Four Organizations Selected to Participate in Cultural Competency Initiative

Date: March 19, 2013
Contacto: Jennifer Sykes
Teléfono: 816-241-7006
KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA – Four Kansas City metropolitan area health and social service organizations will receive a year of technical assistance to strengthen their knowledge and capacity to serve diverse populations. The technical assistance focuses on organizational cultural competency and its impact on service delivery. The technical assistance is funded by three grant making organizations – the Health Forward Foundation, the Jackson County, Mo., Community Mental Health Fund and the REACH Healthcare Foundation.

The awards are part of a Cultural Competency Initiative introduced in 2009 that aims to reduce health disparities by preparing the primary health care, mental health care and human services workforce to meet the health needs of racially, ethnically and culturally diverse populations. The initiative focuses on policies, practices and other organizational changes that can influence culturally competent delivery of care. To date, 28 organizations have participated in the technical assistance opportunity.

The four organizations selected for 2013 are:

Sala Benilde
Centro de Protección de la Infancia
Servicios integrales de salud mental
Kansas City Missouri Health Department
The boards and staffs of the selected organizations will work with a consulting team to identify areas of need and develop an organizational work plan. In addition, representatives of each organization participate in a learning community group that provides additional education and connects organizations to local and national resources, and regional conferences on related topics.

To learn more, contact:

Adriana Pecina, Program Officer, Health Forward Foundation, www.healthforward.org
Carla Gibson, Senior Program Officer, REACH Healthcare Foundation, www.reachhealth.org
Theresa Reyes-Cummings, Director of Program Development, Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund, www.jacksoncountycares.org
Complete list of technical assistance recipients