Foundations, nonprofits begin initiative to emphasize cultural competency

The Cultural Competency Initiative (CCI) was launched by the REACH Healthcare Foundation in 2009, with HCF and additional funders joining in 2010. The goal of this initiative was to increase the understanding and practice of cultural competency within nonprofit health and human service organizations in the foundation’s six-county service area, and to ultimately reduce disparities in health among poor and minority populations. It provided customized technical assistance (TA) to organizations to help them implement the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards.