Course Aim:
To prepare public health professionals for their functional roles in disaster response by offering culturally competent disaster interventions to survivors, witnesses, and responders of bioterrorism and other major public health threats and community disasters.
Course Goals:
1. To provide a brief overview of cultural competency.
2. To create an awareness of the importance of cultural competence in delivering an effective public health disaster response.
3. To offer culturally competent strategies and interventions for disaster response.
Learner Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Define cultural competence.
2. Describe the role of cultural competence in public health workforce readiness and disaster response and recovery.
3. Identify the rationale and role of cultural competence (including cultural, social, and behavioral factors) in delivering effective disaster interventions.
4. Describe approaches, principles and strategies for developing cultural competency in assisting disaster survivors from cultural and diverse groups.
5. Identify cultural barriers to offering disaster intervention services. And,
6. Understand and appreciate the dynamic forces contributing to cultural diversity and their importance in delivering culturally competent disaster intervention services.
Relevant Competencies for Public Health Professionals:
1. Identify the role of cultural factors in determining and delivering disaster intervention services.
2. Utilize appropriate methods for interacting sensitively, effectively and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages and lifestyle preferences when assisting disaster survivors, their family members, witnesses, and disaster responders.
3. Develop and adapt approaches to assisting disaster survivors that take into account cultural differences.
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