title: Learning from those we serve: Piloting a culture competence intervention co-developed by university faculty and persons in recovery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article describes the development and piloting of a bilevel intervention codeveloped by persons in recovery from mental illness and addiction and university faculty with expertise in cultural competence to improve the cultural competence of a community mental health center in the northeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two faculty and 5 persons in recovery met for 6 months to develop the bilevel training intervention. They discussed experiences of culturally responsive care and developed experiential activities and case examples for the 2-day training. Forty-five community mental health service providers attended the 2-day training. Trainees' self-reported awareness, knowledge, and skills in cultural competence were measured pre and post training and analyzed with repeated measure t tests. Next, faculty and persons in recovery provided follow-up training and helped to establish an infrastructure supported to support the agency cultural competence plan. One hundred twenty-five providers completed the Organizational Multicultural Competence Survey and between-subjects t tests measured increases in organizational cultural competence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant increases were found in providers' multicultural knowledge, awareness, and skills. Qualitative responses demonstrated the contribution of the experiences of persons in recovery to the training. Ratings of the organizational-level cultural competence intervention showed significant improvements in the agency's cultural competence policies (e.g., implementation of strategies to hire and retain a diverse workforce).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that bilevel interventions codeveloped by persons in recovery and researchers may be effective in increasing provider and organizational-level cultural competence. Future research should evaluate the effect of these interventions on consumers and health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Miriam E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Delphin-Rittmon
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Chyrell D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bellamy
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Molta
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Bridgett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
authors.forename: Maria-Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cruza-Guet
authors.affiliation: Hispanic Health Council.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009511:New England; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D000067250:Psychiatric Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards