The Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency Profile (CCP: Westerman, 2003, 2010) is unique to Australia in that it is the only tool that has been both culturally and psychometrically validated as a measure of Aboriginal mental health cultural competence (see Westerman, 2003). It can be completed online via the SHOP section.
It was initially developed in 1998 and involved focus groups with over 200 Aboriginal people as a method of determining the key factors that predict Aboriginal mental health competence in practice. Results determined the following key components of Aboriginal mental health cultural competence:
- Cultural Knowledge – whether there is sufficient cultural, local and mental health specific knowledge to be able to work at an effective level with Aboriginal people;
- Skills and Abilities – does the individual have the ability to apply their skills in a way that is effective with Aboriginal mental health clients;
- Attitudes & Beliefs – assesses the degree of attitude and belief ‘fit’ between Aboriginal client and practitioner;
- Resources and Linkages determines the availability of community, resources and links to the practitioner, and
- Organisational Influences which gauges participants views on how their Organisation functions across different levels of Aboriginal mental health service dA recent Exploratory Factor Analysis has also confirmed it as a valid tool (Westerman, in preparation, 2017).
A recent Exploratory Factor Analysis has also confirmed it as a valid tool (Westerman, in preparation, 2018).
What the CCP provides:
The CCP once completed provides you with a feedback report which readily translates into a cultural supervision plan. The CCP has also been normed on over 700 practitioners Australia wide meaning that individuals are provided with feedback across each level of cultural competency by way of ‘average levels of cultural competency’ that have been determined. The average report is approximately 11 pages in length and provides substantial information regarding how to improve cultural competencies over time. Example Feedback Report