No. 2-02
WHEREAS, the Health Commission has passed a series of policies since 1988 to govern the contracts of the Department of Public Health; and,
WHEREAS, the Health Commission periodically reviews and updates individual policies; and,
WHEREAS, federal, state and local laws prohibit the Department of Public Health from contracting with agencies that engage in discrimination; and,
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health has issued national standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care; and,
WHEREAS, the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services in an essential requirement for health care providers to provide effective services to diverse populations; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health is committed to developing and maintaining health services that are culturally and linguistically competent, consumer guided and community based; and,
WHEREAS, cultural competency policies and programs are a ‘work in progress’ on the federal, state and local levels; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Health Commission of the City and County of San Francisco hereby adopts the CLAS Standards as published in the Federal Register on December 22, 2000 as guidelines, in order to provide a uniform framework for developing and monitoring culturally and linguistically appropriate services; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that in adopting the CLAS Standards, the Commission acknowledges that the CLAS Standards, as implemented by the Department of Public Health, are intended to be broadly inclusive of diverse racial, ethnic, sexual and other cultural and linguistic groups; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that in adopting the CLAS Standards as guidelines, the Commission acknowledges the need to modify these based on Department policies for Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender standards and local circumstances reflecting the complexity and diversity of San Francisco’s population; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Health is directed to develop appropriate training programs and other resources for staff and contractors to effectively implement the CLAS Standards, including the development of contract objectives and monitoring protocols based on the CLAS Standards; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Health periodically report back to the Health Commission on progress implementing the CLAS Standards, the impact of the Standards and any other proposed revisions that may be needed to assure the provision of culturally and linguistically competent services and compliance with nondiscrimination protections.
I hereby certify that the Health Commission at its meeting of January 8, 2002 adopted the foregoing resolution.
Michele M. Olson, Executive Secretary to the Health Commission