Cultural Competency within the Managed Health Services network is defined as, “a set of interpersonal skills that allow individuals to increase their understanding, appreciation, acceptance and respect for cultural diversity and similarities within, among and between groups and the sensitivity to know how these differences influence relationships with members.”

Managed Health Services is committed to the development, strengthening, and sustaining of healthy provider and member relationships. Members are entitled to dignified, appropriate and quality care. When healthcare services are delivered without regard for cultural differences, members are at risk for sub-optimal care. Members may be unable or unwilling to communicate their healthcare needs in an insensitive environment, reducing the effectiveness of the entire healthcare process.

Managed Health Services, provides access to training and tool-kits to assist our Network Providers in developing culturally competent and culturally proficient practices.

Cultural Competency (Resources):

• Cultural Competency Overview; topics include: (PDF)
  • Network Providers must ensure…
  • Understanding the Need for Culturally Competent Services
  • Failure to use culturally competent and linguistically competent practices could result in…
  • Preparing Cultural Competency Development
  • Facts about Health Disparities
  • Cultural Considerations
  • Working with Interpreters
• Culturally Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) (PDF)
• Cultural Organizational Self-Assessment (PDF)
• Interpreters and Translator List (PDF)

Resource Materials:

MHS members receive printed information from MHS through mailings and during face-to-face contacts.

MHS produces all vital materials in English and Spanish, and, as requested, additional languages (e.g., Hmong, Lao, and Russian) and formats (e.g., Braille, large font and audio tapes.).

Support Resources:

AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) – AHIP is a national association representing nearly 1,300 members providing health benefits to more than 200 million Americans. AHIP and its predecessor organizations have advocated on behalf of health insurance plans for more than six decades.

AHIP Diversity & Cultural Competency

AHIP Online Training Modules (8):

AHIP Tools to Address Disparities in Health Care (online CEU modules) – this online clinical and non-clinical course is available 24/7 and address a variety of cross-cultural training and education needs, whether you’d like to learn more about chronic conditions, or how to better serve diverse poplulations including individuals with limited English proficiency.