Health care organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of cultural competence as it relates to efficiency, quality, and equity in the delivery of care within a competitive health care market, and Culture, Heritage, and Diversity in Older Adult Mental Health Care is designed to train mental health clinicians to deliver culturally sensitive care to an increasingly diverse patient population. Projections indicate that 35% of patients older than age 65 will be from a racial or ethnic minority group by 2050, compared with 11% in 1970. Today's mental health practitioners require knowledge, sensitivity, and an understanding of institutionalized practices and systems that undermine their patients' health and well-being. The term culture is multifaceted and may refer to one's belief system, values, religion, race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, geographic location, educational level, age, occupational risks and exposures, and gender. The authors of the book examine mental health care through these lenses, teaching the reader about implicit biases and potential miscommunication and offering strategies for overcoming these difficulties. The editor, who has worked in leadership positions overseeing veterans' mental health services, has assembled an impressive and diverse roster of contributors, each with specific expertise in his or her assigned subject. • The ways in which cultural competency interacts with the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies are explored in detail. For example, in terms of patient care, cultural competency plays an important role in gathering subjective data about a patient that may ultimately impact outcomes. Teaching methods to increase cultural sensitivity and build skills in this area are highlighted, as are training modalities and clinician evaluation.• The effects of migration and acculturation on mental health are examined, providing clinicians with several theoretical frameworks for understanding the migratory experience in older adults and exploring psychosocial factors associated with psychological risk in aging immigrants.• Linguistic competence, defined broadly as effective communication with individuals speaking a nondominant language, is an essential component of culturally competent health care and is of particular importance in mental health care. Accordingly, the authors analyze linguistic competency in both administrative and clinical encounters and present strategies for achieving mastery in this critically important area.• The text provides an abundance of tables and pedagogical features designed to enhance comprehension, including learning objectives, key points, and study questions. Cultural competence in health care systems is defined as the ability to understand and integrate the features listed above into the provision of health care services. Culture, Heritage, and Diversity in Older Adult Mental Health Care prepares clinicians to provide sensitive, high-quality, culturally competent care to geriatric patients from diverse backgrounds and will prove indispensable as patient demographics continue to change. How can schools and districts support better outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)? Find the answers in this essential guide for administrators and educators, a user-friendly roadmap for assessing teachers' current instruction and implementing evidence-based teaching practices . The heart of this unique resource is an efficient Classroom Observation Tool developed by the authors (in collaboration with classroom teachers and administrators), which helps support school teams in implementing evidence-based practices for teaching students with ASD. After uncovering strengths and needs with the tool, educational leaders can use the practical guidelines and strategies in the book to strengthen instruction at the classroom, school, and district levels. Readers will also get critical background information on students with ASD, including their cognitive processes, the challenges they encounter in school, the fundamentals of intervention, and the key laws and regulations every school leader needs to know. With this informative tool and concise handbook, school leaders can make high-quality instruction the norm in every classroom— and develop new ways to support the engagement and learning of all students with ASD. USE THE BOOK AND TOOL TOGETHER TO:
• assess evidence-based practices in both general and special education settings
• identify areas for improvement and target professional development efforts
• help teachers develop and deliver effective instruction for students with ASD
• match teaching practices with the cognitive profiles and learning needs of individual students
• learn new strategies for productive collaboration between teachers and adminisatrators Assess and improve practices in three key areas:
Environment —including physical organization of the classroom, visual schedules, and behavioral supports
Instruction —including clear instructional objectives, activity schedules, direct instruction, systematic instruction, and data collection
Communication —including embedded communication instruction, communication with peers and adults, and targeted social skills instruction About the Authors: Christina R. Carnahan, Ed.D., is Associate Professor of Special Education and Director of Advancement and Transition Services at the University of Cincinnati. Her research interests include literacy instruction for individuals with autism and other significant support needs across the lifespan. Dr. Carnahan has published in journals such as Expectational Children, Focus on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and Journal of Special Education.
K. Alisa Lowrey, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Special Education within the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education in the College of Education and Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the field of special education. Dr. Lowrey is the Program Coordinator for the Undergraduate Program at USM. She is also the co-editor for Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Her research interests include inclusive practices, universal design for learning, and quality teacher preparation and professional development, specifically focusing on those learners with the most significant support needs. Dr. Lowrey has published in journals such as Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
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