Clackamas County
Children, Youth & Families Division
Agency Cultural Competency
Self-Assessment & Action Plan
Health, Housing & Human Services
Children, Youth & Families Division
Public Services Building
2051 Kaen Rd
Oregon City, OR 97045
503-650-5678
Children, Youth & Families Division
Cultural Competency Policy
It is the policy of the Children, Youth & Families Division to promote continual improvement toward
a culturally sensitive and competent system of care that acknowledges and incorporates at all
levels the importance of culture and diversity, the expansion of cultural knowledge, and the
adaptation of services to meet culturally unique needs.
To accomplish this, CYF requires that all contracting agencies be inclusive of and assure access to
appropriate supports and services for all children and families.
There are several measures of performance on which to assess an agency’s capacity for cultural
competency:
1. Governance and Infrastructure
2. Staff Development/Training
3. Service Delivery
4. Communication/Outreach
5. Planning and Continuous Quality Improvement
6. Analysis and Action Plan
This Assessment and Action Plan is intended to provide agencies with a framework for moving
closer to a high standard of culturally proficient service provision and is a first step in assisting
contractors to better meet the needs of increasingly diverse target populations.
Commonly Used Terminology
 ADA: Americans With Disabilities Act was signed July 26, 1990 by George H.W. Bush. It prohibits
discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, program and services provided by state and
local governments, goods and services provided by private companies, and in commercial
facilities. ADA defines a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment
that substantially limits a major life activity, who has a record of such impairment.
 Anti-Oppression: Work that seeks to address the social and institutional inequalities that are
constructed in our society and attempts to mitigate its affects and eventually equalize the power
imbalance in our communities. Anti-oppression work is not static; it’s an ongoing, fluid process.
 Bigotry: Intolerance of cultures, religions, races, ethnicities, or political beliefs that differ from one’s
own.
 Culture: An entire set of values, behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs, social interactions and
communication patterns that distinguish a group of people.
 Cultural Diversity: Differences in race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual identity,
socioeconomic status, physical ability, language, beliefs, values, behavior patterns, or customs
among various groups within a community, organization, or nation.
 Cultural Awareness: Recognition of the nuances of one’s own and other cultures.
 Cultural Appropriateness: Exhibiting sensitivity to cultural differences and similarities, and
demonstrating effectiveness in translating that sensitivity to action through organizational mission
statements, communication strategies, and services to diverse cultures.
 Cultural Competence: A set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system,
agency, or among professionals that enable effective work in cross-cultural situations. It is a
developmental process that evolves over an extended period.
 Cultural Sensitivity: The act of being aware and accepting of other cultures; requires research to
gain understanding and an informed view of different cultures.
 Discrimination: Unfavorable or unfair treatment towards an individual or group based on their
race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, physical/mental disabilities, or sexual orientation; a
showing of partiality or prejudice in treatment; specific action or policies directed against the
welfare of cultural and/or ethnic groups.
 Diversity: Psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among any and all individuals,
such as race, ethnicity, nationality, economic class, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and
physical ability, and learning styles.
 Equity: Fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all, while working to identify and
eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. The principle of equity
acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations and that
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effort must be exerted to address the conditions that created the disparities affecting access,
opportunity, and advancement.
 Ethnicity: Shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of
people from another. Common characteristics of ethnicity include ancestry, a sense of history,
language, religion, and forms of dress.
 Exploitation: Taking unfair advantage of a person or a group for one’s own gain or advantage.
Exploitation can be individual or systematic.
 Inclusiveness: Making sure that all members of the community are represented or involved in all
aspects of the community.
 Oppression: When one social group takes advantage of another social group, either knowingly or
unconsciously. Oppression gives the dominant group privilege and marginalizes the subordinate
group.
 Privilege: Unearned power that gives members of the dominant group economic, social, and
political advantages. Privilege also means rights that everyone should have but that are denied to
some people.
 Sexual Orientation: Refers to an individual’s sexuality and/or sexual attraction to others.
 Social Justice: The view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and
opportunities.
 Tolerance: Recognition and respect of values, beliefs, and behaviors that differ from one’s own.
 Transgender: A person whose gender identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform
to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth. Gender identity refers
to a person’s internal sense of being male, female, or something else; gender expression refers to
the way a person communicates gender identity to others through behavior, clothing, hairstyles,
voice, or body characteristics.
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Children, Youth & Families Division
Public Services Building
2051 Kaen Rd
Oregon City, OR 97045
_______________________________________________________________________
Name of Agency
_______________________________________________________________________
Name of the Project/Program
_______________________________________________________________________
Signature of person completing the report
Date
_______________________________________________________________________
Agency/Division Director Signature
Date
_______________________________________________________________________
Board Chair/Department Director Signature
Date
_______________________________________________________________________
Children, Youth & Families Division Director Signature
Date
_______________________________________________________________________
Diversity Leadership Council Board Chair Signature
Date
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1. Governance and Infrastructure
Please check the statement which most accurately represents your perception of your agency’s
performance on each measure of cultural competency (boxes can be checked by double clicking
the box and selecting “Checked” in the window that opens)
A. The agency’s mission statement and policies and procedures reflect a commitment to serving
diverse clients.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
B. Board members are representative of the community and populations served by the agency.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:

Please provide a list of current board members and their ethnic/racial/cultural affiliations
C. Board members and administrators are interested in and supportive of diversity within the
agency.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
D. Policies and procedures reflect and promote the involvement of diverse leaders, youth, and
families.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
E. Agency has formal diversity policies regarding board recruitment and retention, interviewing,
selection, training and development.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
F. Agency has formal diversity policies regarding personnel recruitment and retention,
interviewing, hiring, training and development, language access and communication,
grievances and complaints, and community/client input.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
G. Agency has formal diversity policies regarding client language access and communication,
grievances and complaints, and community/client input.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
H. Agency client information systems capture cultural/ethnic/race data about clients served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
I.
Agency and staff members are aware of and tracks statistical data regarding the major issues
and concerns affecting diverse populations in the geographic area served by the program or
agency.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
J. Agency includes the input of clients and community members with a variety of backgrounds in
the planning and development of new programs and/or continuous improvement of current
programming to meet the cultural needs of populations served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
K. Agency includes the input of staff members with a variety of different backgrounds in the
planning and development of new programs and/or continuous improvement of current
programming to meet the cultural needs of populations served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
L. Agency has established policies against discrimination and harassment.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
M. Agency enforces policies against discrimination and harassment.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
2. Staff Development and Training
A. Agency provides opportunities for leadership development and advancement for all staff,
including staff of diverse backgrounds.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
B. Agency orientation, training, and continuing education materials and curricula contains
diversity components that are customized to address specific staff roles.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
C. Agency provides orientation and training to new staff members to assure knowledge of and
conformance to established diversity policies.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
D. Agency requires all staff to participate in, at minimum, four hours of evidence-based diversity
training yearly.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Please list the previous year’s diversity trainings provided to staff:
3. Service Delivery
A. The design and décor of agency and program facilities (if different) reflect and affirm the
diverse backgrounds of clients served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
B. Agency and program staff values client feedback on its services and its cultural sensitivity and
competency.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
C. Program staff is encouraged to openly discuss cultural differences and influences with clients.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
D. Program staff encourages clients to examine their own cultures and the cultures of their peers,
and to develop their own appreciation of diversity.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
4. Communication and Outreach
A. In addition to hiring bi-racial, bicultural, and bilingual staff members, translation and
interpretation assistance is available and utilized when necessary.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
B. All forms of communication (reports, appointment notices, telephone message greetings, etc.)
are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the populations served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
C. Pictures, posters, printed materials (brochures, outreach materials, etc.) and toys reflect the
diverse backgrounds of clients served.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
D. Agency/program staff conducts successful outreach to clients of diverse backgrounds.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
E. Agency encourages program staff to attend and participate in cultural activities within the
communities and with populations to whom services are targeted.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
5. Planning and Continuous Quality Improvement
A. Assessments of cultural sensitivity and competency are conducted at all levels of the agency
(staff, administration, board, and stakeholders).
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
B. Assessment results have been used to pinpoint areas of potential concern and implement
changes in procedures/protocols/service provision.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
C. Information about agency performance on measures of cultural competence is collected and
updated on a regular basis.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Provide additional information/clarification, if necessary:
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Strongly Disagree
6. Analysis and Action Plan
A. Based upon your analysis of Staff/Board/Administration/Stakeholder responses to the
statements above, list the five most important diversity-related issues currently facing the
agency.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B. List specific steps that will be taken to address each of these issues and a timeline for
implementation and completion of each step.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

If your agency currently has and utilizes a cultural competency assessment and action plan, please
provide a copy.
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Resource List – Cultural Sensitivity/Anti-Oppression
BOOKS
Adams, Maurianne, Lee Anne Bell, and Pat Griffin, eds. (2007.)
Teaching for Diversity and Social
Justice.Second ed. New York: Routledge.
Anne Bishop. 2005. Beyond Token Change: Breaking the Cycle of Oppression in Institutions
Robert Jensen. 2005. The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege
Joseph G. Ponterotto, et al. 2006. Preventing Prejudice: A Guide for Counselors, Educators, and
Parents.
Lynch and Hanson. 2011. Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide for Working With
Children and Their Families, Fourth Edition.
ARTICLES
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
(http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf)
LOCAL RESOURCES/TRAINERS
The Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC): CCC addresses the socioeconomic disparities,
institutional racism, and inequity of services experienced by our families, children, and
communities. The Coalition organizes our communities for collective action resulting in social
change to obtain self-determination, wellness, justice, and prosperity.
http://www.coalitioncommunitiescolor.org
The Nonprofit Association of Oregon (formerly known as TACS): A statewide membership
association with over 30 years’ experience providing consulting and training to nonprofit leaders,
staff, and volunteers. http://www.nonprofitoregon.org
Uniting to Understand Racism (UUR): UUR works throughout the year with local businesses,
schools, government, nonprofits, and community members to sponsor a six week dialogue
program within their organizations. The program, led by two trained facilitators, focuses on helping
participants raises their level of awareness concerning unexamined racist attitudes and
encouraging proactive change. http://www.understandracism.org
Gabby Santos (Program Coordinator for Underserved Communities, OCADSV): Gabby staffs the
Communities of Color Task Force at the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
(OCADSV) and provides training/consultation on anti-oppression, examining privilege and other
topics specific to underserved populations. 503.230.1951 gabby@ocadsv.org
Rut Martinez-Alicea (Hybrid Thinking Consulting, LLC): Rut’s three core training modules are antioppression/racism, intercultural competence, and communication skills.
rut@hybridthinkingconsulting.com
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