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Committee debates language, CLAS standards and a dynamic cultural‑competence plan
Summary
Members urged careful terminology and stronger adherence to CLAS standards; suggestions included using "individuals receiving services" and incorporating service‑recipient voices into a dynamic Cultural Competence Plan due in 2028.
Members discussed how words shape experiences and access to care and urged the committee to center service recipients in planning.
Marilyn Mochel described how vocabulary changes affect service interactions and training: "I would advocate for individual receiving services," she said, arguing for person‑centered terms instead of clinical labels. Belle Vallador suggested using the term "survivor instead of victim to uplifts individuals." Sharon Jones and others emphasized that language can empower or disempower people and said the committee should anchor outreach and training to culturally specific analogies and interpreters.
The committee reviewed alignment with CLAS standards and heard that the next Cultural Competence Plan refresh is due in 2028; members recommended the plan be dynamic and include direct input from the people served rather than remaining a static document.
