Goals & Objectives

To advise and guide SCDMH leadership in the creation and maintenance of culturally and linguistically competent services at the SC Department of Mental Health by supporting that:

1. Multiculturalism is embedded into all organizational units.
2. Continuous efforts are made to recruit, retain and develop a culturally diverse workforce.

To support cultural competency of the staff by:  

1. Developing a training program that promotes cultural competence.
2. Promoting cultural competency in the SCDMH workforce.
3. Supporting effective clinical care by:

1. Supporting services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate,
2. Encouraging family members to participate in treatment, when appropriate,
3. Supporting and engaging local communities as part of the clients’ plan of care,
4. Supporting the use of natural healing supports (i.e. family members, religious   and spiritual resources, traditional healers, churches, community organizations) as part of the plan of care.

To support and promote the involvement of clients, their families and advocacy groups in the planning, development and implementation of care, by:

1. Including clients, their families and advocacy groups as a primary voice in the development of a culturally competent system of care.
2. Developing collaborative partnerships with communities, utilizing a variety of formal and informal mechanisms, to facilitate community involvement in designing and implementing services at all levels of care to ensure that services are culturally and linguistically appropriate

To support monitoring and dissemination of  the level of cultural awareness, knowledge and skills by:

1. Identifying and developing the relevant data and performance indicators that reflect a culturally responsive system of care, including a self assessment of the workforce. Supporting that the data needed to measure the goals is available and accessible.
2. Ensuring that reliable and valid data on the client demographics, including language spoken is available.
3. Ensuring that information is disseminated on performance improvement