The central question "How do we know cultural competence when we see it?" prompted the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to sponsor a project for developing indicators of cultural competence in healthcare delivery organizations. The Assessment Profile is an analytic or organizing framework and set of specific indicators meant as a tool for examining, demonstrating, and documenting cultural competence in organizations involved in the direct delivery of healthcare services. It builds on previous work in the field, such as the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), and serves as a future building block that advances the conceptualization and practical understanding of how to assess cultural competence at the organizational level.

At a general level, the Profile can help organizations frame and organize their perspectives and activities related to the assessment of cultural competence. More specifically, they can use it in routine performance monitoring, regular quality review and improvement activities, assessment of voluntary compliance with cultural competence standards or guidelines, and periodic evaluative studies.

To view the report, Indicators of Cultural Competence in Health Care Delivery Organizations: An Organizational Cultural Competence Assessment Profile, please visit the HRSA Office of Minority Health Website. For more information on this project, contact Karen Linkins.