National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health are: A Blueprint for Advancing and Sustaining CLAS Policy and Practice

Health equity is the attainment of the highest level of health for all people (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] Office of Minority Health [OMH], 2011). Currently, individuals across the United States from various cultural backgrounds are unable to attain their highest level of health for several reasons, including the social determinants of health, or those conditions in which individuals are born, grow, live, work, and age (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012), such as socioeconomic status, education level, and the availability of health services (HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], 2010a). Though health inequities are directly related to the existence of historical and current discrimination and social injustice, one of the most modifiable factors is the lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services, broadly defined as care and services that are respectful of and responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of all individuals. Read the full document by the Office of Minority Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by clicking here.