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It is incumbent upon ASHA members, as lifelong learners, to develop cultural competency—that is, to develop their skills for working with all clients/patients regardless of cultural and linguistic background.
Federal Legislation
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees that "no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
In August 2000, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13166 to "improve access to federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities for persons, who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their English proficiency (LEP)."
As clinicians, it is important that we provide culturally appropriate services to all of our clients, not only because it's the right thing but also because discrimination can result in a loss of federal funding. This federal legislation helps to establish ASHA policy documents supporting the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
ASHA Policy Documents
The need for providing culturally appropriate services is documented in the ASHA policy document, Knowledge and Skills Needed by Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists to Provide Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services. This document reminds us that every client, just as every clinician, has a culture. The development of competence begins with each of us, as individuals, and it proceeds along a continuum.
Progress results from valuing differences, self-assessment, building cultural knowledge, and adapting practice to reflect the patient's cultural and linguistic background. An understanding of our own culture and values is essential to fully understand how those values may affect our interactions with clients and how we deliver services.
There are several ASHA policies and procedures that are important to culturally appropriate service delivery.
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