized religion. Culture shapes one’s spiritual beliefs and effects how the crisis is processed and resolved.

American Indians and Healing Native American medicine men and women have traditionally performed the Western roles of physician, psychiatrist, and spiritual leader. Working in partnership with tribal healers highlights the strengths perspective. Traditional healing involves restoration of balance with nature and its elements. Integrating traditional healing with social work interventions may increase success with Native American clients.

African Americans and healing African Americans have historically turned to indigenous healers and folk healing. Healers may include representatives of organized religion (ministers, clerics), folk healers, hoodoo priests, or Haitian voodoo. Family seen as an interdependent system whose members can support one another to overcome stress. Family is the main source of healing to be addressed. Women as a source of strength and healing. Narrative approach may be helpful to address specific coping mechanisms and beliefs into social work practice.

Latinos and healing Spiritism (espiritismo) is a valuable resource for assisting clients with their medical needs as well as with their psychosocial and emotional needs Latino-centered agencies may use: promotoras (health educators) Curanderos/as (healers) herbolarios (herbalists) parteras (midwives) Curanderism – natural and practical medicine used to perform curative rituals and often thought to have more authority and power than mental health professionals.

Asian Americans and healing Asian Americans have one of the highest use rates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) of all minority groups in the US. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on Taoist idea of unity of the opposites (yin and yang). Health emerges from balance of body, mind, and spirit: disease emerges when there is no balance.

Assessing client connection to traditional beliefs/practices Haber (2005) provides a set of 10 short questions that can be incorporated into the assessment phase with clients from different cultures. When clients present a strong connection with cultural healing beliefs and practices… implement culturally competent interventions make use of the expertise of community helpers and healers