Announcement
On behalf of the MACC, Inc. Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Erica C. Crawley, JD, MPA to the position of Executive Director, Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence beginning June 24, 2024.
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Suzanne Coleman Tolbert, Chair, Board of Directors
Welcome
Aboard
Director Erica C. Crawley is a mother, advocate, and veteran. She is also a proud first-generation college graduate, holds a J.D. from Capital University Law School and M.P.A from Walden University. Director Erica C. Crawley is now the first Black woman Franklin County Commissioner and Board President. Before her service as a Franklin County Commissioner, Crawley served in the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 26th District. There, she worked on maternal health, infant mortality, birth-to-five initiatives, housing and food insecurity, and veterans’ issues. She also served as the Ranking Member on the House Finance Committee, among other legislative committees. She was previously appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Infant Mortality, the Commission on Minority Health, the State Controlling Board, the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, and is a founding member of Ohio’s Black Maternal Health Caucus. Prior to her service in elected office, Director Crawley worked on behalf of children and families as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA), and in positions with the YWCA Head Start/Early Start Program and the Black Child Development Institute.
MACC is Ohio’s leading voice for
and we’ve held this distinction for 20 years.
During that time we have supported hundreds of organizations through thousands of trainings, and tens of thousands of hours, to empower them to create more culturally competent working environments, and offer more equitable service delivery options to their patients, clients, and other stakeholders. MACC has become the statewide leader for cultural competence training and education in the behavioral health sector; and we have expanded our services into the government, criminal justice, higher education, healthcare, nonprofit, business sectors, in response to demand.
Cultural Competence Definition
We define cultural competence as a continuous learning process that builds knowledge, awareness, skills and capacity to identify, understand and respect the unique beliefs, values, customs, languages, abilities and traditions of all Ohioans in order to develop policies to promote effective programs and services. (State of Ohio definition created with MACC)
Upcoming Trainings & Events
ENGAGE with us for opportunities for cross-cultural exchange or EDUCATE yourself and others with unique training opportunities designed to advance cultural competence.
Check out our upcoming training and events
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What We Do
MACC, inc. supports organizations by improving their understanding and skills in cultural competence to increase employee engagement and satisfaction, increase equity in upward mobility, improve service delivery and outcomes, reduce litigation, increase the bottom line and impede attrition all while receiving a return on investment that is measurable.
Who We Serve
We serve a wide range of industries, organizations and individuals. Our primary focus is the behavioral healthcare sector, and we also provide specialized services to corporations, higher education, faith-based and community organizations and organizations that serve youth. To learn more about our specialized services, please click the buttons below.
Behavioral Health Sector
MACC is proud to have served Ohio’s behavioral health workforce since our inception in 2003. In fact, it is this sector we were created to support. It was recognized by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OMHAS) and other leaders in this space that there was inequity in service delivery and outcomes due to the lack of recognition and specific focus on social determinants of health for Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) communities. This deficit was due to a lack in training around the Cultural and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards – (CLAS Standards) as well as a lack of diverse representation within the workforce or racial concordance. MACC not only provides CLAS training as well as dozens of other culturally specific training modules developed to support the behavioral health workforce, but we also further support organizations through environmental scans helping them review and assess their internal operations, policies and processes. In 2022, MACC developed the Cultural Competence Certification for the Behavioral Health Workforce for those organizations seeking a true depth of understanding and impact. All trainings offer CEUs and we have certified over 1,000 professionals in the behavioral health field. We work with our behavioral health partners to support them in ensuring they are providing the most inclusive and equitable services to the clients possible to ensure the highest and best outcomes for all.
Faith-based and Community
Where we worship and live are at the front lines of engagement and opportunity for growth, healing and service to our communities. MACC works in partnership with our faith and community leaders by delivering Mental Health First Aid training. This national model does not position faith and community organizations to become direct service providers. Instead, Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. It helps participants to identify and develop relationships with service providers in their areas and trains them to be better able to identify members in need. It trains lay people and everyday citizens how to identify, understand, and appropriately respond to those in need of behavioral health services. The hope is that there will soon be as many people certified in Mental Health First Aid as there are in CPR. MACC partners with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Ohio in delivering this training.
Corporations
Successful businesses are laser-focused on the bottom line and sustainability remains a paramount concern. However, a critical element missing from many organizations is the understanding of how impactful a culturally inclusive and supportive environment both internally and externally can enhance that bottom line and promote greater sustainability. MACC supports organizations in getting to win-wins, gaining understanding and skills in cultural competence: to increase employee engagement and satisfaction; increase equity in upward mobility; improve service delivery and outcomes; reduce litigation; increase the bottom line; and impede attrition, all while receiving a return on investment that is measurable. Further, we have identified that sustainability and market share are often left on the table due to assumptions and biases about who prospective clients and customer are or are not. MACC works to expand the company’s opportunities for success and sustainability both internally and externally. Introductory trainings are available, and industry specific modules are curated based on customer need. Licensing opportunities are available as well.
Youth Organizations
MACC is developing its first ever Grief Camp for youth. Our focus and intention is to first parse out the difference between trauma and grief. The two are often linked together but in reality, the two are distinctly different. Trauma gets the attention and focus – as it should, and we address that through our Trauma Informed Care training. Unfortunately, grief is often left untouched. Without addressing grief – especially in these times of such unprecedented loss for young people due to violence, suicide, depression, anxiety, etc., -- is an incomplete approach to healing and being responsive to their needs. MACC, along with our partners Male Behavioral Health and Black Girl rising will offer our first Grief Camp in 2024.
Higher Education
Post-secondary educational institutions are often the first places young minds have the opportunity to experience people unlike themselves, encounter ideas and ideologies different than their understanding and beliefs and have their understanding of people and the world around them challenged and expanded. These are often the centers of enlightenment, innovation, and discovery for our society and MACC supports this as a valuable and necessary exploration. In order to engage and express themselves, students must feel welcomed, accepted, seen and heard – without barriers, without bigotry, and without biases. MACC works with our institutions of higher learning to support them in creating cultures that provide that exact environment for not just students, but faculty, staff and their entire academic community. The responsibility of educators to establish an inclusive and encouraging environment is as critical as the responsibility to provide academic education in multiple disciplines. MACC endeavors to support our colleges and universities in creating places of learning that expand all who participate and result in well-rounded, thoughtful, and humble citizens prepared to lead as well as walk side-by side with their fellow citizens as appropriate.