Mary Huber, Ph.D NTAC Project Manager J. Gordon Swensen, M.S., LVRC, CRC, CPM, GCDF

1. Mary Huber, Ph.D NTAC Project Manager J. Gordon Swensen, M.S., LVRC, CRC, CPM, GCDF Field Service Director, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation Dan Wheeler, M.S., LVRC, CRC, CPM District Director, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation Karenita Cantsee, M.S., CRC Supervising Counselor, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation Chao Xiong, MS., CRC, LPC Counselor, Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Strategies for Providing Effective Vocational Rehabilitation to Underserved Populations September 21, 2011 3:00-4:15 pm (Eastern)

2. Agenda • Introductions and Goals of the webinar (5 minutes) • Cultural competency (15 minutes) • Myths and strategies for cultural competency (5 minutes) • Native American and Hmong cultures (10 minutes) • General issues when working with underserved populations (10 minutes) • Examples of strategies (15 minutes) • Questions and answers (10 minutes)

3. Definition of Culture “Vast structures of behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, habits, beliefs, customs, language, rituals, ceremonies and practices peculiar to a particular group of people, which provide them with a general design for living and patterns for interpreting reality” Cultural Competency

4. Cultural Competency The process of cultural competency means that a person learns to recognize and reject his/her preexisting beliefs about a culture, focuses on understanding information provided by individuals within the context at hand, and foregoes the temptation to classify or label persons with cultural misinformation. Cultural Competency

5. Why is Cultural Competency Important for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors? Cultural Competency includes an ability to work with people from all cultural identities in a way that promotes respect and dignity. Source: Utah Task Force on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Legal System, 2000 Cultural Competency

6. Common Myths About Cultural Competency Myth #1: There are too many cultures. I cannot possibly learn what I need to know about all of them. Cultural competency

7. Common Myths About Cultural Competency Myth #2: I have examined my preconceptions about the various cultures on my caseload, changed some of my thoughts, and now feel culturally competent to deal with any and all people who might appear in my office. Cultural Competency

8. Common Myths About Cultural Competency Myth #3: As a person of color, I know what it means to be culturally sensitive. I don’t need any special training on how to practice cultural competency. Cultural Competency

9. Common Myths About Cultural Competency Myth #4: I need a more concrete way to achieve cultural competency. This process is too “touchy feely” in asking me to become more “aware”. How do I become aware? How will that make a difference in my cultural competency? Cultural Competency

10. Common Myths About Cultural Competency Myth #5: There are only a couple of cultures that are different from the dominant (American) culture on my caseload. Cultural Competency

11. The Big Question: • Where do you stand in your personal belief system toward others outside your culture? • Where can you improve personally, socially and professionally, to become a caring, “culturally competent” individual that can make a difference in the lives of your clients? Cultural Competency

12. Strategies for Cultural Competency • Use actions, as well as attitudes, that seek to facilitate empowerment • Facilitate the involvement of diverse cultural groups and communities • Be committed to inclusion and building relationships Cultural COmpetency

13. Strategies for Cultural Competency • Be committed to community outreach • Recognize the need for legitimacy, acceptance and credibility within all cultural groups and communities • Understand cultural folklores Cultural Competency

14. Strategies for Cultural Competency • Identify one’s own norms, attitudes, values, practices, knowledge, understanding, and beliefs regarding one’s culture of origin and all diverse cultural groups in the community • Be committed to learning about other cultural groups and communities Cultural COmpetency

15. Native American Historical Experiences • There are 530 distinct Native American tribes, of which 478 are recognized by the U.S. government • Racism and extermination • Population reduction • Forced American policies • Federal statutes have replaced tribal customs Cultural Competency

16. Cultural Competency Native American Values of Culture View Toward Nature • Nature is experienced, not to be subdued • Sacred/Supernatural/Kinship to the Earth • All things are alive (humans, animals, land, inanimate objects) • Land-focus/religion tied to places, locations, sites

17. Cultural Competency Native American Values of Culture View Toward Society • Communal group orientation/strong family ties • Patriarchal and/or Matriarchal and Elder-Dominated • Tribal custom regulates behavior • Strong identity image or “Tribal Consciousness”

18. Cultural Competency Native American Values of Culture View Toward Communication • Indirect and informal • Non-confrontational (cooperation is valued) • Will to compromise • Tolerant and accepting of others

19. Cultural Competency Hmong Historical Experiences • Severe persecution and genocide from the North Vietnamese and Lao Communists • Came to the US in the late 1970s • Approximately 186,310 Hmong in US • Largest settlements include CA, MN and WI

20. Hmong Values of Culture View Toward Nature • Hmong believe in earthly structures (streams, trees, rocks, hills and so on) have their own, individual spirits • Strong belief in supernatural and several types of spirits,ancestors for assistance in coping • Intuitive and holistic - believe in shamanism, soul calling, ancestor calling, herbal medicines Cultural Competency

21. Cultural Competency Hmong Values of Culture View of Society • Patriarchal - Men are central and access to education • Interdependence instead of independence - everyone depends on one another to be successful • The community is important and the men are responsible for community involvement/activities • Hmong marry young; family picks the female that their son will marry

22. Cultural Competency Hmong Values of Culture View of Verbal Communication • Formal/polite, respectful, good manners • Raising one’s voice or asking questions may be considered rude or disrespectful • Non-verbal communication such as strong eye contact or looking some one in the eye is rude • No is considered disrespectful

23. General Issues that Vocational Counselors need to Consider when Working with Underserved Populations • Family and Tradition • Discrimination and Prejudice • Oppression – Trust and Respect • View of Disability • Value of Work Cultural COmpetency

24. Issue: Family and Tradition Karenita’s strategy working with Native Americans: Sensitive to generations Chao’s strategy working with Hmong family: Include the husband in the vocational process Cultural COmpetency

25. Cultural COmpetency • Issue: Discrimination and Prejudice Karenita’s strategy working with Native Americans: Understanding and flexibility

26. Cultural COmpetency • Issue: Oppression – Trust and Respect Dan’s strategy working with Native Americans: Establishing rapport and trust from the beginning Understanding the culture Chao’s strategy for building trust; Relating to the client’s experience

27. Cultural COmpetency • Issue: View of Disability Karenita’s strategy regarding disability: Navajo view of disability, positive regard Chao’s strategy for educating the Hmong: Working with high school student and her mother

28. Cultural COmpetency • Issue: Value of Work Karenita’s strategy: Is relocation inevitable? Generational work ethic Chao’s strategy: Help identify their work skills Job shadow, job trial outs, and/or work experience may be necessary in order to identify an employment goal

29. Cultural COmpetency Vocational Rehabilitation Process • Intake to Closure – Putting it Together Dan’s experience: Lessons learned Chao’s work with Mr. Yang: Build rapport and trust Explain the services DVR can provide Verify his understanding Successful closure

30. Cultural COmpetency • Questions and Answers