At The Cultural Health Equity Initiative, we are dedicated to promoting health equity and improving healthcare quality for all individuals. As part of this commitment, we vigorously advocate for the implementation and adherence to the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care.

National CLAS Standards

The National CLAS Standards is comprised of 15 strategic actions designed to advance health equity, enhance care quality, and reduce healthcare disparities. These standards offer a framework for individuals and healthcare organizations to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services. By advocating for these standards, we aim to foster a more inclusive and effective healthcare system that honors and addresses the diverse cultural health beliefs, practices, preferred languages, health literacy levels, and communication needs of all patients.

Our Policy Priorities

In addition to advocating for the National CLAS Standards, we also support and promote a variety of policies aimed at advancing cultural health equity. Our key policy priorities include:

1. Language Access Policies

   • These policies ensure that patients with limited English understanding have access to interpretation services, translated materials, and language assistance during healthcare encounters. This helps break up the language barrier and ensures communication between a patient and the providers.

2. Cultural Competence Training Requirements

   • Policies mandating cultural competency training for healthcare providers help them understand and respect the cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and practices of their patients. Training may cover topics such as cultural humility, unconscious bias, and effective cross-cultural communication.

3. Health Literacy Improvement

   • The Health Literacy Improvement policy focuses on enhancing the ability of individuals to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. By doing so, the simplicity of health information will need to make it easier for patients to understand and use.

4. Culturally Tailored Health Programs

   • Supporting the collection and analysis of data on patient demographics, health outcomes, and disparities to inform policy and practice improvements.

5. Anti-discrimination and Equity Laws - Section 1908 of the Public Health Service Act

   • Comprehensive anti-discrimination laws and policies protect patients from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. These laws promote equitable access to healthcare services and ensure that all patients receive fair treatment and respect.

We invite you to join us in our advocacy efforts. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a community member, or a policymaker, your support and involvement are crucial in advancing health equity. Learn more about how you can contribute to our initiatives and make a difference in your community.