Prioritizing Culturally Responsive Healthcare
In a recent episode of our podcast, we sat down with Shyla Bradley, the content manager and internship coordinator at Align & Embrace, to discuss the vital topic of culturally responsive healthcare. Her insights, rooted in both personal and professional experiences, shed light on the importance of creating equitable and responsive care environments. Here’s a glimpse into our conversation:
A Journey Inspired by Personal Experience
Shyla shared how her journey into social work was deeply influenced by her upbringing and personal challenges. Starting in her adolescence, she faced complex medical issues leading to a disability and full time use of mobility aids. Her experience navigating the healthcare system highlighted systemic gaps and inspired her to help others advocate for themselves. This personal connection remains a driving force behind her work today.
What is Culturally Responsive Care?
Through her education at the University of Michigan and her role at Align & Embrace, Shyla developed a profound understanding of culturally responsive care. She reflected on the inadequacies she experienced as a patient and emphasized the importance of recognizing biases and addressing ableism. Culturally responsive care requires both theoretical knowledge and practical application, and her work at Align and Embrace bridges these two aspects seamlessly.
The founders of Align and Embrace also shared similar experiences of culturally irresponsive care, highlighting the systemic racism within healthcare and foster care. Their stories emphasize how a lack of language to articulate these experiences often compounds feelings of inadequacy and exclusion.
The Professional Impacts of Culturally Responsive Care
Shyla underscored the interconnectedness of personal, professional, and social facets of life, emphasizing the critical role of empowerment in navigating all three. Her professional experiences in adult mental health care, ranging from residential group homes to virtual platforms, revealed gaps in culturally responsive practices.
Her efforts to advocate for systemic change—such as suggesting diversity training—were often met with resistance or treated as isolated incidents rather than systemic issues. This lack of institutional support not only affected clients but also created stress and tension among care providers.
Balancing Accessibility and Quality
One of the challenges discussed was balancing the demand for quick, accessible mental health services with the need for culturally responsive, person-centered care. Our discussion emphasized that virtual service models must evolve to prioritize meaningful connections and cultural sensitivity without sacrificing accessibility. When organizations prioritize productivity metrics and billing over client well-being, both clients and providers suffer.
A Call for Ethical Care Models
The conversation concluded with a powerful message: culturally responsive care must take precedence over short-term gains. Shyla’s experiences highlight the need for structural changes that prioritize client well-being and foster retention. While these approaches may seem challenging, they are essential for building trust and achieving sustainable outcomes.
At Align and Embrace, we remain committed to these values, continually striving to provide equitable and culturally responsive healthcare. Our discussion with Shyla serves as a reminder that systemic change is possible when we prioritize empathy, empowerment, and education.
Listen to our full discussion with Shyla on our latest Clinicians for Cultures podcast episode!
Interested in deepening your practice of culturally responsive care? Check out our foundational learning series “Breaking Barriers to Bias”