traditionally been aligned with the perceptions of the white population majority in the United States. With respect to diversity and bioethics, three perceptions are especially significant. The first is the perception that something is wrong with people who require help because if they require help, it is likely because of their own failures. The second is the perception that the presence of cultural differences in the United States is wrong since everyone who lives in the United States should be prepared to adopt a single set of American values. The third is the perception that white, middle-class norms should provide the framework for the determination of social service needs and outcomes in the United States (Shotter, 1985).
This white, middle-class value structure also tends to be the major factor influencing the funding of access to mental health care services for (1) minority and poor families and (2) societal sub-groups, such as HIV/AIDS patients, in the
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