The purpose of the Cultural Diversity Committee Meeting is to hear feedback from community, behavioral health consumers and providers and other interested stakeholders about how our Behavioral Health & Recovery Services are meeting our Cultural Diversity needs and goals, and to strategize ways to improve the diversity and competency of behavioral health services. The meetings consist of an educational component on a culture that is being celebrated during the month, a review of Cultural Diversity and competency goals and bench marks for the year and an opportunity to have dialogue between providers and consumer/community members.

Mission Statement

Mendocino County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services programs care for the people of Mendocino County whose lives are affected by mental illness and substance abuse.  The Programs are committed to:

• Deliver services in a respectful, responsive, and efficient manner with sensitivity to cultural diversity;
• Educate ourselves, individuals, families and the community about mental illness and the hopeful possibilities of treatment and recovery;
• Maximize the resources available and attend to concerns for the safety of individuals and the community;
• Manage our fiscal resources effectively and responsibly while ensuring that productivity and efficiency are important organizational values which result in maximum benefits for all concerned;
• Offer a culturally competent, gender responsive, trauma informed system of care for adults and adolescents while striving to meet linguistic challenges; and
• Utilize holistic, person-centered recovery; promote healthy behaviors through prevention and treatment strategies.

Duties of the Cultural Diversity Committee

• Review cultural issues and how those issues impact the delivery of BHRS services.
• Review and contribute to the Cultural Diversity Committee (Cultural Competence) Mission Statement.
• Contribute to and review the annual Cultural Competence Plan.
• Review Disparities in services to cultural, ethnic, or linguistic groups and develop strategies to minimize barriers to services.
• Monitor and review the goals of the Cultural Competence Plan annually and the progress toward those goals.
• Review, prioritize, and ensure implementation of cultural responsiveness trainings.

Cultural Diversity Committee Membership

• The Cultural Competence Coordinator (Ethnic Services Manager or designee)
• Administrative Service Organization Representatives and Behavioral Health Service Providers
• Representatives of local cultural groups and Tribal Government representatives
• Community representatives from agencies, committees, providers, and individuals with an interest in behavioral health
• Behavioral Health Consumers and their family members
• The Patient’s Rights Advocate

Upcoming Events

Traditional Medicine and Trauma with Drum Circle with Ricardo Carrillo, Ph.D.

Cultural Diversity Committee Documents:

• Cultural Competency Plan 2022-23 Annual Update
  
• Cultural Competency Plan 2018-2021
  
• Cultural Competency Plan 2018
  
• Cultural Competency Plan 2015-2018

Trainings:

Implicit Bias

Gender Spectrum Training

Gender Spectrum The Language of Gender

Gender Spectrum Pronouns Definitions

Latino Immigrants

Transgender

Mental Health Around the World

My Cultural Voice

Butterfly Medicine

Promotora

Contact:

Karen Lovato, Ethnic Services Manager

(707) 472-2342

Email: lovatok@mendocinocounty.org