1.   Mission Statement

Often the organizational mission statement was formulated prior to demographic changes which have and will continue to result in increases in diversity of staff and patients.  It is recognized that mission statements cannot be re-written each time an institution begins a new initiative.  However, cultural and linguistic appropriateness have now become inseparable from quality of care, as well as customer and staff satisfaction and retention.  While this portion of the guide may not immediately lead to a revision of the mission statement, it will help those involved in the institutional decision-making process access the impact of cultural and linguistic competence on achieving the mission as it stands today.  This exercise may also assist the primary decision-makers in the present and future revisions of individual mission statements. 

      a.   Write the organizational mission statement in the left column below, placing each sentence on a separate line.

      b.   Analyze each point or sentence.  List the ways that this aspect of the mission may impact the access to or quality of care or services provided for culturally or linguistically diverse patients in the blank spaces below each point in the left column. 

      c.   Rewrite or revise each point or sentence in the right column to specifically indicate the organization’s commitment to offering that quality of service to culturally diverse populations.

Mission Statement & Analysis

Revisions of Mission Statement

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d.            Consolidate the revised points into a comprehensive mission statement which indicates a strong commitment to providing culturally competent employment, patient and staff services, and medical care. ____________________

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      e.   Submit the analysis and the revised mission statement to the governing board of the institution with a request that they be considered in future examinations of the mission statement.

2.   Operating principles

      a.   Write the organization's operating service principles in the left column below, placing each point or sentence on a separate line.

      b.   Analyze each point or sentence.  List the ways that this aspect of the operating principles may impact the access to or quality of care or services provided for culturally or linguistically diverse patients in the blank spaces below each point in the left column. 

      c.   Examine the operating principles that may inhibit the institution’s ability or efforts to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to culturally diverse populations or offer less than excellent working or advancement opportunities to culturally and linguistically diverse employees.

a.      Revise these principles in the right column to support, rather than inhibit, excellence in management of clients and staff.

b.      Discuss the procedures that are necessary to implement these modifications.