Cultural Competency

Solano BH updates to culturally responsive strategies used to improve the system of care; the posting of the annual Diversity & Equity Plan Update; information related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings; resources for underserved communities; and outcomes related to the recent Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Innovation Plan.

As part of our Diversity and Equity Efforts, Solano BH developed the information below to emphasize our commitment to diversity and inclusion:

Inclusion Statement
SCBH is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our services aim to empower all community members throughout their journey towards wellness and recovery. It is also of equal importance for us to improve access to quality care for underserved and under-represented ethnic and minority populations who have been historically marginalized by health care systems. We value the importance of employing staff who possess valuable life experiences and expertise to ensure our workforce is culturally and linguistically responsive and leverages diversity to foster innovation and positive outcomes for the people we serve. 


Land Acknowledgement - Solano County BH
We should take a moment to acknowledge the land on which we are gathered. For thousands of years, this land has been the home of the Native American tribes of the Suisune, the Patwin of the Wintun tribes, Miwuk, Karkin Ohlone, Yoche Dehe, and the countless other California tribes that are the original stewards of this land. We honor Solano County's ancestral grounds.

We recognize the history of genocide and continued inequities experienced by the Native American People in Solano County. The forced cessation of Native Americans on this land is an open wound. We would like to acknowledge the displacement and lost lives due to colonization and ongoing disparities. We honor those who have passed and those who continue to maintain the traditions of this vibrant culture that benefit us today.

Pronunciation guide:

  • Suisune - Sis-SOON-ee
  • Patwin - PUT-win
  • Wintun - Win-TUN
  • Miwuk - ME-wuk
  • Karkin Ohlone - Kar-KEEN Oh-lone-EE
  • Yoche Dehe - Yo-CHA De-HEE

Equity Services Manager
The Solano BH Equity Services Manager (ESM) is a state-mandated role for each County Behavioral Health Plans throughout the state of California. The ESM is a key member of the Behavioral Health leadership team with a sustained and meaningful role in helping shape the BHP's services delivery system in a way that advances health equity and cultural responsiveness. As such, the ESC leads the Diversity and Equity Committee; participates in program planning and policy development; reviews hiring practices; reviews grievances related to disparities; sits on various advisory groups/task forces; monitors data related outcomes for racially, ethnically and culturally diverse vulnerable populations; and is responsible for developing and monitoring SCBH's annual Diversity and Equity Plan in partnership with key stakeholders. If you have additional questions, please contact CLAS@SolanoCounty.com.


Diversity & Equity Plan and Committee
To learn more about the Diversity & Equity Committee, or to review Solano County Behavioral Health's Diversity & Equity Plans, please click here. 


Welcoming Spaces Survey 2022
In support of the ICCTM ISeeU community-defined QI Action Plan, and a goal to create culturally inclusive spaces, during FY 2020/21, SCBH provided an opportunity for all SCBH and contractor programs to order wall hangings, books, toys and other materials representing diverse communities as funded by SCBH MHSA. In November of 2022, the first "Welcoming Spaces Survey" was released to gather information directly from consumers about their perceptions of clinic spaces and interactions with staff. This particular survey had a focus on the LGBTQ+ community, and there were 118 survey respondents from both County-operated and contractor-operated programs. To review findings, please use this link. SCBH intends to administer this survey annually and/or incorporate the questions piloted in the initial survey into existing customer survey processes.


Solano County's Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Innovation Project
From 2016 to 2021, SCBH partnered with U.C. Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD); three local community-based organizations: Rio Vista CARE, Fighting Back Partnership, and Solano Pride Center; and most importantly community members in Solano County to implement the MHSA Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation (ICCTM) Innovation Project. The ICCTM Project was anchored in the national Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, community engagement and quality improvement with a goal to implement strategies to increase access and utilization of services for County-specific underserved populations that had historically been shown to have low mental health services utilization rates throughout Solano County: the Latino, Filipino-American, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Through the ICCTM Project, fourteen (14) community-defined quaitly improvement (QI) Action Plans were developed and were focused on workforce development, improving community outreach, and training.

The ICCTM project resulted in increased access and utilization of behavioral health services for the Latino, Filipino-American, and LGBTQ+ communities. SCBH is pleased to share with the community The Solano County Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Cultural Transformation Model (ICCTM) Innovation Project: Final Evaluation Report, which summarizes the ICCTM Project, including the outcomes and the progress that has been made over the course of the project. Click here to access a PDF version of the report, or use this link to navigate to an online reader version.

SCBH continues to implement and/or support the 14 QI Action Plans. If you are interested in a deeper look at the QI Action Plans developed, click here. 

If you are interested in the findings from the health assessment CRHD conducted in 2016, please reach out to SolanoMHSA@SolanoCounty.com.