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BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARKOWITZ HOSTS CONFERENCE
ON CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

Photographs by Kathryn Kirk

In photo from left to right: Dennis Andrulis, PhD, MD, Research Professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Dr. Terry Golash, Medical Director of Aetna – Metro New York, Rabbi Bob Kaplan, Director of New York Center for Community and Coalition Building of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Borough President Markowitz, Rabbi David Niederman, Executive Director of United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, Assemblyman James Brennan and Deputy Borough President Graham.

Presenters Explore Ways Government Agencies and Social Service Organizations
Can Better Serve Brooklyn’s Diverse Populations

On Friday, November 12, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham, Greater Southern Brooklyn Health Coalition, New York Center for Community and Coalition Building of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and Brooklyn Perinatal Network, Inc. organized the conference, “Translation vs. Interpretation: Beyond Cultural Competency” to explore ways that government agencies and social service organizations can better meet the needs of their diverse clients.

“Brooklyn is proud to be home to everyone from everywhere — and that diversity is the core of what makes us the greatest city in America,” said Borough President Markowitz. “With Brooklyn’s many ethnic groups, religious faiths and cultural differences comes a responsibility for our government agencies, health care providers and community based organizations to constantly educate themselves in order to properly serve our population. In Brooklyn, we may speak at least 100 different languages — but everyone understands the meaning of respect.”

Dr. Dennis Andrulis, a nationally renowned research professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center who has led projects concerning cultural diversity in healthcare presented the keynote address, “Facing the Present and Future: Integrating Cultural Competency into Healthcare to Meet the Needs and Reality of our City’s Diverse Communities.”

Several panelists also offered critical information on the culturally appropriate and linguistically competent delivery of care and services to the City’s ethnic groups and cultures. Government agencies represented included the U.S. Dept. Health & Human Services, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, N.Y. State Dept. of Health, NYPD, New York City’s Dept. of the Aging, Dept. of Youth & Community Development, Office of Emergency Management, Taxi & Limousine Commission, Public Advocate, Mayor's Office for Health Insurance Access and Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence. This conference was sponsored by the Aetna Foundation.