Diversity

Adapted from University of Southern California clinical doctoral program handbook https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/210/docs/Clinical_Science_Handbook-9-1-17_002.pdf, pp. 11-12:

• Our program is designed so that students gain knowledge, awareness, sensitivity and skills when working with diverse individuals and communities, in accordance with the Professional Competencies outlined by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (CoA). The CoA defines cultural and individual differences and diversity as including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status[1]. Students will have opportunities to work with diverse clients in both our on-site training clinic and during external placements.
• Training to work with diverse clients is integral to the curriculum and consists of both didactic coursework and practical training. Consequently, students do not have the option to avoid working with clients with the diverse characteristics listed above or to refuse to develop professional competencies because of their attitudes, beliefs, or values.
• We encourage students to evaluate their clinical experiences from multiple cultural lenses and request, as needed, to work with specific client groups to broaden their experience with diverse groups.
• We encourage students to engage in open dialogues with their direct clinical supervisors, clinical core faculty, and peers about how client-therapist differences in culture or worldview may impact client engagement, case conceptualization, and treatment planning.  Students are especially encouraged to raise such issues in group and individual supervision. 
• The clinical psychology program at BGSU has a commitment to helping students navigate conflicts that arise between their worldviews, beliefs or religious values and our commitment to offering culturally responsive psychological services to all members of the public, including those from traditionally marginalized groups. 
•  Clinical core faculty are responsible for evaluating whether students have gained professional competence as needed for the benefit and protection of the public.

[1] Commission on Accreditation Implementing Regulations, Section C-8 D Profession-Wide Competencies, III. Individual and cultural diversity. Retrieved 11/28/17, from: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/section-c-soa.pdf