artifacts. Culture depends on the capacity of humans for learning and transmitting knowledge to
succeeding generations. It takes into account the customs, beliefs, social norms, and material
traits of a racial, religious, or social group. With this type of definition, it is easy to see that there
is indeed a culture of addiction, a culture of poverty, a gay culture, and even a recovery culture.
Cross and colleagues present a comprehensive discussion of culturally competent systems of
which can briefly be described as follows:
1. Valuing diversity. Counselors value diversity when they accept that the people they
serve come from very different backgrounds and may make different choices based on
culture. Although all people share common basic needs, there are vast differences in how
people go about meeting those needs. Accepting the fact that each culture finds some
behaviors, actions, or values more important or desirable than others helps workers
interact more successfully with different people.
2. Cultural self-assessment. When counselors understand how systems of care are shaped
by dominant cultures, it may be easier for them to assess how these systems interface
with other cultures. Care providers can then choose actions that minimize cross-cultural
barriers.
3. Dynamics of difference. When cultural systems interact, both representatives (e.g., care
provider and client) may misjudge the other's actions based on history and learned
expectations. Both will bring dynamics of difference--culturally prescribed patterns of
communication, etiquette, and problemsolving, as well as underlying feelings about
serving or being served by someone who is different. Incorporating an understanding of
these dynamics and their origins into the system enhances chances for productive cross -
cultural interventions.
4. Institutionalization of cultural knowledge. Workers must have accurate cultural
knowledge and information or access to such information. They also must have available
to them community contacts and consultants to answer culturally related questions.
5. Adaptations to diversity. The previous four elements build a context for a cross-
culturally competent system of care and service. Both workers' and systems' approaches
can be adapted to create a better fit between needs of people and services available. For
instance, members of certain ethnic groups repeatedly receive negative messages from
the media about their culture. Programs can be developed that incorporate alternative
culturally enhancing experiences, develop problemsolving skills, and teach about the
origins of stereotypes and prejudice. By creating and implementing such programs,
workers can begin to institutionalize cultural interventions as a legitimate helping
approach.
Finally, becoming culturally competent is a developmental process for individual counselors.
It is not something that happens because one reads a book, or attends a workshop, or happens to
be a member of a minority group. It is a process born of a commitment to provide quality
Making culturally competent decisions
