1. Developing Cultural Competencies in Spiritual Care
Presented by:
Beth Lenegan, PhD
David Scott, MS

2. Agenda Introduction of Facilitators What is Cultural Competency?
Why is Cultural Competency important in Spiritual Care?
How Can Chaplains become Culturally Competent?
What skills are required to be Culturally Competent
What resources are available

3. Facilitators
Beth Lenegan, PhD Director, Pastoral Care Department Roswell Park Cancer Institute David Scott, MS Director, Office of Diversity & Inclusion

4. What is Culture?
The learned or shared knowledge, beliefs, traditions, customs, rules, arts, history, folklore and institutions of a group of people used to interpret experiences and to generate social behavior.

5. Some Cultural Aspects Communication/Language Sense of Time
Relationships
Dress/Modesty
Food/Diet/Preparation of
Beliefs/Values/ Traditions

6. Culture may influence:
Health, healing, and wellness belief systems;
How illness, disease, and their causes are perceived;
The behaviors of patients/consumers who
are seeking health care and their attitudes
toward health care providers.

7. Culture defines how: - health care information is received;
how rights and protections are exercised;
what is considered to be a health problem;
how symptoms and concerns about the problem are expressed;
who should provide treatment for the problem; and
what type of treatment should be given.

8. What is Cultural Competency?
Cultural competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. Having an appreciation for diversity!

9. Manage the dynamics of difference
Cultural competence requires organizations and their personnel to do the following:
Value diversity
Assess themselves
Manage the dynamics of difference
Acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge
Adapt to diversity and cultural contexts of individuals and communities served.

10. Defining Diversity Dimensions of Diversity
The condition of being diverse: variety; especially the inclusion of diverse people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization
Define diversity in the broadest context to promote inclusion of all people. Eliminate the stigma that diversity applies to only “protected classes.”
Dimensions of Diversity
Gender Education
Religious beliefs Physical and mental ability
Race Sexual orientation
Marital Status Occupation
Ethnicity Language
Age Geographic location
Income Veteran status

11. Why Is Cultural Competency So Important?
Health care services that are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices and cultural and linguistic needs of diverse patients can help bring about positive health outcomes.

12. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations says that the professional who addresses the spiritual needs of patients in the healthcare environment should be Culturally Competent. 

13. How can Chaplains become Culturally Competent?
Assess the spiritual make-up of the community that surrounds your organization.
Educate yourself on the spiritual needs of the community.
Connect with spiritual leaders in your community to assist with providing services.
Make your community aware of the culturally appropriate services you offer.

14. Chaplain Responsibility Standards of Practice
Standard 7, Respect for Diversity
The Chaplain models and collaborates with the organization and its interdisciplinary team in respecting and providing culturally competent patient-centered care

15. What skills are required to be Culturally Competent?
Keeping An Open Mind
Is the foundation to Cultural
Competency!

16. There Are Numerous Resources Available To Assist With Cultural Competence

17. Caring Across Cultures & Belief Systems A Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals in an Interfaith World
Community Patients

18. Caring Across Cultures A Roadmap for Hospitals
Each hospital has a different roadmap for advancing effective communication, cultural competence and patient-and family-centered care.
Size, setting and resources will impact the implementation of A Roadmap….
The hospital handbook reflects your patient who reflects your community

19. Thank You!