Second National Conference on
Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations:
Strategy and Action for Communities, Providers, and a Changing Health System

I-A1: Establishing A Community-Based Language Bank: Lessons From Chicago and Washington, DC

Community-based language banks are a cost-effective and responsive type of interpreter service that is increasingly common in the US. This session will provide a strategic planning template for those interested in establishing or expanding a community-based language service in their region. It is based on the implementation experiences of International Language Services, Chicago, IL and the Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center in metro Washington, DC. The workshop will begin with brief introductions and an opportunity for participants to identify themselves, their agency and the issues of interest to them. The presenters will then provide a brief overview of the legal and regulatory requirements affecting the demand for interpreter services notably, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the August 2000 White House Executive Order and Office for Civil Rights Policy Guidance; the standards of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).

The presentation will address initial planning, illustrate the need for creating a neutral and credible organization, and provide participants with tips on tapping into existing community networks and other resources. The presenters will discuss funding sources necessary for startup financing, and provide participants with an outline of the components necessary to manage a successful language bank including a sample budget, business plan and strategic plan.

Discussions of screening tools necessary for recruitment and the various training programs taught around the country will assist participants in assessing their program needs. The presenters will also look at the current industry standards and discuss the efforts concerning certification and standards undertaken by various organizations including the National Council on Interpretation in Health Care, the American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Massachusetts Medical Interpreters Association.

The formal session will end with a group discussion on conflicts of interest around education and advocacy that will allow participants to share their experiences and obtain concrete suggestions that can be implemented in their programs. Participants will leave the workshop with a thorough understanding of what it takes to establish a community language bank.

Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center

The Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center (NVAHEC) is part of a 25-year old national network of community-based organizations whose mission is to recruit, retain and support the healthcare workforce in underserved communities. NVAHEC's Community Health Interpreter Service (CHIS) was established in January 1998 capitalized with a mix of federal operating funds and local grant monies. CHIS provides: on-site interpretation in 12 languages; interpreter testing and training; provider education in communicating through an interpreter and consulting services. The agency has 40 contractual interpreters who work with area safety net providers, hospitals, private practitioners and educational institutions. Because of its location in metro Washington, DC and rigorous screening process, CHIS has had particular success in recruiting and training staff experienced in both interpreting and health care. The organization's neutrality and extensive community networks have been invaluable assets in building multilingual capacity and an increasingly broad client base. The continuing challenge has been collaboration with local organizations to ensure that LEP community members and health care providers are educated to their rights and responsibilities, thereby transforming the śneed” for language assistance into a sustained śdemand” for fee-for service interpretation.

International Language Services

Karin Ruschke runs International Language Services, a community-based interpreting agency. She provides, to a variety of clients such as health care facilities, governmental agencies and community organizations, consultation on how to effectively setup and implement language interpretation services. She has developed and delivered comprehensive programs to train bilingual staff to facilitate communication between patients and medical providers. Addressing the rigorous standards of accuracy, confidentiality, role and cultural-sensitivity, these programs have improved the effectiveness and professionalism of in-house interpretation. Karin also trains providers in how to work effectively with interpreters.

Priscilla Coudoux is currently Program Director, Community Health Connect at the Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center. In this capacity, she is responsible for the agency's Community Health Interpreter Service and community-based cultural competence training. Ms. Coudoux has worked in cross-cultural health for 15 years as a program manager, planner, trainer, researcher and filmmaker. Her particular area of expertise is traditional Southeast Asian medicine. In 1994, she and a French-Vietnamese videographer co-produced Too Much Air to Breathe, a 1994 documentary on Lao Buddhist healing. Ms. Coudoux spent many years working with Southeast Asian refugees, both in the US and in Europe. She received an AB degree from Harvard College and continues to pursue studies in cultural and medical anthropology. She has lived and worked abroad for much of her life in Switzerland, Vietnam, Laos, Madagascar, Italy, France and Canada. Ms. Coudoux is fluent in French and speaks conversational Italian.

Priscilla Mendenhall Coudoux
Program Director, Community Health Connect
Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center
5105-P Backlick Road
Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: (703) 750-3248
Fax: (703) 750-3072
Email: nvahec1@aol.com

Karin Ruschke has dedicated her career to bridging language and cultural differences in the health care setting. As founder and president of International Language Services, Karin directs the expansion of interpretation services within the Chicago health care provider community. She also provides, to a variety of clients such as health care facilities, governmental agencies and community organizations, consultation on how to effectively setup and implement language interpretation services. She has developed and delivered comprehensive programs to train bilingual staff to facilitate communication between patients and medical providers. Addressing the rigorous standards of accuracy, confidentiality, role and cultural-sensitivity, these programs have improved the effectiveness and professionalism of in-house interpretation. She also trains providers in how to work effectively with interpreters.

Ms. Ruschke is actively involved in all aspects of developing the medical interpreting industry. She plays an integral role in raising the awareness of standards for medical interpreters. As a member of the American Society of Testing and Materials, she is developing a user guide for providers in need of interpreter services. She is also a board member of the National Council on Interpretation in Health Care.

Ms. Ruschke received her MA from the School of Translation at the Monterey Institute in California.

Karin Ruschke
President, International Language Services
2632 North Halsted
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 975-3992
Fax: (773) 975-3993
Email: ils-inc@mindspring.com

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