Seeking to Understand Families As They Are
Very simply, no two families are alike — their structures, cultures, and lived experiences will always be distinct from another family. Offering behavioral health support requires us to perceive and appreciate families as they are, whatever their backgrounds.
On Improving Access to Behavioral Health Support
Family culture is a complex arrangement of values, attitudes, customs, “and a million other things” (de Rossi, 2022) held by a particular group of people at a particular time. Very simply, offering behavioral health support that aligns with families’ cultures (Marion, et al., 2016):
- Requires centering families’ unique experiences and expertise, regardless of their background
- Promotes positive health outcomes, and
- Effectively reduces disparities in access to support.
Practice Pause: Seeking to Understand Families Is Appreciating the Variety of Families That Come for Services
To learn more about your family partnership practices, download and complete the Family Partnership Checklist for the Behavioral Health Workforce. Click here: to access the National Family Support Technical Assistance Center’s Family Partnership Checklist for the Behavioral Health Workforce.
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