AmASSI Group provides culturally focused, state-of-the-art technical assistance and consultation to health agencies, mental
health planning groups, advisory councils, and consumers. AmASSI Group helps ensure that Best Practices and the most up-to-date
knowledge in culturally relevant health service provision and exchange are translated into action at the national and local
levels.
AmASSI Group's mission includes assisting its core constituents (health agencies) to implement goals and recommendations,
which directly result in reduced health disparities and improved health outcomes targeted at Americans of African descent.
What is Intra-Community Cultural Competency?
Many health practitioners assume that persons from the same ethnic background, sexual orientation or sub-culture are automatically fluent and
competent with persons of similar background. A major premise in cultural competency curriculum asserts that competency is
achieved through similarity or shared ethnicity. While this notion may contain some element of fact, cultural, identity and
experiential variables can reduce intra–group cultural competency within racial/ethnic/sexuality groups. This is especially
true when considering biases and the vast range of sub-cultures within communities.
Additionally, the historical and cultural biases of the dominating culture are embedded in most American systems of
learning, theory, and media across all cultural groups. This backdrop heavily influences determinations of academic expertise
or learning constructs for effective delivery of health services.
Consequently,
the AmASSI Group has developed training to address cross-cultural diversity comprehension and [Black] Intra-Community
Cultural Competency to improve health outcomes and increase cultural literacy.
HETEROSEXUAL MALE HEALTH
This guide is a culturally specific and theoretically based intervention that draws upon existing research identifying the
unique factors underlying male health risk behaviors and key strategies that are effective in reaching heterosexual African
American men.
AmASSI Group has provided innovative approaches to improving health environments by identifying key factors to impact health
service delivery utilizing the following activities: 1) On-Site Training and Technical Assistance; 2) Knowledge Transfer Support;
3). Program Evaluation, and 4) Tailored Curriculum Development.
Just Released! CTCA & HIV/AIDS Prevention for
AAMSM
This guide addresses research and intervention gaps in reducing HIV risk behaviors for African American Men Who Have Sex with
Men (MSM). It utilizes the Critical Thinking and Cultural Affirmation (CTCA) strategy, a community developed, culturally
congruent HIV intervention that has been successfully implemented for over a decade. Order now!
New Release Coming Soon!
The 2009 CTCA Train-the-Trainer Curriculum Guide for delivering effective health services to African American clients is coming
next month! The guide is based on the nationally recognized CTCA (Critical Thinking Cultural Affirmation) model currently
under research at the University of California, Los Angeles. The 2009 version incorporates data and findings from the past
20 years of evaluation. You can order now!
This Spring!
CTCA Violence Prevention Guide
AmASSI Group is releasing an innovative curriculum that addresses historical and culturally specific dynamics of violence
prevention for African Americans.
Cleo Manago (left) shakes hands with Rev. Al Sharpton.
Left, Social architect Cleo Manago after receiving a standing ovation shakes the hand of Rev. Al Sharpton (right). Manago
presented on his theory, Logic Displacement and Behavioral Disorientation (LDBD) at the 11th Annual National Action Network
conference in New York City. The four-day event included Vice President Joe Biden, Reverend Run, D. L. Hughley, Star Jones
and Newt Greenwich.
News Flash!
Congresswoman Waters Introduces: STOP AIDS IN PRISON Act
Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) re-introduced the Stop AIDS in Prison Act (H.R. 1429) today. She announced
the introduction of this bill at the Congressional Summit on the Effects of HIV and Incarceration on Communities of Color,
an event on Capitol Hill organized by the National Minority AIDS Council(NMAC). The Stop AIDS in Prison Act will help stop
the spread of HIV/AIDS among prison inmates, encourage them to take personal responsibility for their health, and reduce the
risk that they will transmit HIV/AIDS to other people in the community following their release from prison.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH DISPARITY
HIGHLIGHTED FACTS:
1. Only one third of 15-year-old African American males from urban areas can survive to age 65. They face lower probabilities
of survival to age 45 than men nationwide face to age 65. The average life expectancy of African American males is 65.2 years
(U.S. Congress, 1991: 20) - not long enough to collect social security or Medicare.
2. An estimated 83,570 excess deaths each year could be prevented in the United States if the African American mortality gap
could be eliminated.
3. African American men are less likely to receive surgery for glaucoma, to be prescribed a potentially life-saving drug for
ischemic stroke, or to have mental health conditions diagnosed; and, they are more likely to be denied insurance authorization
for emergency treatment than are European men.
