MACC Announces Officers of Statewide Team on Cultural Competence
On January 13, 2007, Charleta B. Tavares, Executive Director of the Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence (MACC) announced the creation of a statewide advisory and planning team for cultural competence in behavioral health and other systems of care. This new advisory committee is comprised of behavioral health, health, housing, corrections and other care professionals, consumers, family members, and community leaders dedicated to improving the quality and access of care for culturally diverse populations.
“The central idea behind the Advisory Team is to bring Cultural Competence to the forefront, to identify needs and advocate for our consumers until those needs are met. MACC is a not-for-profit statewide membership organization that was established in 2003 to make cultural competence a cornerstone in Ohio’s behavioral health system,” said MACC Executive Director Charleta Tavares.
Kevin Dixon, Vice President of Cultural Competency for the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board (ADAMH) of Franklin County was appointed Chair of the MACC Statewide Advisory and Planning Team. The purpose of the Team is to advise, plan, assist, implement and evaluate critical initiatives set-forth in MACC’s strategic plan and goals. The work will be done through the creation of four sub-committees responsible for specific areas. The four sub-committees are Conference and Annual Meeting Committee; Community Relations and Outreach; Best and Promising Practices & Programs; Development and Marketing.
A few of the projects on this new team’s agenda are to host a two-day annual meeting and training conference; develop a quarterly statewide regional cultural competence training series; to identify and feature best and promising practices/programs who serve diverse populations; and to establish certification and accreditation standards for cultural competence trainers and consultants.
Dixon will be primarily responsible for overseeing the efforts of the sub-committees and helping to direct and execute the initiatives of the Advisory/Planning Team. In his position at ADAMH, Dixon is responsible for developing initiatives to address the needs of diverse populations in ADAMH’s system of care.
“There has been a need for culturally appropriate services in the behavioral healthcare system for many years, and that need continues to grow,” said Dixon. “The initiatives that we will work on with MACC, as well as those that are already in progress in ADAMH’s system of care, will give us the opportunity to get practical about cultural competency.”
Dixon has been with ADAMH since 1987, and serves on a variety of committees and task forces, including the United Way Vision Council, Our Optimal Health Core Hosting Committee (formerly the Affordable and Sustainable Health Care for All in Franklin County) and Columbus State’s Mental Heath and Chemical Dependency Curriculum Committee.
