Curriculum Overview

CULTURAL PROFICIENCY IN DRUG COURT PRACTICE 2-Day Training for Drug Court Professionals

This is a two day training for drug court professionals available with the focus on one of two populations but is essentially concentratied on presenting a modality that can be applied to any target population. The trainings can be delivered with an African American focus or highlighting the Latino community. Look below for descriptions of training content.

Module 1: Introduction, Course Evaluation, Overview and Participation Guidelines

Module 2: Cultural Proficiency and the 10 Key components of Drug Court. This module will introduce participants to the concept of Cultural Proficiency through the use of the 10 Key Components of Drug Court practice.

Module 3:
Foundations of Cultural Proficiency
This module provides the necessary framework for Cultural Proficiency work. Terms defined include Cultural Sensitivity, Cultural Competency, Cultural Proficiency, Race, Ethnicity, Cultural Collision, Dominant Culture, Stereotype and Cultural Pattern. An examination of participants cultural values and their impact on everyday cultural proficiency work in drug courts follows with concrete examples (such as treatment matches, incentives and sanctions) discussed in small groups.

Module 4:
Perceptions of Motivation, Participation and Performance in Drug Court: Client Perspectives 
This module will help participants to look at the drug court system from a client’s cultural experience and then use this perspective to inform their view of client motivation. The understanding of these perspectives will increase the likelihood that the drug court treatment plan integrates the clients’ individual strengths, needs and resources and therefore increase the likelihood of a successful outcome. A paradigm will be taught that describes how cultural filters can impact on our perception of client motivation. Small group work will help participants to list what they observe in their drug court as problematic client behavioral cues. Participants then review and revise their list checking their assumptions about motivational cues.

Module 5:
Womens Issues in Drug Court
This module will provide participants with information about issues specific to women in drug court such as: barriers to participation, the impact of trauma and violence, childrearing and what a model program for women needs to include. Small group work will allow participants to create women-specific lists of strength-based sanctions and incentives to use in their drug courts.

Module 6:
Cultural Proficiency in Drug Court with African American Male Clients
This module will first describe the difficult terrain in which the criminal justice system interacts with African American men around illegal drug use in the US. A large group role play will then help participants to experience the impact of this discrimination and discuss its concrete parallels for drug court clients. Specific cultural elements (such as Rights of Passage and The Role and Use of Language) are broken down into cultural anchors for African American males, impacting cultural Identity Issues and how these can be used to develop concrete culturally proficient drug court program alternatives. Evidence-based strategies are identified and a model to use when working with culturally diverse populations will be explained.

Module 7:
The Role of Cultural Proficiency in Drug Court Evaluation
This module will, through the use of a case study and specific examples from the region, help participants to view and conduct evaluation from a more culturally proficient perspective.

Module 8:
Applications for Practice: Formulating an Action Plan
Teams will be expected to write action plans that will be submitted to their regional coordinator during the month following the training.

Course Evaluation:
Participants will be asked to complete a confidential pre and post training assessment on site, followed by a three-month follow-up assessment.

CULTURAL PROFICIENY WITH LATINOS IN DRUG COURT PRACTICE

The Latino version of this curriculum also contains the training core modules 1-4 and 7.  Modules 5 & 6 are culturally & gender specific to the Latinocommunity. See below for descriptions of modules 5 & 6 of this training version.

Module 5:
Setting the Framework
This module will provide participants background information reflecting the homogeneity as well as the diversity of the Latino population.  Migration and language issues referring to specific subcultures of Latino communities and the consequent situations and stressors that are often seen in drug court will be discussed. Resources that address language barriers are included and reviewed.

Module 6:
Cultural Proficiency with Latinos in Drug Court
This module will first describe the difficult terrain in which the criminal justice system interacts with Latinos/as around illegal drug use in the US. A large group role play will help participants to experience the impact of this discrimination and discuss its concrete parallels for drug court clients. Specific gender and cultural elements for Latinos/as will be discussed as well as the impact on cultural identity issues and behavior. The correlating evidence-based strategies proven effective when working with the Latino community are identified. These concepts will be used in small group work to develop concrete culturally proficient drug court program alternatives and interventions. A model to use when working with culturally diverse populations will be explained

Training Agenda or Training Requirements