Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency Agency Self-Assessment Instrument
NAME: Alicia Yoder

AGENCY: Childrens Bureau (Noblesville, IN)
Sec. 1: The Elements of Culture
1. The agency acknowledges that culture is an integral part of the physical, emotional,
intellectual, and overall development and well-being of children, youth, and their
families.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
2. The agency considers cultural factors such as language, race, ethnicity, customs, family
structure, sexual orientation, and tribal and/or community dynamics when planning and
designing programs and services.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
3. The agency considers cultural factors such as language, race, ethnicity, customs, family
structure, sexual orientation, and tribal and/or community dynamics when delivering
programs and services.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. The agency respects the culture, diversity, and rights of the children, youth, and families
it serves.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agency respects the culture, diversity, and rights of its staff and service providers.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
6. The agencys programs, services, and practice acknowledge, respect, and respond to the
various culturally defined needs of the children, youth, and families it serves.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: The agency takes clients and staffs culture
and diversity into account when designing and implementing programs.

Section 2: The Agencys Mission
1. The agencys mission statement reflects its commitment to serve the culturally diverse
children, youth, and families in its service population.
A
Disagree
B
C
Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree
D
Agree
E
Dont Know
2. The agencys staff is familiar with and understands the mission of the agency.
A
Disagree
B
C
Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree
D
Agree
E
Dont Know
3. The agencys practices and its administrative policies and procedures acknowledge the
need for services to culturally diverse families, tribes, and/or communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. To provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to the children, youth, and
families being served, the agency personnel manual specifically outlines the agencys
mission and principles for a diverse workforce.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agencys public relations materials (for example, brochures, pamphlets, and the
agencys website) specifically outline services to culturally diverse communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: While the agency does provide services to
diverse communities, not all of their programs address this diversity directly.

Section 3: Governance and The Board of Directors
1. The agencys mission statement and goals recognize the cultural and ethnic diversity of
the communities served by the agency and reflect a commitment to serve these children,
youth, and families responsively and competently.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
2. The agencys management staff includes the agencys mission statement and goals,
including references to cultural competence and ethnic diversity, in all written materials
that define the purpose of the agency.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
3. The board periodically monitors and evaluates the agencys goals and process for
achieving cultural competence by conducting annual service population surveys.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. The membership of the agencys board of directors reflects the cultural diversity of the
populations served by the agency.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agency leadership and board collects and analyzes demographic and statistical
information on culturally diverse communities for use in the planning process.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
6. The agency leadership and board develop goals and objectives for allocating resources
and delivering services in a manner that addresses the needs of the children, youth, and
families served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know

7. The agency leadership and board involve representatives of various cultural and ethnic
communities in the planning process.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
8. The agency leadership and board members receive training in planning methods to
specifically meet the needs of culturally diverse families and communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
9. The board supports the development, coordination, and integration of services to serve
children, youth, and families in a culturally and linguistically appropriate and effective
manner.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
10. The agency leadership and board actively promote the recruitment of culturally diverse
staff members.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
11. The agency leadership and board support the provision of relevant cultural competence
training for all agency staff.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: The board of directors at the Childrens

Bureau is not very culturally diverse in and of itself, but they work to promote cultural diversity
among its agency and in order to best serve its customers.

Section 4: The Chief Executive
1. The chief executive of the agency is responsible for articulating and implementing the
agencys mission statement and goals relative to cultural competency.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
2. The chief executive works with the agency leadership to ensure that staff at all levels are
recruited from culturally diverse communities that reflect and represent the children,
youth, and families served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
3. The chief executive and agency leadership ensures that the agencys staff reflects the
culturally diverse communities served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. Staff members possess the knowledge and experience to work effectively with culturally
diverse communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agency has enough staff who are proficient in writing and speaking the languages of
the children, youth, and families served to communicate with them easily and to
adequately meet their needs.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
6. The chief executive and agency leadership work with culturally diverse communities and
organizations on special projects and activities addressing multicultural issues.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
7. The agencys leadership informs culturally diverse businesses, faith-based groups,

fraternal associations, and other cultural and ethnic organizations about agency services
and programs and seeks their support for the agencys mission.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
8. The agencys leadership staff advertises the agencys special events in culturally and
linguistically diverse print and broadcast media, and through community information
networks and organizations representing culturally diverse groups.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
9. The agencys leadership seeks information from culturally diverse business, faith-based
groups, fraternal associations, and other cultural and ethnic organizations about the needs
of families and the resources available to them in the community.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
10. The agency collects and analyzes demographic information on the culturally diverse
population served and uses the data in its advocacy activities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
11. The agency informs local and state government representatives and legislators about the
impact of legislative proposals on culturally and linguistically diverse families, tribes,
and/or communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: Having a more diverse set of leadership

staff may help this agency to best represent the diverse community that they serve. Otherwise,
clients may be apprehensive to seek out services with this agency, as they may feel that they are
not well-represented by the agency.
Section 5: The Community

1. The agency leadership and management are knowledgeable about federal and state
statues and regulations that relate to culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
2. The agency consults with organizations, advocates, and outside experts who represent the
cultural and ethnic groups in the communities served before finalizing programs and
policies that may have a cultural impact.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
3. The agency advocates for programs, policies, and services that support the various
cultural and ethnic communities it serves.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. The agency collects, maintains, and analyzes culturally specific demographic data on
service providers, the service population, and the broader community.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agency has a clear process for evaluating the short-term and long-term effectiveness
of its programs and policies relative to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
A
Disagree
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
6. The agency consults with cultural and ethnic community organizations to learn more
about the effectiveness and responsiveness of its programs and services.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
7. The agency includes a description of a policys effectiveness on the culturally diverse

communities served by the agency.
A
B
C
D
E
Rarely
Sometimes
Almost Always
Always
Dont Know
8. The agency reviews the policy statements of community cultural and ethnic advocacy
organizations and incorporates statements that are relevant to its own program and policy
development process.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
9. The agencys administrators establish mechanisms that include families and all levels of
staff, including paraprofessionals, in the process of setting policies and procedures.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
10. The agencys policies and procedures reflect a respect for and responsiveness to the
service needs of culturally diverse children, youth, and families.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
11. The agency advertises staff vacancies in culturally and linguistically diverse print and
broadcast media and through community information networks and organizations
representing diverse communities.
A
B
Rarely Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
12. The agencys job descriptions indicate that candidates must have experience and skills
serving culturally and ethnically diverse families and communities.
A
B
Rarely Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
13. The agency actively seeks individuals from culturally and ethnically diverse communities
when recruiting new staff.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
14. The agency provides all staff with continuous cultural competency training and
information relevant to its mission, service population, and the responsibilities of agency
staff.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
15. The agency provides advancement opportunities for staff members who demonstrate,
among other skills, cultural competency.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know

Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: The agency may need to communicate more
with other agencies and programs in the community that work with culturally diverse
populations in order to best serve culturally diverse clients.

Section 6: Training
1. The agency provides ongoing training to staff on cross-cultural communication, culturally
diverse family customs, culturally competent case practice, and conflict resolution within
different cultural groups.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
2. The agency offers frequent professional development opportunities for staff to examine
their own cultural beliefs and attitudes to obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of
cultural difference and interactions.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
3. Agency staff is given opportunities to become knowledgeable about federal and state
statues and regulations that relate to culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
4. The agency staff learns as much as possible about the cultures of their service population
and that populations values, beliefs, customs, and languages.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
5. The agency staff conducts culturally competent assessments of the children, youth, and
families they serve and develop culturally appropriate case plans for them.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
6. The agency staff involves families in developing case plans and setting culturally
appropriate goals.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
7. The agency staff considers the availability of community resources, including cultural
and ethnic organizations, in the case planning process.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know

8. Whenever possible, the agency staff works with families in settings that are comfortable
and familiar to them.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
9. The agency staff works with families to develop and/or maintain cultural supports in their
families, tribes, and/or communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
10. The agency staff empowers families by using their cultural strengths and informal
support networks in service delivery.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
11. The agency staff considers the impact of acculturation, assimilation, and varied historical
perspectives on programs and on the cultural or ethnic communities being served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
12. The agencys line supervisors and workers understand child-rearing practices and family
functioning from the cultural perspective of the various communities served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
13. The agencys supervisors provide support and guidance to staff in applying their
knowledge of cultural competence to decisions about intervention and service delivery.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
14. The agencys outreach, information activities, and preventive services are designed to
meet the needs of culturally and ethnically diverse communities.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
15. The agencys outreach services are provided in culturally and ethnically diverse
communities and neighborhoods or at other locations familiar to the children, youth, and
families it serves.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
16. The agency makes bilingual services available when needed to requested by the children,
youth, and families it serves.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
17. In making placement decisions, the agency considers the impact of culture and ethnicity
on children, youth, and their families.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
18. The agency evaluates service and program outcomes on the basis of culturally relevant
objectives developed with the families served.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
19. The agency includes family input in assessing the level of cultural competence in service
delivery.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
20. The agency has clearly written strategies for conducting culturally competent advocacy
and assigns responsibility for implementing the strategy to designated staff.
A
Rarely
B
Sometimes
C
Almost Always
D
Always
E
Dont Know
Additional Comments and/or Recommendations: Because staff at the Childrens Bureau

empower clients to help set their own goals and take part in their own treatment plan decisions,
cultural competency is used when working with clients by allowing clients to make their own
decisions in a way that suits them best, especially in regards to their culture.

Section 7 Client/Customer Observations
1. I felt comfortable when I went to The Childrens Bureau Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: Staff was warm, welcome, and helpful.
2. I was made to feel welcome by agency staff when at the agency offices. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: Staff was warm, welcome, and helpful.
3. The environment and surroundings of the agencys office included representatives of my
community. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: Most of the staff that I interacted with at the Childrens Bureau
were white females. While this represents a large portion of the population that this
agency works with, the staff, overall, was not very diverse.
4. I understood the documents, materials, and information that are provided by the agency.
Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: I could understand the materials, but the materials I was given
were only in English, which I speak. I am unsure as to whether the agency has the same
documents and materials available in another language for non-English-speaking clients.
5. I was able to communicate with agency staff in my first or primary language. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: I was able to communicate with the staff in English, but they
do have bi-lingual staff members available at the Childrens Bureau.
6. I was able to communicate successfully with agency staff in my second or non-primary
language. Yes/No (n/a)
Comments/Suggestions: I only speak one language
7. I noted customers felt comfortable with the agency staff who worked with them.
Yes/No (n/a)
Comments/Suggestions: A majority of the Childrens Bureau work with clients is homebased. Unfortunately, because I was observing the work of the director, and not a
caseworker, on the day of my job shadow, I was unable to witness direct client interaction
during my time at the agency.

8. The staff seemed to care about customers needs. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: In discussing work with clients, clients told the agency what
their needs were directly and then came up with their own goals of what they hoped to
accomplish the help of the Childrens Bureau.
9. The staff members were interested in learning and understanding more about culture.
Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: The caseworker I witnessed being supervised discussed her
work with culturally diverse clients and working to understand how to best work with this
client and meet her needs.
10. The agency staff treated customers with respect. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: The staff empowers clients and believes that they should and
are able to take responsibility for improving their own lives, which shows respect and
faith in the clients that the Childrens Bureau works with.
11. The agency staff provided good services. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: When discussing work with clients over time, the caseworker
showed that many clients had shown improvement with the assistance of the Childrens
Bureau.
12. The agency provides good services that meet the needs of people who go there for
support. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: When discussing work with clients over time, the caseworker
showed that many clients had shown improvement with the assistance of the Childrens
Bureau. Because clients determine their own most important needs, the Childrens
Bureau can ensure that the clients important needs are being met.
13. The agencys staff represents all cultures and the local community. Yes/No
Comments/Suggestions: As mentioned earlier, from what I witnessed, the staff at the
Childrens Bureau was not very culturally diverse.

Cultural Competency

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Cultural Competency

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Cultural Competency Agency Self-Assessment Instrument

NAME: Alicia Yoder