Cultural Competency- Awareness, Skills and Knowledge for Effective Behavioral Health Intervention with Older Adult Headed Families

This presentation was last reviewed on January 22, 2026, and broadcast live online on December 15, 2023, from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET.

The views and opinions expressed by this presenter in this lecture are their own, and do not represent the views of Sheppard Pratt.

The phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren is an increasingly common occurrence. Data from the US Bureau of the Census (2019) report that grandparents have the primary responsibility for the care of more than 5.7 million children in our country. Of the children living in grandparent-maintained households, the highest percentage (12%) is within African-American families; Latinos are about 6% and White-Anglo families are around 4% (Bryson, 2001). Growth in African-American grandparent maintained homes has been calculated to be as high as 20-50% in some low resourced communities. Moreover, a National Health Interview Survey found African-American grandparent-headed households to include an overrepresentation of poverty, unemployed, and low literacy. Equally important is the lack of access that African-American older adults have had to health and hospitals for equitable care. Therefore, when they transition to the role of parenting (children) there can be a gap in the care they receive because of these psychosocial factors.

 

Target Audience

This activity is intended for psychologists, social workers, counselors and other mental health professionals. 

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, attendees will be able to:

  1. Describe cultural competency skills and its essential components for effective behavioral health interventions based on research with racially/ethnically diverse grandparents raising grandchildren.
  2. Emphasize the intersectionality of equity, inclusion and social justice in providing behavioral health services to children with older adult parents, caregivers and/or guardians.
  3. Incorporate best practices for cultural competence and ethical behavioral health practice with diverse families headed by older adults.

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This is a recorded asynchronous distance learning format course where you will download the handout, watch a video recording, and complete the required evaluation and attestation for credit. Once you have completed all the components of the Course Progress bar, the certificate will be immediately downloadable. The certificate will also be saved in your account transcript.

Outline of Activity:

Introduction- 5 minutes

Presentation- 75 minutes 

Q&A- 10 minutes 

Price: Free. All courses offered through Sheppard Pratt are free of charge. There is no need to cancel if you cannot attend or complete a course, as no refund is necessary. Not completing an activity acts as a cancellation. 

There is no registration required for this course. The course expires and cannot be completed after March 30, 2028.

To request accessibility accommodations please contact [email protected].

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Last reviewed on January 22, 2026.
Originally broadcast live December 15, 2023, from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Enduring Activity Credit Expiration Date: March 30, 2028.

Activity Time: Ninety minute recorded webinar lecture with a 15-minute evaluation process. Total Time: 1:45.

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After the video follow the prompts to complete the evaluation and attestation of credit. 
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Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.50 ACEP NBCC clock hours
  • 1.50 Category II credits for Social Workers
  • 1.50 Psychologists
  • 1.50 Participation
Course opens: 
04/02/2026
Course expires: 
03/30/2028

There is no commercial support for this activity.

About the speaker

Karen Bullock, PhD, LCSW, FGSA, APHSW-C, is the Ahearn Endowed Professor in the Boston College School of Social Work. Her practice interests include health disparities and health equity in serious illness care, aging and gerontology, and hospice, palliative, and end-of-life care decision making. Her research focuses on cancer care, social support for older adults, diversity, equity, and cultural factors influencing health care outcomes. She has served as Principle Investigator and/or Co-Investigator for over $5 million in federal grant funding focused on equity and inclusion for workforce development, aging, and health network sustainability. 

Dr. Bullock is a John A. Hartford Faculty Scholar and serves on several national boards and committees, including the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) as vice-chair and the immediate past chair of the American Cancer Society (ACS) Oncology Social Work Research Peer Review Committee. She is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable Committee on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness.

Disclosure Statements

Sheppard Pratt holds the standard that its continuing medical education programs should be free of commercial bias and conflict of interest. In accord with Sheppard Pratt's Disclosure Policy, as well as standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Medical Association (AMA), all planners, reviewers, speakers and persons in control of content have been asked to disclose any relationship he /she has with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. All planners, reviewers and speakers have also been asked to disclose any payments accepted for this lecture from any entity besides Sheppard Pratt, and if there will be discussion of any products, services, or off-label uses of product(s) during this presentation.

Karen Bullock, PhD, LCSW, FGSA, APHSW-C, reports that she has no relationships with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. She will not discuss any products, services, or off-label uses in this presentation. All conflicts have been mitigated through review. 

Event Planners/Reviewers Disclosures: The following event planners and/or reviewers are reported as having no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months: Todd Peters, MD, Michael C. Hann, MD, MBA, Ronald Means, MD, Rajeev Krishna, MD, PhD, MBA, Louis Marino, MD, Devi Bhuyan, PsyD, Manan Shah, MD, Vittoria DeLucia, MD, Chad J. Lennon, MD, Faith Dickerson, PhD, MPH, Carrie Etheridge, LCSW-C, Tom Flis, MS, BCBA, LBA, LCPC, Lisa Illum, MLIS, MEd, and Jennifer Tornabene.

Psychologist Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as a sponsor of continuing education. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity.  Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 contact hours for Psychologists.

Social Worker Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners of Maryland to offer continuing education for Social Workers.  Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours in Category II  ethics credits for Social Workers.

Counselor Statement:  Sheppard Pratt has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5098.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Sheppard Pratt is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.  This activity is available for 1.5 NBCC clock hours.

Available Credit

  • 1.50 ACEP NBCC clock hours
  • 1.50 Category II credits for Social Workers
  • 1.50 Psychologists
  • 1.50 Participation
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