Cultural Diversity
Program Statement

To reduce mental health disparities and build cultural competence in the community by providing information, advocacy, and education to mental health providers and the public.

The Need for the Cultural Diversity Program
People of color, refugees, and immigrants in the United States face multiple challenges: physical change, emotional trauma; separation from family and community, unfamiliar language, economic hardship, educational demands, and new cultural beliefs and behaviors. The Cultural Diversity Program focuses on the population of SPMI (Seriously Persistently Mentally Ill), people at risk, and children with SED (Seriously Emotionally Disturbed). The Cultural Diversity Program makes available these services to people of all cultural backgrounds, in order to fulfill their mental health needs.

Education

The Cultural Diversity Program assists people of diverse groups in assessing mental health services and provides:

• Support, information and training to help mental health agencies promote and achieve culturally competent services.
  
• Free tailored training and presentations that address the mental health issues of diverse populations.
  

Mental Health Interpreter Program

The Cultural Diversity Program has trained mental health interpreters from Arabic, Argentinean, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, French, Italian, Korean, Kurdish, Laotian, Mandarin, Mexican, Portuguese, Puerto-Rican, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, and Ukrainian cultural background.

Interpreters from culturally diverse populations are committed to creating services that address the challenges confronting refugees and immigrants seeking mental health services.

The interpreters embrace a code of ethics that respects individuals and fosters their success. This code includes confidentiality, accuracy and completeness, impartiality , professional boundaries, professional development, cultural competence, respect for all parties, and professional Integrity.

Training includes program expectations, American values, challenges facing refugees, cultural and linguistic competency, and psychiatric terminology. Interpreters must attend six initial training sessions and monthly in-service training sessions.

Advocacy
The Cultural Diversity Program and its interpreters advocate for improved communication and understanding between the community and individuals participating in the program. It also provides education, training, and an electronic resource library.

Local Multicultural Advisory Committee

The Local Multicultural Advisory Committee (LMAC) is part of the New York State Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC). Its members promote cultural sensitivity and advocate for all people in the local community to obtain equal access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services.

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