Multiculturalism, Values, Social Justice, and Advocacy - RECN 720 CHAPTER 3 PDF

Multiculturalism, values, social justice, and advocacy. Héctor José Velázquez-González, PhD, CRC February 24, 2022 Objectives Recognize characteristics of a culturally competent counselor. Describe ways of multicultural competence as an ethical issue. Define social justice. Identify competence to pr...

Multiculturalism, values, social justice, and advocacy. Héctor José Velázquez-González, PhD, CRC February 24, 2022 Objectives Recognize characteristics of a culturally competent counselor. Describe ways of multicultural competence as an ethical issue. Define social justice. Identify competence to provide counseling services to culturally diverse clients. Recognize laws applicable to culturally diverse populations in counseling. Introduction Multiculturalism – discussion over the past 65 years. Moved from a position of cultural encapsulation to an awareness of our ethical responsibility to serve diverse clients effectively by practicing in a multiculturally competent manner, to an emphasis on social justice and advocacy aimed at improving the lives of all people in our society and across the world. Introduction Wrenn (1962) ○ First counseling professionals draw attention to this issue when he introduced the term culturally encapsulated counselor. ○ Define reality according to one set of cultural assumptions and thus fail to evaluate other viewpoints, becoming locked into stereotypical thinking. Introduction 1970s ○ Growing concern about mental health practitioners’ lack of preparedness to counsel diverse clients. ○ ACA and its divisions provided leadership in the effort to make mental health services responsive to the needs of a diverse clientele. Introduction 1980s ○ Multicultural counseling was increasingly recognized as a major discipline within the profession. ○ Competent practitioners who are able to establish a working alliance that takes into consideration both the personal and cultural dynamics of the client and counselor. Introduction 20th Century ○ ○ ○ Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), developed and operationalized the Multicultural Counseling Competencies and Standards 2001 - Arredondo and Aricniega added grounding principles that placed these competencies in an ecological frame. 2015 - AMCD developed the Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies, which have been endorsed by ACA. Introduction Shift beyond awareness of societal inequities to an emphasis on social justice and advocacy. Introduction Social justice ○ Defined as a commitment to promoting access and equity with the aim of empowering and ensuring full participation of all people in a society, especially those who have been marginalized and systematically excluded on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics of a group membership. Introduction Advocacy ○ Translates that commitment (social justice) into action. When issues of power, privilege, and discrimination arise, counselors are called on to address client issues at successively broader levels. Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! Multicultural considerations have been infused only gradually into our profession’s code of ethics. Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! ACA Code of Ethics (2014) “multicultural counseling competency is required across all specialties” and that counselors must “gain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, dispositions, and skills pertinent to being a culturally competent counselor in working with a diverse client population” (Standard C.2.a) Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! CRCC (2017) D.2. Cultural Competence/Diversity a. Cultural Competency - Rehabilitation counselors develop and maintain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, and skills and demonstrate a disposition reflective of a culturally competent rehabilitation counselor working with diverse client populations. Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! CRCC (2017) D.2. Cultural Competence/Diversity b. Interventions - Rehabilitation counselors develop and adapt interventions and services to incorporate consideration of cultural perspectives of clients and recognition of barriers external to clients that may interfere with achieving effective rehabilitation outcomes. Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! CRCC (2017) D.2. Cultural Competence/Diversity c. Nondiscrimination - Rehabilitation counselors do not condone or engage in the prejudicial treatment of an individual or group based on their actual or perceived membership in a particular group, class, or category. Multicultural Competence and Advocacy! CRCC (2017) What does CRC say about advocacy? Look at their Code of Ethics 01 Components of Multicultural Competence Self-Awareness The Case of Marlene (p.61) White privilege in our society allows and even encourages a lack of awareness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I84jxCNsmo 02 Components of Multicultural Competence Knowledge The Case of Jack (p.62) Must also seek out knowledge that will enhance your understanding of clients who are culturally different from you. 03 Components of Multicultural Competence Skills The Case of Theo (p.63) Must recognize that interventions that are effective when working with the dominant culture may not be effective or appropriate when working with clients who are not White, Euro-American, and middle class. Competence The primary ethical issue that relates to multicultural counseling and advocacy is competence. Counseling professionals now generally recognize that they must learn to practice in a diversity-sensitive manner and must develop advocacy skills for intervening in unjust systems. Competence Counselors can practice discrimination without being aware that they are doing so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ2QPwt58XM A picture is worth a thousand words Forms of Prejudice Racism Prejudice and discrimination against people of color and people of certain ethnic origins. Forms of Prejudice Racism Racial microaggressions, which are “brief and commonplace daily verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults” Forms of Prejudice Sexism Gender equity? The majority of counselors are females. Forms of Prejudice Socioeconomic Status Link between poverty and mental health? Forms of Prejudice Socioeconomic Status It may be difficult for counselors to relate to the phenomenon of poverty and to become aware of their class biases. Forms of Prejudice Ableism Form of discrimination or prejudice against individuals with physical, developmental, or mental disabilities that is characterized by the belief that these individuals cannot function as full members of society. Forms of Prejudice Ableism This problem may persist because disability has not been widely recognized as a multicultural concern by counselors. Disability issues generally have not been included in social justice agendas. Forms of Prejudice Ageism Older adults are the fastest-growing group. There will be a burgeoning need for culturally competent counselors to serve this population in the coming years. The Case of Mary Jo (p. 66) Forms of Prejudice Affectional orientation Internalized attitudes of homophobia, homonegativity, and heterosexism among mental health professionals have led to harmful practices, such as assuming that a client is heterosexual, referring a client who discloses his or her sexual orientation, acquiescing in the dissolution of a relationship because it is with a person of the same sex, and failing to support the desire for child custody of gay parents. Forms of Prejudice Spiritual and Religious Bias Spirituality can be defined as a personal relationship with a higher power and faith that may be used to find meaning in life. Religion is a shared set of practices and beliefs that is associated with denominational affiliations. The Case of Clarence (p. 68) Maybe you need to divide the content Mercury Venus Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest one in the Solar System—it’s only a bit larger than the Moon Venus has a beautiful name and is the second planet from the Sun. It’s terribly hot—even hotter than Mercury Multiple Cultural Identities Individuals have multiple, interrelated cultural characteristics. Counselors should examine how race, class, gender, and other cultural factors interact in their own lives. Engaging in this process, will let you recognize that you simultaneously experience both privilege and oppression The Case of Horst (p.69) Values and Value Conflicts Requires counselors to be aware of—and avoid imposing—their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors on clients. Values and Value Conflicts When the value systems of the counselor and clients differ, however, particularly around emotionally charged issues, these differences can become problematic. Values and Value Conflicts Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services, Inc. (2001) Walden v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) Ward v. Wilbanks (2010) Keeton v. Augusta State University (2011) Values and Value Conflicts State legislations – Conscience clause legislations Arizona, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee Values and Value Conflicts End-of-Life Decision Making ACA signed on to an amicus brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1997 in support of the role of mental health professionals in assisting individuals with their end-of-life decision-making. Victims of Illegal Discrimination ACA (2014) states that counselors do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law. Victims of Illegal Discrimination There may be circumstances in which you must take action to ensure that individuals from minority groups are not harmed physically or emotionally by others. The legal duties of counselors related to discrimination are found in the U.S. Constitution as well as laws and statutes. Gay and Lesbian Clients and Family Law Issues Counselors clearly should not provide legal advice to their clients; rather, counselors should refer their clients to attorneys or legal advocacy groups if clients need assistance. Cultural Issues in Crisis Counseling Individuals from various cultures react differently to crisis events. Counselors should avoid stereotypical conclusions regarding nonverbal behaviors such as sitting on one’s hands (which could mean the person is cold rather than wants to hide his or her feelings) or lack of eye contact (which could mean the individual is showing respect for the other person rather than showing a sign of sadness).