« All Events

Cultural Competency

December 4 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm EST

Registration deadline: 11/27/2026

REGISTER

Delta Marriott

1117 Williston Rd
South Burlington, Vermont 05403 United States + Google Map

Trainer:

Karinne Comenzo, MA, LICSW, LADC is the former Assistant Director of Clinical Services for the River Valley Therapeutic Residence. Prior to this role, Karinne worked for the Vermont Department of Corrections as Chief Clinical Specialist for five years. Karinne currently runs a private practice and supports UVMMC Primary Care providers who prescribe medications for Opiate Use Disorder. The majority of her human services career was providing mental health and substance abuse treatment services to marginalized populations in New York City. This included individuals experiencing homelessness, incarceration, sex trafficking, and domestic violences, among others. Karinne holds an MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and an MSW from New York University. When Karinne is not focused on helping others in her work, you can find her engaged in hot exercise classes, dance class with her two young kiddos, or throwing a ball for her Australian Cattle Dog. 

Description:

This training will address the core concepts of Cultural Competency, also referred to as Cultural Humility
or Cultural Sensitivity. This training is created to challenge your assumptions and take each participant
out of their comfort zone. This training is meant to challenge each individual’s belief systems and
perceptions of their work and clients. This training may be uncomfortable and triggering at times, and
participants are asked to be respectful of one another while navigating difficult conversations. The main
purpose of this training is to enhance overall service delivery to each client.

Agenda:

Morning: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
 Welcome and Introductions
 What is culture?
 What is cultural competency?
 Underlying principles
Break 10:30 – 10:45 am
 Review of applicable Code of Ethics
 Challenging perceptions
Lunch: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Afternoon:  1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
 Challenging perceptions (cont.) and assumptions
 Self awareness as practitioners
 Applying Cultural Competency concepts to service delivery
Break 2:30 – 2:45pm
 Programmatic considerations
 Cultural Competency

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define culture
  2. Identify three ways our own culture impacts our work
  3. ​Identify three ways Cultural Competency can improve service delivery and client experience
  4. Identify three general skills and strategies for culturally sensitive service delivery
  5. Define the Intention Impact Model