The absence of professional medical interpreter services in Massachusetts has resulted in serious gaps in access to health care in communities throughout the state. This Special Initiative proposal will address the problem in three communities in the Commonwealth with large and growing minority, non-English speaking populations. The proposed program will include the following: a) a 50 hour training program for bilingual/bicultural individuals currently working in community health centers, hospitals, family planning clinics, teen pregnancy programs and refugee settlement agencies who will be trained as certified medical interpreters; b) community internships and workshops on medical interpreting to be included in curriculum in medical and nursing student programs in Central Massachusetts; c) workshops for practicing health care professionals and administrators on the role of the trained medical interpreter, and strategies for implementation of cost effective interpreter systems.
