Cultural and Linguistic Competence

The Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD) has long provided leadership in cultural and linguistic competence and in addressing health and mental health disparities and inequities. Through a variety of programs and projects, the GUCCHD has provided the vision, leadership, knowledge, training and technical assistance to increase the capacity of systems and programs serving a broad array of individuals and families to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. GUCCHD has led efforts to infuse cultural and linguistic competence into key human services systems and programs. The focus of these efforts has included:

• Health and mental health care delivery and
• Public health and health promotion.

Programs and projects address the needs of an array of special populations including, but not limited to:

• programs serving individuals with developmental and other disabilities and their families,
• systems of care for children and youth with mental health needs and their families,
• systems and programs serving children and youth with special health care needs and their families,
• consumer and family advocacy organizations concerned with health and mental health care, and
• programs for Sudden Unexpected Infant and Child Death and Other Pregnancy Loss.

In addition, the GUCCHD supports the cultural and linguistic competence of the current and future human services workforce through enhancing professional development and training.

Currently, the National Center for Cultural Competence coordinates these efforts within the GUCCHD.