Question
What is cultural responsiveness?
Answer
Cultural responsiveness in the behavioral health field involves an active and dynamic process of learning about, understanding, and appropriately including and responding to the cultural identities and experiences of those with whom we interact. It emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and curiosity, recognizing that the journey is ongoing, fluid and involves shifts, which is often challenging, especially for individuals from dominant social groups. Cultural responsiveness is an essential skill for meaningful human connection beyond surface levels. It requires constant awareness of personal biases and an understanding of how these biases influence actions. It involves deeply understanding one's own cultural background, beliefs, privileges, and traumas, as well as recognizing the specific cultural factors influencing the populations served, regardless of the setting, whether it be schools, hospitals, or clinics.
This Ask the Expert is an excerpt from the course, Creating Culturally Responsive Schools, presented by Stephanie Carnes, PhD, MSW, LCSW, LL.M
