Eva Stitt Mental Health Memorial Lecture

Bridging the Gaps: Navigating Legislative Changes and Protecting Mental Health Language Access 

This event will take place on Tuesday, July 28, from 9 AM - 3 PM US-Eastern

Start time: 9 AM US-Eastern | 8 AM US-Central | 6 AM US-Pacific

This webinar will be recorded. The recording will only be available through the NCIHC Learning Center. Once the recording is available, individuals will need to submit a separate registration form to view the recording, including those who registered for the live broadcast. These recordings are free for NCIHC members and $60 for non-members.

NCIHC Members: FREE

Non-NCIHC Members: $60.00

(Become an NCIHC Member today!)

CEU Approvals:

Eva Stitt Mental Health Memorial Lecture

The Eva Stitt Memorial Lecture honors the legacy of Dr. Eva Stitt, a pioneer in mental health interpreter training and a champion of equitable language access. This annual event brings professionals together to continue her work by advancing knowledge, advocacy, and best practices in the field.

As policies and priorities evolve, language access—especially in mental health settings—faces growing challenges. This lecture explores current legislative changes, emerging gaps in services, and practical strategies interpreters can use to support equitable, patient-centered care.

Objectives:

1. Stay informed on policy changes impacting language access.
2. Gain practical strategies for real-world interpreting challenges.
3. Strengthen your role as an advocate for equitable care

Facilitators

Margie Bruce-Miguel

Margie Bruce's journey into the field of interpretation began not as a planned career path, but as a meaningful opportunity to serve her community. Encouraged by a Parent Liaison at her child’s school who recognized both her bilingual abilities and the urgent need for Spanish interpreters, Margie stepped into a role that would soon become her calling.

Today, she serves as a Level III Spanish Interpreter (Simultaneous Interpreter) for Fairfax County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the nation. In this capacity, Margie plays a critical role in bridging communication between educators and families, ensuring that language is never a barrier to understanding or access. She regularly facilitates communication during parent-teacher conferences, Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, 504 Plan meetings, and other proceedings required under ADA, IDEA, and ESSA. Her work is especially impactful in supporting families of students with diverse learning and emotional needs.

Margie’s commitment to the profession extends beyond her work in schools. She has dedicated over 1700 hours to training more than 600 interpreters, as a Behavioral Health Interpreter Master Trainer with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). She has also been a pioneer in implementing the Virginia Behavioral Health Interpreting Curriculum in Education Settings (BHI-ES), helping to prepare interpreters for the unique and sensitive nature of behavioral health and educational environments.

In addition to her work in public schools, Margie provides freelance interpreting services, continuing to support individuals and families from diverse backgrounds. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Design from Universidad Autónoma del Caribe in Colombia, a foundation she draws upon to create thoughtful and engaging audiovisual training materials.

Margie finds joy in learning about different cultures, tending to her garden, traveling, and sharing meaningful moments with family and friends—often gathered around a home-cooked meal or enjoying a lively conversation. At the heart of her work and her life is a deep commitment to connection, understanding, and service to others.

Freshta Taeb 

Freshta Taeb is a mental health professional, educator, and community advocate known for her work supporting marginalized communities, promoting culturally competent behavioral health care, and bridging gaps between public institutions and underserved populations.

Taeb has built a multidisciplinary career that spans behavioral health services, education, community advocacy, and policy engagement. She has worked extensively with refugee and immigrant populations, providing trauma-informed care and culturally sensitive intervention programs addressing issues such as post-traumatic stress, domestic violence, anger coaching and community integration. She has led programs delivering emotional-wellness workshops and support services for youth, adults and veterans.

In addition to her clinical and advocacy work, Taeb is the founder and managing director of FT Translation Services, a company that provides translation, cultural consulting, and interpretation services. Through this work she has collaborated with major media outlets including Al Jazeera America and The New York Times, supporting translation and subtitling projects and contributing to cross-cultural communication initiatives. Taeb has also been involved in academic and training initiatives with institutions such as Virginia Department of Behavioral Health Developmental Services, Virginia Tech, and University of California, Davis. Through these collaborations, she has delivered training and educational programs focused on behavioral health interpretation, cultural competency, and trauma-informed care for professionals working with diverse communities.

Beyond her professional work, Taeb has been active in civic and political engagement in the United States. She has participated in grassroots outreach, voter mobilization, and advocacy initiatives aimed at increasing representation and engagement among underserved communities. In 2025, she ran for New Jersey State Assembly in the 12th legislative district.

Access Statement: The goal of the NCIHC is to provide full access to anyone wanting to participate in our programming. We must receive your request for a reasonable accommodation no later than two weeks before the date of the event. For those who request accommodation after that date, every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodation; however, we may not be able to do so given potential time constraints. If you need accommodations to participate, please email [email protected] by July 14, 2026.