CME Planning

Cultural & Linguistic Competency (CLC) and Implicit Bias (IB) standards

Background

California Business and Professions (B&P) Code Section 2190.1, codified through Assembly Bill (AB) 1195 (Coto, 2005) and AB 241 (Kamlager-Dove, 2019) and require continuing medical education activities with patient care components to include curriculum in the subjects of cultural and linguistic competency and implicit bias.

It is the expectation that all CME planners and speakers participating in our CME activities incorporate linguistic and/or cultural competency and implicit bias issues relevant to the topic of their presentation.

Definitions

• Cultural & Linguistic Competency (CLC):  The ability and readiness of health care providers and organizations to humbly and respectfully demonstrate, effectively communicate, and tailor delivery of care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, identities and behaviors, in order to meet social, cultural and linguistic needs as they relate to patient health.
• Implicit Bias (IB):  The attitudes, stereotypes and feelings, either positive or negative, that affect our understanding, actions and decisions without conscious knowledge or control. Implicit bias is a universal phenomenon. When negative, implicit bias often contributes to unequal treatment and disparities in diagnosis, treatment decisions, levels of care and health care outcomes of people based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and other characteristics.
• Diversity:  Having many different forms, types or ideas; showing variety. Demographic diversity can mean a group composed of people of different genders, races/ethnicities, cultures, religions, physical abilities, sexual orientations or preferences, ages, etc.
• Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS):  a way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, which will ultimately help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity. CLAS is about respect and responsiveness: Respect the whole individual and Respond to the individual’s health needs and preferences.

Resources

• HHS National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care [Updated 2022]
• Adverse Childhood Experiences: Tips to help you support inclusivity and equity (Health Net)
• Patient Care Through Better Cultural Awareness (Health Net)
• Health Equity Modules (American Medical Association)
• Health Equity Training Courses (Diversity Science)
• Achieve Health Equity Through Culturally Competent Care for BIPOC Patients (Health Net)
• Cultural and Linguistic Competency Wheel (Johns-Hopkins)
• Implicit Associations Test (Harvard)
• Case Studies on Gender Bias (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) and Racial Bias (American Journal of Public Health)
• Unconscious Bias Training That Works (Harvard Business Review)
• Initiatives to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States (Annals of Internal Medicine)
• Childhood Immunizations: Cultural approaches to support parents who are vaccine hesitant (Health Net)