Culturally Competent Practice: A Framework for Growth and Action - Softcover

"Presently, there is not a true standard text being used as accompanying the standard practice text. . . However, there is a need for this kind of text and the curriculum of which I am a member would gladly recommend it if it is viewed favorably. . . This book is providing a schema and rationale that far outweighs any text I have seen or any collection of material that can be organized to train for this course. . .I really don't feel there is a current book which is close to the spirit of this text. This is a unique text not only in the format it offers, but in the variety of extras it provides to tease out knowledge and skills. The use of the Hernandez vignette throughout is quite an excellent idea for teasing out the issues and teaching. . . [this book] offers me as an instructor a variety of frameworks that enable me to teach the content at both the generalist and advanced levels."

This text helps the reader to understand the pioneering multicultural counselling competence literature, and to build from this foundation a culturally competent social work perspective. The book takes a practical, experiential approach, and includes numerous exercises. Doman Lum goes beyond the usual differences, as they relate to people of colour, to explain why cultural competency is important to human service professionals, and to demonstrate how to develop the skills necessary to become culturally competent. These include skills such as contact, problem identification, assessment, intervention, service delivery planning and implementation, and cultural skill research. The author takes a deeper look at more involved cultural issues, such as sexual preference and socioeconomic differences.