CADRE Resources
2004 "Keys To Access" Award Presented to Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
Marshall Peter, Tawara D. Goode, Toni Brathwaite-Fisher
Wendy Jones and Anita Engiles
The Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD) was established over four decades ago to improve the quality of life for all children and youth, especially those with special needs and their families. Located in the nation's capital, and directed by Dr. Phyllis Magrab, GUCCHD provides clinical services to vulnerable children and their families and works at the national, state, and community levels to support the development and implementation of integrated systems of care that incorporate family-centered, culturally competent, community-based principles.
The Center is known worldwide for its interdisciplinary approach to clinical services, community outreach, professional training, technical assistance, research and public policy. The Center addresses key policy issues to improve the physical and mental health of children and families and brings this unique capacity to bear on critical social issues of our time that affect children and their families such as poverty, homelessness, and violence.
The Center is comprised of a number of projects and centers including the Consortium for Children and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs, the National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health, and the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Two projects in particular influenced the selection of the Center as recipient of the 2004 Keys to Access award: the National Center for Cultural Competence and the Conflict Management Program.
The Conflict Management Program at the Center, under the exceptional leadership of Elizabeth Waetzig, has been a proponent of collaborative decision making between and among agencies that serve children with disabilities and family members. Collaboration requires individual ability, skills and tools. The Conflict Management Program has developed and implemented training opportunities to teach educators, agency personnel and family members a defined set of skills and a step-by-step process of negotiation in situations of conflict. The goal is to achieve mutually satisfactory, durable solutions, and enhanced, problem-solving relationships.
The National Center for Cultural Competence, under the remarkable leadership of Tawara D. Goode, pursues its mission to increase the capacity of health and mental health programs to design, implement and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. This program conducts an array of activities to fulfill its mission including training, technical assistance and consultation; facilitating networking, linkages and information exchange; knowledge creation and product development and dissemination. Its leadership and innovation in the field emphasizes policy development, cultural competence self-assessment activities for organizations and practitioners, and strategic approaches to incorporate culturally and linguistically competent values, policy, structure and practices within organizations and systems.
Ms. Goode delivered an informative and inspirational speech in which she challenged all in attendance to work toward increased cultural competence personally, professionally and organizationally. She directed her audience to self-assessment as the first step to awareness of training needs in this area. She exhorted each person present to engage in periodic self-assessment regarding cultural competence and to promote cultural competence assessment within our organizations. A copy of Ms. Goode's accompanying PowerPoint presentation in PDF format can be viewed by following the link in the box at the bottom of this page. Ms. Goode recommended visiting the NCCC website for a variety of resources and information.
CADRE is gratified to be able to bestow the 2004 Keys to Access Award on the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, thereby highlighting and honoring the important and effective work which the staff of its various programs and centers are doing to develop culturally responsive and appropriate services for children with special needs and their families.
National Center for Cultural Competence - Symposium 2004.pdf
