Cultural Competency

• Curriculum

 
 
 

 
 

Dear Colleague:

A glaring challenge in counseling has been the need to be culturally sensitive and relevant in addressing the mental health and counseling needs of diverse populations. Recently, a major finding from the United States Surgeon General showed that “racial and ethnic minorities bear a greater burden from unmet mental health needs as compared to whites.”

Over the last few years, the Black African-American Christian Counselors (a division of the AACC) has worked tirelessly to mobilize and educate the Church and the Christian counseling community on this very topic for those serving African-Americans. Their work is paying off. BAACC membership is on a vertical climb and now we are thrilled to launch our first African-American Cultural Competency Training Series. Continuing Education credits are also available for those who complete the study series.

Developed by the BAACC leadership team, this program is sure to help increase your sensitivity to, awareness of, and effectiveness in counseling African-Americans. Lessons include: Personal Identity Issues within the African-American Culture; Perceptions of Domestic Violence within the African-American Culture; Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression in African-American Populations; and Counseling Ministry of African-American Families Impacted by Incarceration. The truth is, this program is long overdue. I am so pleased we are taking positive steps together as a counseling organization. Together, we can foster unity and maturity in Christ.

Blessings,

Tim Clinton, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT, BCPCC
President