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The NCIHC is a multidisciplinary organization whose mission is to promote and enhance language access in health care in the United States.

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Latest Updates

December 13, 2011

Collaboration with Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center

The Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center (RHTAC) collaborated with the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) to post resources on language access in health care settings to their website! Click here to read more about the collaboration and to check out the new resources for healthcare providers who work with refugees!

December 6, 2011

NCIHC Home for Trainers

Following up on the release of the National Standards for Healthcare Interpreter Training Programs, the NCIHC is pleased to announce its new Home for Trainers.

The Home for Trainers is going to start out with three initiatives:

1. Monthly skill-building webinars presented by expert interpreter trainers, these webinars will address specific areas of content and specific teaching skills that trainers will need in order to comply with the National Standards. Scheduled to start in February 2012. 

2. Support for trainers working with interpreters of languages of limited diffusion which will include, among other things, the identification of resources, as well as information and guidance on dealing with language proficiency testing, developing technical terminology, and supporting interpreting students who speak LLDs, including those that have no written form. Scheduled to start in January 2012. 

3. An interpreter trainer mentorship program to provide a framework for novice trainers to connect with experienced trainers who can provide additional expertise and support on a closer basis. Launch date: May 2012, at the Council’s Annual Membership Meeting. The Council will use this time to seek seasoned trainers to work in a mentoring capacity, train them in mentoring techniques and assure the best match for a successful mentorship program.

If you are interested in applying for committee or sub-committee membership, let us hear from you by filling out an application form. Please indicate whether you would like to be considered for full committee membership, or, if you would like to be considered for a sub-committee, tell us which one you'd like to work on: webinars, LLD, or mentoring. Applications are due by December 15.

September 9, 2011

Response to MediBabble

Recently two physicians from the University of California San Francisco Medical Center developed a translation tool called "MediBabble."  MediBabble is a free downloadable medical translation application ("App") that is intended to assist providers in communicating with LEP patients.  While some have lauded its creation, others have concerns about its use.  To read an article from two NCIHC members which details those concerns, please click here.

August 19, 2011

Thank you for attending today's NCIHC webinar on

"IMIA National Accreditation for Training Organizations"

 The NCIHC's Standards, Training and Certification Committee invited IMIA to speak about its National Accreditation for Training Organizations.  Izabel Arocha, IMIA's Executive Director, joined us today to discuss the work that has been done to date by IMIA, and the timeline for the work that is pending.

To view the webinar, click here.

July 8, 2011

Thank you for attending today's webinar!!

 "National Standards for Healthcare Interpreter Training Programs 

                                             The Final Product"

The National Standards for Healthcare Interpreting Training Programs are a result of a systematic, deliberate and reflective process and are representative of what working interpreters and interpreter educators in the U.S. believe are important in the preparation of healthcare interpreters for entry into practice. Presenters introduced the Standards, provided a short overview on how they were developed, went over Standards themselves and discussed approaches toward the application of these standards to participants’ own training programs or training experience.

To view the recorded webinar, click here.

To view the Standards, click here.  

April 4, 2011

NCIHC  announces the 2011 Language Access Champions

NCIHC is pleased to honor Mary Rynerson, Mara Youdelman, and EthnoMed with the NCIHC Language Access Champion Awards for 2011. The purpose of this award is to honor a person, program, or organization whose work has contributed to improving the lives of all people through the promotion of language access in healthcare. NCIHC will present the awards at the “Interpretini Reception” on May 19, 2011, from 6:00-8:30pm at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana.  To read about the awardees, see the press release.  Congratulations!