Behavioral Health Equity Work Group
12/4/14 Notes
Attendees: Kathleen Abate (Granite State Federation of Families for Children with Mental Health), Diane Bolduc
(The Moore Center), Katy Burchett (CHS / MCHC), John Dawson (PFLAG), Madeline Delgado (Gateways), Adele
Gallant (FAST Forward), Joni Haley (Concord Hospital Family Health Center), Anela Kruščica (OMHRA), Effie
Malley(NH Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative), Laura McGlashan (Office of Minority Health & Refugee
Affairs, OMHRA), Michelle Myler (Safe Schools/Healthy Students Project Coordinator), Patricia Reed (BBH),
Jennifer Sabin (Capital Area Public Health), Barbara Seebart (OMHRA), Kerry Wiley (Family Centered Early
Supports & Services, Susan Wolf-Downes (NE Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services)
Via Phone: Elaine Demello (NAMI NH), Maureen Gross (Merrimack Valley School District)
Facilitators: Trini Tellez (OMHRA), Amy Parece-Grogan (OMHRA)
I.
Cultural Competence Discussion
a. What are other ideas people / organizations have around cultural competence?
 Bring in scenarios to this group for discussion and to process
1. Challenges / questions we have from our organizations
 Lunch & Learn Discussions – topics could include..
1. How to improve access to services
2. Introduce / re-learn how to use technology
 Cultural Orientation – learn about a specific culture
1. Be aware of the danger of a single story – watch this TEDTalk
2. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_
single_story?language=en
3. Try turning the tables on this idea…What if one American was
chosen to represent our cultural values and beliefs?
 Mental Model – how do we incorporate cultural competence in this
model? How can we phrase this for employees to buy-in? Is there a ‘back
door’ approach to engage people in cultural competence trainings?
 Whole staff training – self-reflection…How can I communicate better
with staff / colleagues. Cultural competence improves communication all
around (Me Circle idea)
b. Other elements of a culturally effective organization
 Communication access knowledge – on-going trainings
 How to budget
 Time frame to develop diverse leadership?
1. Diverse representation on boards
2. Community engagement?
 Organizational policies
1. Incorporate Cultural Competence into Professional Development –
where are you? Where do we go from here?
c. http://www.healthynh.com/index.php/fhc-initiatives/cultural-effectiveness.html
***A note to remember for future meetings – before speaking, please state your name to help participants on the phone follow the conversation.
II.
III.
IV.
Organizational Assessment
a. Different from individual self-assessment – this is where organizations should
start. Participating in an organizational self-assessment will help you identify
your organization’s strengths and areas in need of improvement. You can create
an action plan from the results to address the areas in need of improvement.
b. See CLC? Where Do We Start??? Handout for links to free assessments. Those
are not the only assessments out there, but they are good and free.
Purpose Statement
a. Where we left off…
 Purpose: To provide a forum to work collaboratively with and in
community, identify behavioral health disparities, learn about and promote
the use of best and promising practices and resources to improve equity in
access and use of culturally relevant / meaningful behavioral health
services, and ultimately increase the effectiveness and quality of NH’s
behavioral health system for all.
b. Condensed Version…
 To provide a forum to work collaboratively to
1. Address behavioral health disparities
2. Improve equity in access and use of meaningful behavioral health
services
3. Improve NH’s behavioral health system for all
What are some things we want to accomplish in 2015?
a. Best practices / models of Cultural Competence – example from other states?
Lessons learned – how did they get there? (unannounced focus group of families
visiting organization to provide feedback on visual / welcome-ness = community
advisory group)
b. Like CHS presentation – how did they get there?
c. Do we have a role in policy change? Around professional development?
d. Develop a library of TED talks, books, webinars, etc. for us to use
e. Culturally effective organizations – best / promising / emerging practices for
behavioral health (clinical discussion)
f. Know the demographics of staff and clients
***Our next meeting will be January 8th from1-3PM at the Foundation for
Healthy Communities
***This group meets the first Thursday of each month from 9-11AM at the Foundation for Healthy Communities***
***A note to remember for future meetings – before speaking, please state your name to help participants on the phone follow the conversation.