Complete your required annual cultural competency training by Sept. 30

The New York Department of Health (NYDOH) requires network Medicaid providers complete an annual cultural competency training. The intent is to help health care professionals deliver more effective care and decrease health disparities. Training must be completed and reported to Optum Behavioral Health by Sept. 30.

Training for Individual Clinicians

• You must complete the Think Cultural Health online training. This free course outlines what culture has to do with behavioral health care, how to identify your cultural identity and your client's, and how to build stronger therapeutic relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds. It's offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health education.
  • Then report your training completion. Log in to the Provider Express secure portal. Navigate to My Practice Info > Clinician Information > Edit to update your cultural competency information. Review the list of available trainings and select those that most closely align to the training you completed.   

Training for Agencies

• You may take training from the Curriculum for Cultural and Linguistic Competence. The courses are state-approved cultural competency trainings for behavioral health providers and are available on the Center for Practice Innovations (CPI) platform. You may take any course approved for behavioral health providers.
  • Then report your training completion. Email Optum Behavioral Health at nynetworkmanagement@optum.com with the subject line "Cultural Competency." In the email, attest that all staff members have completed the required training and indicate the date of completion. Agencies are required to maintain staff certificates of completion.

Questions?

Contact your Network Manager or email nynetworkmanagement@optum.com