Cultural Competency Assessment of a Community-Based Program

Essay by deetwinUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, January 2010

download word file, 11 pages 0.0

Human service providers must operate in cross-cultural environments making addressing cultural competence a vital part of the agency. Appropriate preparation is essential in order for an agency to successfully avert, recognize, and treat individuals who seek help through an agency. In this paper, Team A will present the community-based program WORK, Inc, which is a nonprofit organization that provides services that enable disabled clients to work. Additionally, Team A conducted a cultural competence assessment to see if WORK, Inc. is a culturally competent agency. This paper will present the assessment results, a brief history of WORK, Inc., the population they serve, the services offered, mission statement, staff and client make-up, annual budget, and the source of the budget.

History of WORK, Inc.

WORK, Inc. is a successful nonprofit agency that provides rehabilitation services to help disabled clients find jobs. WORK, Inc., founded in 1965, helps over 1,000 people daily. The agency's commitment to excellence, innovative spirit, and wish to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve, has made them successful.

In 1997, the Massachusetts Department Mental Health (DMH) funded Work Source, a prestigious program, which offers personalized employment services. For the past 40 years, WORK, Inc. has been providing people with disabilities employment services (WORK, Inc., n.d.). The sole purpose of this program is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.

Population ServedWORK, Inc. serves people with a variety of disabilities, regardless of age or disability including mental retardation, chronic mental illness, cerebral palsy, mobility impairments, autism, traumatic head injury, sensory impairments, deafness, and epilepsy. WORK, Inc. helps people define their employment objectives and assists them in career exploration, training, education, counseling, and job placement. People may search an array of career paths and improve their skills to acquire satisfying jobs (WORK, Inc.,