Update - Training Requirement and Review Postponement, Draft Regulation Changes
As of Feb. 6, 2024, submissions of new Cultural Competency Training (CCT) courses for Nevada state-licensed health facilities are not being accepted or reviewed. Licensed health facilities must continue to train staff in accordance with the non-discrimination requirements (NRS 449.101 – NRS 449.104) using an approved training course; for facilities that did not previously have a training approved, a list of approved third-party trainings can be found below. Since these statutes do not require training to be repeated, once an individual health facility staff member receives the training from an approved program, it results in compliance with these laws and does not need to be repeated under currently enforced regulations. Facility inspectors will continue to check employee files for proof of CCT and complaints will continue to be investigated where noncompliance with these laws is alleged.
CCT regulation changes — Assembly Bill 267, passed in 2023, requires changes to the regulations governing CCT requirements with the following goals:
- Ensure efficient approval of CCT courses.
- Reduce burden on health care facilities by generating CCT regulations with revised standards described in AB 267.
- Align requirements for review, approval, or rejection of CCT course submissions within 10 days of receipt, in accordance with AB 267.
- Eliminate the requirement for health facilities to report the specific CCT course the facility will use to educate its employees.
- Retain the necessity for inclusion of the statutory topics identified in NRS 449.103.
- Reduce burdens on facilities by establishing new timing from initial employment to receipt of CCT.
- Establish periodicity and a minimum number of hours of CCT that has some alignment with professional licensure board requirements established in AB 267.
These proposed regulation changes have been drafted and received input via the small-business impact questionnaire and public workshop processes; drafts of the regulation changes can be found under R004-24 on the Nevada Legislature’s website. The next step is for the regulations to be considered by the State Board of Health, tentatively at its June 7, 2024 meeting, where there will be an opportunity for public input. The process followed and the corresponding regulation drafts can be viewed on the Health Facility Regulation Development Processes web page.
General Information
Ensuring a culturally competent health care system in Nevada with facilities that provide diverse and socially appropriate services to all patients can reduce health disparities. Doctors, nurses and other facility staff who have effective interpersonal and working relationships that supersede cultural differences are essential to successful health care outcomes for patients and residents. 
Evidence shows that cultural competency training improves knowledge of health care staff, raises attitudes of the client population and, ultimately, accelerates patient satisfaction through acceptance from their providers and environment. There are suggestions that a culturally competent healthcare facility also leads to more patients following medical orders and care as primary health care and behavioral comfort are inextricably connected. To help improve health care delivery in the state, in 2019 the Nevada Legislature enacted a legal requirement that licensed health facilities provide cultural competency training annually, and at time of hire, for all staff. Regulations have been enacted that provide further details on this requirement.
Approved CCT courses
Nevada-licensed health facilities must provide cultural competency training annually and at the time of hire for all staff. Facilities have the option of using a pre-approved third-party course to meet this requirement (see bullets listed below). Facilities that choose this option are asked to report this selection using the form linked below so state inspectors know that the facility has chosen this option to fulfill this requirement.
- The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services does not endorse any specific course over another; approved courses are provided as an option for facilities that do not want to develop their own training program.
- Approved Third-Party Courses
- Facility-specific approvals are based on how the course addresses cultural competency issues in relationship with facility policies, procedures and internal culture. Therefore, these approved CCT courses are inappropriate for use outside of that organization.
Click here for the Third-Party Cultural Competency Training Reporting Form
- Facility-specific trainings
- Pershing General hospital
- Careworks (approved for personal care agencies only)
- White Pine Care Center
- Saint Rose Dominican (approved for affiliated facilities only)
- Humboldt General Hospital
- Mount Grant General Hospital
- Nevada Healthcare Association (approved for association members only)
- University Medical Center
- Carson Valley Medical Center
- Fundamental (approved for affiliated facilities only)
- William B. Ririe Hosital
- Renown (approved for affiliated facilities only)
- HCA Healthcare (approved for affiliated facilities only)
- Welbrook Centennial Hills, LLC
Cultural Competency Resources
The Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance maintains a web page of cultural competency resources for health facilities to reference whether developing their own Cultural Competency Training or just looking for information to educate staff.
(The courses linked on the page below are not approved for Nevada’s cultural competency health facility training requirement, but rather are intended for providers seeking to add to their knowledge of cultural diversity and minority health.)
Got a question?
To submit a question to the Cultural Competency Training team, send an email to dpbhculturalcompetencytraining@health.nv.gov or use the link below.