Cultural & Linguistic Competence (CLC) Resource Library for Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities

CLAS Implementation

CLAS Tools

A Curriculum for Developing Culturally & Linguistically Apropriate Service- Facilitator's Manual
Curriculum for developing culturally and liguistically appropriate services by implementing the CLAS Standards.

A Physician's Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care
Online curriculum for health care practitioners, specifically self-directed training course designed for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners related to the National CLAS standards.

Blueprint for Advancing and Sustaining CLAS Policy and Practice
The Blueprint is a framework for health organizations to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities through the development of health policies and programs aimed at advancing health equity and eliminating health and health care disparities.

CLAS Standards Training Toolkit and Planning Worksheet- Implementation Resources
A series of resources and worksheets to help organizations plan for and implement the CLAS standards. It includes a tool to help organizations complete their CLC plan.

CLAS Standards Training Toolkit - Facilitators' Guide for Outreach Workers
Training to help outreach workers understand and implement the CLAS standards.

CLAS Policies and Procedures
Sample of CLAS standards incorprated into agency policies and procedures

Compendium of State Sponsered National CLAS Standards Implementation Activities
A compilation of how states are implementing the CLAS Standards.

Community Engagement Toolkit
Toolkit designed to expand community engagement using data driven strategies.

Condensed Blueprint for Advancing and Sustaining CLAS Policy and Practice
A condensed version of the CLAS Blueprint, providing general information on the CLAS Standards and their implementation.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services- Advancing Health with CLAS
Overview of the CLAS standards

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards Training Toolkits
Toolkits to assist health care delivery organizations and community based organizations in the implementation of CLAS standards.

Equity and Empowerment Lens
A wesbite with a variety of resources to help individuals and organizations apply an equity and empowerment lens. It is meant to help individuals and organizations design and implement more racially equitable policies and programs.

Fundamentals of the National CLAS Standards
Part 1 of a 3 part webinar series put on by the Office of Minority Health providing information regarding the CLAS Standards

GARE - Racial Equity Toolkit
Racial equity toolkit designed to help organizations operationalize equity.

Health Belief Toolkit
This toolkit, developed by USF, Covian and the Center for Community Learning highlights, among many other things, the need for care that is responsive to the diverse health beliefs and practices of individuals seeking behavioral health.

Implementing CLAS: Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Diverse Populations
This webinar sets the context of CLAS in Systems of Care. It was developed for the Miami Dade County's Child Mental Health Initiative FACES, and can be adapted for a specific state or community.

Implementing CLAS Standards and Improving Cultural Competency and Language Access
Practical guide for organizations to look at and implement the CLAS standards, cultural competence and language access.

Implementing National CLAS Standards in Washington
Materials including power point presentations, activities and a facilitator's guide for conducting CLAS training. Created in WA but can be adapted for use in other states.

Making CLAS Happen (Enhanced): Six Areas for Action
Massachusetts DPH/OHEA guide to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in a variety of public health settings.

Mental Health - A Guide for Faith Leaders
This guide provides information to help faith leaders work with members of their congregations and their families who are facing mental health challenges.

National CLAS Standards: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet on CLAS from the Office of Miinorty.

The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (the National CLAS Standards)List of the Enhanced National Standards for Culturally and Lingustically Appropriatre Services.

Language and Communication

A Class About C.L.A.S
This video, produced by the Utah Department of Health, covers the basics of what the CLAS standards are and what they do.

A Patient-Centered Guide to Implementing Language Access Services in Healthcare Organizations
Guide designed to help healthcare systems accommodate diverse patient populations through language access services.

A Practical Guide to Implementing the National CLAS Standards for Racial, Ethnic and Lingustic Minorities, People with Disabilities and Sexual and Gender Minorities
The purpose of this toolkit is to enable organizations to implement the National CLAS Standards and improve health equity. It is organized according to the enhanced National CLAS Standards, and provides practical tools and examples of CLAS, in addition to efforts to implement the National CLAS Standards that can be adapted for use by health care organizations. It is intended for organizations that have already decided to pursue CLAS, to improve equity and eliminate health care disparities; it is not a decision guide about whether to implement National CLAS Standards.

Addressing Language Access Issues in Your Practice: A Toolkit for Physicians and their Staff Members
This is a toolkit for physicians and health care teams that presents a systems approach to re-designing practices to provide the highest quality care possible to patients who speak limited English.

Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence and Patient- and Family-Centered Care; A Roadmap for Hospitals
Guidebook for hospitals to address cultural competence issues along all stages of the care continuum.

AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit
Toolkit that provides evidence based support to health practitioners in addressing health literacy.

Applying National CLAS Standards in Schools
Guide for applying National CLAS Standards in mental health services in schools.

Beyond Translation: Promoting a New National Standard for Equity in Health Materials Translated from English
Recommendations regarding standards for translation of materials.

Communication Guide: All Cultures
Tip sheet for practitioners on how to incorporate cultural considerations in developing good communication with patients.

Do's and Don'ts: Guidelines for Clinicians Working with Interpreters in Mental Health Settings
Best practices for mental health providers when dealing with language interpreters in a clinical setting.

Ensuring Linguistic Access in Healthcare Settings: An Overview of Current Legal Rights and Responsibilities
Brief focusing on the language access responsibilities of federally funded recipients pursuant to the federal civil rights laws.

Guide to Providing Effective Communication and Language Assistance Services
A comprehensive guide designed for health care administrators and health care providers. This guide helps organizations provide effective communication and language assistance services to culturally and lingustically diverse populations. The documents contains resource lists and practical tools for implementation.

Health Literacy Starter Kit
Presentation from Health Literacy Summit regarding the definition of health literacy, data regarding health literacy rates, and the impact of low health literacy.

Help Me Don't Judge Me- Lessons in Cultural Competency
To address behavioral health disparities, youth and families from Broward County, Florida scripted and acted in video skits based on real-life experiences that highlight incidences where the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards were not applied.

I Deserve Respect- Lessons on Cultural Competency
To address behavioral health disparities, youth and families from Broward County, Florida scripted and acted in video skits based on real-life experiences that highlight incidences where the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards were not applied.

I'm Not Being Difficult- Lessons on Cultural Competency
To address behavioral health disparities, youth and families from Broward County, Florida scripted and acted in video skits based on real-life experiences that highlight incidences where the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards were not applied.

Interpretation Toolkit
Toolkit or using interpretation services in a clinical setting.

Interpreter Policy: Many Languages, One Voice!
This resource describes polices and procedures for working with interpreters. It provides helpful hints for working with interpreters and it also discusses the use of cultural and linguistic competence.

Language Access Assessment and Planning Tool for Federally Conducted and Federally Assisted Programs
Tool designed by the USDOJ Civil Rights Division to assist federally funded organizations in conducting a language access assessment and developing a language access policy, plan and procedures.

Language Matters in Mental Health
Infographic regarding the importance of people-first language.

Language Portal
Database of resources used to provide services to LEP individuals. Contains state and local agency documents used to provide services to LEP clients that have been translated into a variety of languages.

Language Assistance Toolkit
This toolkit, developed by USF, Covian and the Center for Community Learning, addresses the CLAS Standards related to Communication and Language Assistance.

Legal Mandates and National Standards: Ensuring Language Access in Children's Mental Health
Webinar on Language Access in Children's Mental Health

My Anxiety Is Very Real- Lessons on Cultural Competency
To address behavioral health disparities, youth and families from Broward County, Florida scripted and acted in video skits based on real-life experiences that highlight incidences where the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards were not applied.

National CLAS Standards - A Condensed Blueprint for Advancing and Sustaining CLAS Policy and Practice

A practical guide listing strategies for implementation of each CLAS standard.

Plain Language
Website listing of resources for plain writing.

Plain Language Material Development
Power point presentation regarding how to use plain language in materials to improve health literacy.

Toolkit for Making Written Material Clear and Effective
A resource for health literacy. This toolkit provides a detailed set of materials to help providers make written materials easier to read, understand and use. Includes guidelines for written translations.

Understanding and Practical Implementation of CLAS Standards
Example of an innovative CLAS Standard implementation in New Hamphsire's Safe Schools/Healthy Students program.

Utah Department of Health CLAS Toolkit
Toolkit that provides guidance to providers involved in translating materials.

Utah Department of Health Translation Manual
Manual to supplement language assistance toolkit. Provides further reference and information regarding translation.

We Want to Know What They Are Saying: A Multi Agency Collaborative Effort to Address Parental Language Barriers and Disproportionate Minority Contact
Report highlighting multi agency collaborative effort in New York City to help develop multi lingual materials to help LEP parents in the juvenile justice system.

Working with Foreign Language Interpreters: Recommendations for Psychological Practice
Scholarly article describing different aspects of working with interpreters in a behavioral health setting