Policy and cultural competence for providers

Providing care that is culturally competent is an active process that requires deliberate thought, effort, and participation by both participants and system leaders. Culturally competent providers who understand how important culture is to health outcomes and who work to change policies that negatively impact populations of color can significantly reduce barriers to high-quality care. This chapter illustrates how cultural competency principles can be integrated into graduate level courses based on Camphina-Bacote's (2002) Model of Cultural Competence and the LEARN model. The chapter also suggests ways to incorporate a patient's cultural practices into care plans to optimize outcomes. Finally, the impact of policy is described on select populations of color and the LGBTI population.