Cultural Competency for Human Service Professionals: an introductory self-study course

This convenient online course can be taken from anywhere. You can participate in our online classes from home, from your office, even when you travel. A PC or laptop, modem and browser bring the virtual classroom to you, when and where you want to participate. We invite you to join the mailing list for online courses. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to: join-pdas-online@lists.wisc.edu.

At a glance:

Dates: Register for the program whenever it is convenient for you and work at your own pace.
Location: Online
Fee: $75
Contact: Suzanna Waters Castillo 608-263-3174, scastillo@dcs.wisc.edu
Tell a friend: Tell a friend or colleague about this program.
To enroll: See registration options. Program #3015

Description:

This self-study course focuses on fostering Cultural Competency – the development of awareness, knowledge, and skills that allow individuals (and agencies) to increase their abilities to provide effective cross-cultural care. For health and human service care to be acceptable to clients and their families, it must include expectations about their world view, values and experience of care. In other words, care must be culture specific. To provide culturally competent care, one must be aware of cultural differences, and have a working knowledge of and respect for people’s history, traditions, values, and social organization such as family, community, and political structures. Additionally, one must foster effective communication skills and creativity to transfer these skills and knowledge to service delivery. Cultural Competency enables human service professionals to be more successful providers and advocates for the diverse populations they serve.

This self-study course helps you to

Who this course is for: This continuing education course is for human service and mental health professionals: psychologists, counselors,social workers, therapists, and case managers.

• Understand and distinguish concepts relevant to Cultural Competency
• Become aware of and knowledgeable about common barriers to Cultural Competency
• Appreciate the importance of ethnicity as a core part of individual identity
• Apply tools that foster Cultural Competency at a personal, professional, and organizational level
• Ultimately, become a better advocate and service provider to the diverse peoples in our communities

Author and Course Resource:

Suzanna Waters Castillo, PhD is a faculty associate with the department of Professional Development and Applied Studies with a speciality in Cross Cultural Care.

Course access:

Once your registration for the course is received, you are sent an e-mail (you must include an e-mail address with your registration) with the course Web site access and your password. All course readings and content are contained within the course site. When you have completed the course and quizzes, also contained within the course site, you are sent an official Completion Report verifying your completion of the course and the number of continuing education hours earned.

Computer requirements:

Computer requirements to use Learn@UW online courses are as follows:

• An Internet connection
• A Web Browser (such as Internet Explore 5.0 higher, Netscape 4.7, 6 or higher, Mozilla, or Safari. Note: Netscape 7.0 is recommended for Mac users)
• E-mail account (address). You must have an e-mail address to participate in our online course. Please include your e-mail address with your registration.

More information on current requirements.

Credits:

CEU: 0.5 or 5 hours of continuing education from the UW-Madison. When you finish the course quizzes, which are contained within the course site, you receive a Completion Report verifying your participation in the course.

Approvals: The Department of Professional Development and Applied Studies is an approved provider for professional counselors through the National Board of Certified Counselors (provider #5990), social workers through the Association of Social Work Boards (provider #1042), and is an accredited university provider for WI licensed psychologists, and marriage and family therapists.

General information:

Registration: Registrations are confirmed in writing. If you do not receive written confirmation of your registration, please call 608-262-7942.

Fee: $75.

Credits:The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Professional Development and Applied Studies, (provider number #1042) is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (800-225-6880) through the Approved Continuing Education program. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Professional Development and Applied Studies, maintains responsibility for the program. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is also an approved provider by the Wisconsin Psychological Examining Board to offer continuing education credits for psychologists.

For more information: If you have any questions, contact Suzanna Waters Castillo 608-263-3174 or scastillo@dcs.wisc.edu. We also invite you to join our list to receive e-mail notices of online courses in human services. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to: join-pdas-online@lists.wisc.edu.

Registration options:

By phone: Call 608-262-7942 or toll-free 800-725-9692.

By mail: Print, complete and mail the UW Continuing Studies registration form.

By fax: Print, complete and fax the UW Continuing Studies registration form.

Online: Secure online registration is available for this program.