Cultural and Linguistic Competency in CME

As health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities and among foreign-born populations increase in the United States, government agencies develop strategies to increase awareness and provide standards for reducing this trend. Even though Americans in general are experiencing an improvement in health, minority populations continue to bear disease and illness disproportionately. CME focusing on cultural and linguistic competency is one way to ensure that physicians maintain the relevant professional development necessary to reflect the changing demographic profile of California. AB 1195 requires that CME curriculum address Cultural and Linguistic Competency in patient care with the goal of reducing health disparities among target populations. Please include in your presentation relevant information relating to age, gender, race, socio-economics, sexual orientation, religion, language, and/or ethnicity.

It is your responsibility to make sure that your course conforms with California State Law by doing at least one of the following:

1. Offer specifically designed and focused activities which include these four elements:
   • Applying linguistic skills to communicate effectively with the target population
   • Utilizing cultural information to establish therapeutic relationships
   • Eliciting and incorporating pertinent cultural data in diagnosis and treatment
   • Understanding and applying cultural and ethnic data to the process of clinical care
2. Incorporate translation/interpretation resources and/or integrate relevant strategies for translation/interpretation
3. Incorporate a review and explanation of relevant federal and state laws and regulations regarding linguistic access.

For text to add to your handouts/syllabus for distribution, in order to meet the minimum requirement of the State law, click here  (see page 7)