Cultural Competency & Diversity Plan

Purpose

The purpose of United Rehabilitation Services (URS) Cultural Competency & Diversity Plan (Plan) is to meet the individual, cultural and diversity needs of our clients, staff and other stakeholders.  The plan demonstrates the organization’s awareness of, respect for, and attention to diversity of the individuals we serve, their families, staff members, and other stakeholders.   The plan addresses URS’ overall investment in cultural competency ensuring considerations for culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, ethnicity, ancestry, spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic status, and language.

Goals

The goals of this Plan are:

  • To enhance commitment to becoming a more culturally competent organization through leadership, staff investment, and documentation efforts.
  • Individual cultural differences are recognized in persons-served Individual Plan (IP).
  • Foster respect for, and acknowledgement of different needs and approaches.
  • To align URS policies and procedures with culturally competent principles and standards.
  • To enhance understanding of different communication needs and styles of diverse client populations.
  • To improve communication with clients who have limited English language proficiency.
  • To improve the avenues of communication within and between ethnically diverse clients and communities.
  • To create opportunities for client, staff and community input.
  • To enhance community partner and client engagement and commitment through increased involvement and accountability.

Objectives

The objectives of URS’ cultural competency program are:

  • To ensure cultural and diversity needs of persons-served are recognized and acknowledged as appropriate.
  • Identify cultural needs of persons served and to address them in their IP, as appropriate.
  • To ensure there is training for staff to improve understanding of and sensitivity to our culturally diverse population and to increase competency in serving those individuals.
  • To ensure staff members acknowledge the value of the diverse cultural differences in the organization and in the populations we serve.