The Think Cultural Health website features information, continuing education opportunities and resources for health and health care professionals to learn about culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS).
Explore Think Cultural Health’s free, continuing education e-learning programs, each designed to help you provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services. A summary of available trainings is offered below:
Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals – Cultural and linguistic competency is recognized as an important strategy for improving the quality of care provided to clients from diverse backgrounds. The goal of this e-learning program is to help behavioral health professionals increase their cultural and linguistic competency. This program is approved for 4 – 5.5 contact hours for counselors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. Other professionals may earn a Statement of Participation.
The Guide to Providing Effective Communication and Language Assistance Services – The Guide will help your organization communicate in a way that considers the cultural, health literacy, and language needs of your patients. Please note that the Guide does not offer continuing education credits nor a certificate of completion. The Guide offers two “tracks”: one tailored for health care administrators and the other for health care providers (or those providing direct care and services).
Cultural Competency Deployment Refresher – This Program serves as a refresher on cultural competency for Public Health Service officers in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS Commissioned Corps) preparing for deployment. This Program consists of 3 modules and should take about 30 minutes to complete. Before taking this program, all public health service officers should have already completed the Cultural Competency Program for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response e-learning program.
Cultural Competency Program for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response – Research shows that cultural minority groups suffer disproportionately during every phase of a disaster. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to best serve all individuals, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. The target audience includes EMT/first responders, emergency management, psychologists and psychiatrists, social workers, dentists and any disaster or emergency response personnel interested in learning more. 9 -12 hours of continuing education credit is offered for this course.
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Maternal Health Care – This free, 2-hour e-learning program is designed for providers and students seeking knowledge and skills related to cultural competency, cultural humility, person-centered care, and combating implicit bias across the continuum of maternal health care. This program is accredited for 2 hours for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, certified nurse midwives, and certified midwives. Other professionals, as well as students, may earn a Statement of Participation.
Culturally Competent Nursing Care: A Cornerstone of Caring – As healthcare disparities among cultural minority groups persist in our country, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are increasingly recognized as an important strategy for improving quality of care to diverse populations. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to provide the best care for all patients, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. 9 hours of continuing education credit is available for this course.
Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Providers – As oral health disparities among cultural minority groups persist in our country, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are increasingly recognized as an important strategy for improving quality of care to diverse populations. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to best deliver oral health services to all patients, regardless of cultural or linguistic background.
A Physician’s Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care – As healthcare disparities among cultural minority groups persist in our country, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are increasingly recognized as an important strategy for improving quality of care to diverse populations. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to best serve all patients, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. Target audience includes physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and any direct service provider interested in learning about culturally and linguistically appropriate services. 9 hours of continuing education credit is available for this course.
The Think Cultural Health Website features information, continuing education opportunities, resources, and more for health and health care professionals to learn about culturally and linguistically appropriate services, or CLAS. Launched in 2004, Think Cultural Health is sponsored by the Office of Minority Health.
Wondering how your organization fares in meeting the CLAS Standards? We have developed a CLAS Assessment (following the OMH format) for organizations in the Dakotas to use to measure where they are in this journey, identify needs and develop an improvement plan to address the basic elements of the National CLAS Standards. This is a tool to help you and your team to help address communications and cultural barriers. The Assessment will take about 10 minutes to complete. Based on responses, you will devise an action plan with three actionable items to consider. Upon request, our team is available to assist.