Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision

Cultural Background and Heritage: Importance for Human Services Providers

Human service providers must comprehend the racial and ethnic backgrounds and heritage of different populations in order to help the communities they serve. For instance, among the racial groups worth analyzing is the African Americans. The individuals in this group are descendants of those from Africa, and their heritage is influenced profoundly by issues of slavery and immigration (Diller, 2018, p.13-1). European nations, such as the British and the Spanish, once impacted African American culture (Diller, 2018, p.13-1). As a result, the reason why it is important to understand the backgrounds of different communities is that it helps human service providers build trust and tailor their approach to the client.

Current Challenges Faced by African Americans

Nowadays, the given racial group faces many challenges, among which are systemic racism and healthcare issues. On the one hand, African Americans are exposed to racism, experiencing restrictions regarding mobility and choices. For example, only 20% of black people have a higher degree, such as a bachelor’s degree, compared to their white counterparts, 34% of which have a higher degree (Diller, 2018, p.4-3). This shows the low mobility experienced by this racial group.

On the other hand, African Americans have increased rates of mortality associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, and influenza (Diller, 2018, p.4-3). Therefore, these challenges might negatively affect the group’s mental well-being.

Effective Strategies and Available Resources for Supporting Diverse Populations

Lastly, human service providers can implement several strategies to help the group. The first approach is based on collaborating with local organizations and agencies that can assist African American people. For example, the Center for African American Health offers mental, physical, and oral health services, food access, and family services (Center for African American Health, n.d.).

Another method is to offer culturally sensitive services that can concentrate on the individual needs of the representatives. Regarding resources, in terms of education, agencies or organizations can provide individuals with schooling, job training, and financial counseling. Moreover, agencies can collaborate with healthcare providers to offer African American individuals access to healthcare services.

References

Center for African American Health. (n.d.). Resources. Web.

Diller, J. V. (2018). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services. Cengage Learning.

Cite this paper

Select style

Reference

StudyCorgi. (2024, December 3). Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision. https://studycorgi.com/understanding-african-american-heritage-for-effective-human-service-provision/

Work Cited

"Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision." StudyCorgi, 3 Dec. 2024, studycorgi.com/understanding-african-american-heritage-for-effective-human-service-provision/.

* Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document

References

StudyCorgi. (2024) 'Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision'. 3 December.

1. StudyCorgi. "Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision." December 3, 2024. https://studycorgi.com/understanding-african-american-heritage-for-effective-human-service-provision/.


Bibliography


StudyCorgi. "Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision." December 3, 2024. https://studycorgi.com/understanding-african-american-heritage-for-effective-human-service-provision/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2024. "Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision." December 3, 2024. https://studycorgi.com/understanding-african-american-heritage-for-effective-human-service-provision/.

This paper, “Understanding African American Heritage for Effective Human Service Provision”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Please use the “Donate your paper” form to submit an essay.