mental health @human services

Introduction

One of the many challenges that human service professionals e .g . social workers , counselors , and other professional helpers encounter in the practice of their profession is the need to understand the cultural language , social and economic problems of people and their families in to extend appropriate and effective services to people especially those who belong to the minority groups

Any human services worker is bound to meet countless people with diversified culture . Regardless of whether they are Asians , Hispanics Europeans , or African-Americans , it is the duty of human service

professionals to extend their social services without any regard to the persons ' culture or social status . Everyone deserves to be treated equally . Although we may hear stories about the existence of discrimination , we could not attest if such is true or untrue or if social services were denied due to the person 's race , sexual orientation , disability or the color of their skins . If we are in a profession to assist people in coping with unemployment , substance abuse , disability , social problems , child abuse , and spousal abuse among others , our main concern must be in the exercise of our profession and take into consideration our professional ethics and most importantly the welfare of those who are in need of our services . After all , we are all humans in need of basic services . We only differ in our beliefs and cultural background

Culture

The expansion of our diverse cultural growth is due to the civil rights movement that began in the 1950s , in which African Americans , women gays and lesbians , people with disabilities and other minority groups alerted the country to their distinct identities and long histories of oppression . The other is the growing number of new immigrants to this country who bring with them unique cultural , language , religious , and political backgrounds as a result of the internal displacement within their own countries , torture , political oppression , and extreme poverty These days , people of various races are everywhere . They could be our next door neighbors , seatmates , friends , co-workers , patients , or chatmates in the internet

Culture is the shared patterns of behaviors and interactions , cognitive constructs , and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization which identify the members of a culture group while distinguishing those of another group . For me , culture is our identity . It is what we take with us and what sets our community or race apart from other groups . It may be unique or common , rational or irrational , acceptable or unacceptable but it is something that we have learned , shared and valued

Challenges of Human Service Professionals

In other families and in most communities , people speak a language attend religious or traditional ceremonies , adhere to some beliefs participate in rituals , strictly observe the intake of foods that are acceptable in their religion and wear costumes that identify their culture . I grew up with a set of culture handed down by my parents and I had my share of painful experience brought about by my race

When I...