This episode looks at the importance of understanding a specific community’s culture when providing recovery services.
Overcoming language barriers and appreciating the health-related beliefs and practices of different communities is becoming increasingly important with our nation’s rapidly changing demographics. “Community” is broadly defined in this episode to include racial and ethnic groups as well as other clearly defined groups such as faith communities and military families.
The episode focuses on Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans to illustrate the need for cultural and linguistic competency when working with racial and ethnic groups.
It offers principles and best practices for effectively reaching targeted communities, including:
- Understanding the community’s language, values, and norms
- Enlisting help from respected members of the community
- Building peer support among community members