Cultural Responsiveness and Equity (CRE)
Cultural responsiveness and equity (CRE) refers to using the unique backgrounds and experiences of students from different cultures to teach them more effectively and equitably.
Clinicians involved in the Partnership condition of the PSW project participated in monthly professional development on CRE. This monthly training was developed to enhance clinicians’ knowledge, awareness, and skills related to addressing racial trauma, bias, stigma, and inequity in mental health services in schools. Scroll down to learn more about the objectives of the monthly CRE trainings!
"This has been incredibly helpful, because it was something maybe I had steered clear of or danced around, and now I feel slightly more confident addressing those issues in session."
- School Mental Health Clinician
Partnership clinicians engaged in monthly, 1.5 hour CRE trainings.
Trainings included (1) self-reflection, (2) case conceptualizations, (3) small/whole group discussion, (4) coach modeling, and (5) clinical tools and resources. Meetings held the following three objectives:
Consider the family's cultural preferences when prioritizing family needs
Identify obstacles to involvement in services that are unique or particularly relevant to racial/ethnic minority families and develop strategies to overcome them
Address culturally specific sources of mental health stigma
Clinicians were surveyed at the end of the project about their experience with CRE training, here is what they had to say:
Clinicians found CRE training helpful for building awareness, knowledge, and skills.
Talking about race, culture, and mental health positively impacted relationships with teachers and administrators.
Clinicians rated CRE content, small group discussions, and case conceptualization as the top three training elements.
