Cultural Competence Definitions

What does it mean to work towards and achieve cultural and linguistic competence for your initiative? Several organizations have crafted definitions that may help you frame your approach as you consider ways to increase the cultural and linguistic competence of your organizational structure, engagement strategies, and services/activities/interventions.

American Academy of Family Physicians:

Cultural competence: A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together as a system, agency or among professionals and enable that system, agency or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. The word "culture" is used because it implies the integrated pattern of human thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group. The word competence is used because it implies having a capacity to function effectively.

Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice:

When considering cultural competence; a concise, practical definition, and some explanation of relevant ideas are needed. Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs (1989) explored the concept of cultural competence in the system of care, and developed the definition and framework used here. They are appropriately applied in the school