The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) functions to enhance the delivery of DMHAS services for mental health and substance use disorders in a way that acknowledges the impact of individual differences on client treatment, differences such as race, ethnic or cultural background, age, gender, sexual orientation, and physical or mental status. 

The goal of the Office of Multicultural Affairs is to assure that cultural competence is an integral quality of all services that DMHAS provides for people of every ethnic/cultural group.

• Office of Multicultural Affairs Strategic Plan 2007-2010
• OMA Staff
• Visual/Hearing Impaired Services
• History of OMA Accomplishments
• The Multicultural Advisory Council (MCAC)
• The Multicultural Training
• Project for Addiction Culturally Competent Training (PACCT)
• Cultural Competency Plans for Behavioral Health Agencies
• DMHAS/OMA Multi-Cultural Behavioral Health Standard Practices
• The Multicultural Leadership Institute, Inc. (MLI)
• Mental Health: Culture, Race & Ethnicity (supplement to the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health)
• Addressing Disparities and Improving Cultural Competence Within a Statewide System of Care  
• An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in State Inpatient Services  

Office of Multicultural Affairs Staff

Jose Ortiz, Director, 860-418-6850
jose.ortiz@po.state.ct.us

Marilyn Duran, Administrative Assistant (860) 418-6887
marilyn.duran@po.state.ct.us

Ellen Boynton, Training Program Coordinator (860) 418-6806 ellen.boynton@po.state.ct.us

Efraín Diaz, Supervisor (860) 418-6913
efrain.diaz@po.state.ct.us

Sandra Kamens, Project Coordinator (860) 418-6956
sandra.kamens@po.state.ct.us

Miriam Delphin, Associate Professor (203) 464-3243
miriam.delphin@yale.edu

Elizabeth Flanagan, Associate Research Scientist (203) 764-7592
elizabeth.flanagan@yale.edu

DMHAS/OMA
410 Capitol Avenue. 4th Flr., MS14 OMA
P.O. Box 341431
Hartford, Ct 06134
Office Fax (860) 418-6792

 The Multicultural Training

The DMHAS/OMA multicultural training recruits 35 participants annually for 21 full days of multicultural training over a ten month period. The students must produce a product which is usually a culturally competent service project for their area of service which can be implemented and replicated in other settings and regions. The persons seek personal awareness of their own culture not only in the class encounter with a diverse body of students but also by means of a personal heritage ethnographic search which is reported to the plenary class. Journals recording new cultural experiences are prepared and submitted for study by training staff.

The 21 day Multicultural training curriculum addresses dealing with clinical issues in the following areas:

1. Orientation of the class to the course with cultural self-assessment pre-survey

2. When cultures meet. An opportunity to share and learn about the diverse composition of the class.

3. What is culture? What is Ethnicity? Cultural parameters.

4. What is worldview? An in depth experience of how individuals perceive differences.

5. Communication Styles. An important step toward cultural competence.

6. Ethnic/Cultural Identity Development

7. Program Development that incorporates cultural issues.

8. Europeans Americans. Ethnicities. Cultures. History of immigration and oppression.

9. African Origin. From Africa to slavery to modern reality of challenges today.

10. Latinos/Hispanic cultures.

11. Native Americans

12. Asian Americans

13. Jewish Issues in Multiculturalism

14. Gay/Lesbian/Transgender/BI-sexual and Gender Issues

15. Psycho-educational groups

16. Racism/Oppression

17. History/Pathology and Healing

18. Development of Protective Mechanisms Against Racism

19. Multicultural Ethics in behavioral health settings.

20. Projects

21. Ethnographies

• Application for PACCT Training
• PACCT Request for Application
• PACCT Spring 2010 Class Schedule  

History of PACCT
PACCT is a recruitment and training program funded through the State of CT Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services and is an important workforce development effort.

Goal
To provide the substance abuse agencies that serve the Criminal Justice population a pool of qualified addiction counselor candidates who represent our underserved populations.

Services

• Tuition free training applicable to the Connecticut substance abuse counselor certification process.

• Assist in initiating a career in counseling persons with addictions

• Clinical practicum placements are offered.

 The Multi-Cultural Leadership Institute, Inc. (MLI)

Executive Director: Tamara L. Petro, M.P.H.
100 S. Turnpike Rd. Suite C
Wallingford, CT 06492
Tel.: (203) 793-1952  Fax: (203) 269-1138

The institute is a statewide non-profit coalition dedicated to promoting culturally and linguistically proficient services among African Origin and Latinos (AO/L) populations. The mission of the Institute is to promote synergistic and collective change processes that lead to holistic wellness in a multicultural society.

MLI provides resources, technical assistance and specialized training to individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions regarding the prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse (ATODA) and other related problems.

The role of the Institute includes:

• Enhancing cultural competence;

• Providing advocacy for AO/L communities on ATODA and other related problems; and

• Developing and supporting the capacity to provide prevention services

MLI is committed to network, replicate effective prevention and treatment strategies and assist in the provision of culturally relevant services. The Institute believes that culture influences outcome.