Continuing Education

Working with Families from Diverse Cultures

Enhancing Cultural Competence in Therapy

Mental Health Education

About The Course

Course Title: Working with Families from Diverse Cultures

Learning Method: Record asynchronous distance (non-interactive). This course includes a recorded video and access to the presented resources.

Amount of CE Credit Offered: 1 credit (general). ASWB ACE and NBCC.

Fees: This course can be purchased individually for $25 or as part of an annual unlimited continuing education subscription available for $99/year.

Posttest: Following the course, the participant will take a 10 question posttest. A score of 70% correct is required to pass and obtain a certificate. If you do not pass the posttest, it can be re-taken after fully reviewing the materials again.

Certificate of Completion: In order to receive a certificate of completion, you must indicate that you’ve watched the entire video portion of the course, earn a passing grade on the test, and complete the requested course evaluation.

Description of the Course:

Why is understanding this topic important?

1. Improves Access and Equity in Services:

Understanding the cultural backgrounds of families helps social workers, therapists, and service providers offer more equitable and accessible support. It ensures that services are tailored to meet the specific needs of diverse families, addressing cultural sensitivities and barriers such as language or mistrust of systems.

2. Enhances Communication and Trust:

When professionals are culturally competent, they are better equipped to build trust and foster open communication with families. This leads to stronger therapeutic relationships, more effective interventions, and greater cooperation between families and service providers.

3. Supports Holistic Family Well-Being:

Working with diverse cultures requires recognizing the family unit as part of a larger cultural context. By considering cultural values, traditions, and norms, professionals can develop more comprehensive support plans that resonate with the family’s identity, contributing to long-term well-being and success.

Learning Objectives:

Apply Culturally Responsive Practices: Professionals will be able to identify and implement specific strategies for integrating culturally responsive practices into their work with families from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that interventions are respectful and relevant to the cultural context of the families they serve.
Enhance Communication Skills in Cross-Cultural Contexts: Participants will learn techniques to improve communication with families who may face language barriers, cultural differences, or mistrust of social systems, enabling them to build stronger therapeutic relationships and foster trust.
Develop Tailored Support Plans: Students will create individualized, strengths-based support plans that acknowledge and leverage the cultural strengths, traditions, and values of the families they work with, enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of the care provided.

Target Audience:

Mental health professionals and Masters and Clinical level licensees pursuing continuing education.

Content Level:

Both beginning and intermediate-level content are included in this course.

Instructor Bio(s):

Kierra Gray, Founder, The Gray Collective

Kierra Gray is a DEI strategist and licensed clinical social worker who founded The Gray Collective, a consultancy focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and mental health. With a background in social work and journalism, she brings a unique blend of expertise in communication, therapy, and strategic planning to help organizations and individuals create inclusive environments.

Kierra has led DEI projects for various organizations, improving workplace culture and employee satisfaction through tailored initiatives. Her work at Charlie Health as a Primary Therapist included providing individual and family therapy.

In addition to her professional achievements, Kierra is an MBA candidate at the University of Michigan, furthering her leadership and business acumen. She combines empathy, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to social change, positioning herself as a leader in both mental health and corporate inclusivity efforts.

Meagan Mitchell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group instruction for over 8 years.

Meagan Mitchell, LICSW, is currently a Child and Adolescent Therapist and owner of Brain Space Wellness. She is working towards her Play Therapy credential. Meagan is also the founder of Agents of Change Social Work Test Prep – a learning platform and community designed for social workers preparing for their licensing exams.

She loves combining her passion for learning and sharing her knowledge with the social work community. Meagan has a strong interest in tech & and innovation, specifically exploring the intersection of technology with social work practices. She is also passionate about multicultural supervision & and ethics; ensuring diverse voices are heard, understood, and supported in supervision and consultation.

Lastly, Meagan is currently a DSW student at SUNY Buffalo.

Course Outline:

1) Introduction and Learning Objectives

Welcome and Introductions: Meagan introduces the session and the guest speaker, Kierra Gray, a DEI strategist and mental health professional.
Learning Objectives: Overview of the course’s goals, including culturally responsive practices, communication skills, and tailored interventions for diverse families.

2) Importance of DEI in Mental Health Work

Why DEI Matters: Discussion on the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in mental health, emphasizing its role in improving access and equity.
Impact on Client Care: How DEI practices enhance communication, trust, and therapeutic relationships in mental health care.

3) Challenges in Working with Diverse Families

Systemic Barriers: Common barriers faced by marginalized families, such as limited access to care, insurance challenges, and cultural distrust of mental health systems.
Generational Differences: How differing generational values impact family dynamics and therapy, with examples of mediation and conflict resolution.

4) Tailoring Interventions for Cultural Responsiveness

Culturally Tailored Interventions: Discussion on tailoring therapeutic interventions to reflect the cultural strengths and values of diverse families.
Communication and Psychoeducation: Importance of enhancing communication with families, addressing mistrust, and providing psychoeducation to foster trust and cooperation.

5) Practical Strategies and Closing

Engaging Organizations in DEI: Insights into bridging DEI work with clinical and organizational efforts, and challenges in sustaining DEI in corporate environments.
Final Thoughts and Resources: Kira shares advice on how professionals can incorporate DEI into their work and provides resources for further learning. Closing remarks on the importance of cultural humility and ongoing education.

Course Creation Date: 10/8/24

Requesting Accessibility Accommodations:

Please email [email protected] to request accessibility accommodations.

System Requirements:

The most recent version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge browser
Javascript enabled
PDF plugin
Graphic and audio output capability
Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)
TLS 1.2 supported by your web browser

Refund Policy: In general, refunds will not be provided. However, if you do have any concerns or grievances, please contact us at the email address below. Registrants who do not complete their course(s) will not receive a refund. Registrants who purchased the course but did not achieve a passing grade will not receive a refund. The Agents of Change Grievance Policy can be viewed here.

Cancellation Policy: If an Agents of Change Continuing Education course is canceled, a full refund will be provided to all participants.

Please email [email protected] with any questions about the course.

Agents of Change is Approved by ACE

Agents of Change, #1919, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 7/26/2023 – 7/26/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.

Agents of Change is Approved by NBCC

Agents of Change has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7620. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Agents of Change is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

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