A written plan of cultural competency incorporating the National Standards (CLAS) recommended by the Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services has been drafted and incorporated in the NPP Policies and Procedures Manual. As suggested by the CLAS standards, the plan includes recommendations on recruitment of persons who have the appropriate qualifications and are representative of the cultures serviced by our program. This policy applies to persons hired for positions of leadership, management, direct service and support service positions.

A training program of cultural competency for the staff was implemented to address the unique personality qualities, communicative styles, and cultural customs, beliefs and values characteristic of the cultural groups serviced by our program. The staff attended presentations of the plan, received appropriate reading material and had opportunity to ask questions and discuss the elements of the program. In regard to communication, the NPP staff speaks the languages commonly used by our patient, English and Spanish.