Cultural Competence

The negative consequences of substance abuse affect all segments of society, regardless of gender, ethnicity or income. In order to address the needs of all members in a community, coalitions must develop comprehensive approaches to effectively reach and facilitate interaction between diverse cultural groups. This month, CADCA's National Coalition Institute continues to build its multimedia resources for coalitions through the release of two brand new audio podcasts on cultural competency.

While accounts of smuggling across the U.S.-Mexican border and organized cartels and street gangs may be no more than news headlines to some people, substance abuse and substance abuse-related violence remain a harsh reality for many communities along the southern border regions of the United States. To help provide community coalitions and health service providers with the tools they need to address these problems, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy will partner with CADCA and the Mexican government to provide two collaborative, cross-border trainings to this region.

Please join us for our next installment of CADCA TV, "Prevention and Treatment: Working Together," from 1-2 p.m. EST Sept. 30.

This document outlines the 15 core competencies that facilitate implementation of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Strategic Prevention Framework and the skills required to support the process.

Traditional diversity training does not significantly contribute to increases in managerial diversity over time. However, establishing a structure of responsibility, such as a diversity task force is effective. Encouraging personal mentors also helps increase managerial diversity, according to a study published in the American Sociological Review.

A toolkit to help Native communities protect their children from the harm caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy is now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced the Native American Center for Excellence, Prevention Technical Assistance Resource Center—a first-of-its-kind national Native American-run project to promote effective substance abuse prevention programs in Native American communities throughout the United States.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in cooperation with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); the National Coalition Institute (NCI); White Bison Inc., and representatives of the Cherokee Nation will provide an opportunity for coalitions operating on Native American reservations, Urban Indians, Native Alaskans, and those that represent Native peoples living in other areas, to gain an understanding of the Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant application process. Drug Free Communities is a Federal grant program that uses a community coalition approach to strengthen communities to prevent youth drug use.