Vision
Disparities exist in access to services and health outcomes for children and youth residing in Connecticut. The Cultural and Linguistic Competency workgroup vision is to develop, plan and implement a statewide process for incorporating enhanced Culturally Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards within the children’s Network of Care in Connecticut.
Goal
The goal of this workgroup is to partner with families and network of care leaders in order to promote health equity, racial justice and cultural and linguistic competence across all behavioral health services at the local, regional and state levels.
CONNECTing Annual Reports
Activities and outcomes from the Fiscal Mapping workgroup are reflected in the CONNECTing Children and Families to Care Annual Reports.
Health Equity Plans
Since 2016, the CONNECTing with CLAS initiative has helped 36 community mental health and non-profit organizations develop Health Equity Plans to promote health equity and engage youth and families using the CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) standards.
In addition, the CONNECTing Children and Families to Care initiative published a free, self-guided 2019 CLAS Toolkit, Advancing Health Equity and Racial Justice in Children’s Behavioral Health. The toolkit is designed to help organizations develop their own Health Equity plans. View the toolkit below or click here to download.
Learn how National CLAS Standards are being used in Connecticut to reduce health disparities and provide culturally responsive care in CHDI’s Issue Brief, Providing Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care for Families: The Role of National CLAS Standards in Reducing Health Disparities.
CONNECTing with CLAS videos
Connecting with CLAS Standards video (English)
This video describes the CONNECTing with CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) framework for promoting health equity and reducing disparities in Connecticut through the development of Health Equity Plans.
CONECTANDO con los estándares de CLAS video
Este video describe el marco de CONEXIÓN con los estándares de CLAS para promover la equidad en la salud y reducir las disparidades en Connecticut a través del desarrollo de planes de equidad para la salud.