Cultural Responsiveness Services (CRS) has launched classes for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and a powerful theme is already emerging across cohorts: changing systems requires action from everyone within that system, especially leaders. Whether participants are direct staff, managers, support staff or department directors, learners are recognizing that transforming an organization takes collective involvement, time and intentionality.
This year, CRS is delivering Cultural Responsiveness Academy (CRA) cohorts to San Diego County’s Child and Family Well-Being Department and San Bernardino County’s Children and Family Services, along with a flexible CRA series for San Diego’s Behavioral Health Services. We’ve also launched the new Culturally Responsive Leadership (CRL) regional advanced series, bringing together executive-level leaders from four counties throughout Southern California.
The curriculum addresses critical topics tailored to each area of practice. CRL courses explore culturally responsive leadership and leaders’ responsibility to deepen self-awareness as a strategy for organizational change, while identifying barriers rooted in white supremacy culture that hinder racial equity advancement. Behavioral Health Services learners are examining how to transform provider culture from awareness to equity and develop culturally responsive engagement strategies. Child and family services cohorts are exploring historical traumas, examining bias, brainstorming culturally responsive approaches to engaging fathers and father figures, and identifying opportunities for improved practices with tribes and tribal communities.
CRS staff are now supporting learners as they assess their implementation of culturally responsive practice through individual learning journeys and project proposals. In the coming months, learners will set commitments for improvements in their individual or organizational practice. These engaged early adopters are ready to make an impact, and we’re excited to continue their learning journeys as we shift organizations one person and one class at a time.