The NCIHC will continue to host webinars and panel discussions about language access with the “NCIHC On the Road” series throughout 2024. These virtual events will join interpreters, advocates, patients, hospital administrators from risk management, compliance and patient experience, and other stakeholders for learning and discussion around building infrastructure in areas where public investment and oversight in language access is critical.
Webinar Description:
A Language Access Plan (LAP) is a strategic document developed by organizations, particularly healthcare institutions, to ensure meaningful access for individuals who have limited proficiency in the dominant language of the region. A typical LAP includes components like the identification of language needs, the provision of interpretation and translation services, staff training, and ongoing assessment and improvement processes.
In this fifth installment of the OTR webinar series, a panel of subject matter experts will explore LAP from the legal compliance, risk mitigation, ethical responsibility, patient experience and community engagement perspectives. Health systems need to be proactive in addressing language barriers to provide inclusive and high-quality healthcare services to all members of their community.
Developing and implementing a Language Access Plan is a crucial step in achieving this goal, establishing one standard of care for all patients, and ultimately improving health outcomes.
Reference material: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/OMH/Downloads/Language-Access-Plan.pdf
About the Panelists:
Darci L. Graves, MPP, MA, MA
Darci L. Graves joined the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of Minority Health in 2015. As part of her work, she assists in the coordination and implementation of priority Agency and office-wide programs, policies, and products. In addition, she provides subject matter expertise in areas such as culturally and linguistically appropriate services, rural health, cancer, health disparities, and health equity. Ms. Graves holds graduate degrees in Communications, Religion and Sociology, and Public Policy and has over 20 years of professional experience in advancing the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Darci began her career as a faculty member at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, where she aided in the development, implementation, and management of diversity, spirituality, communications, and geriatrics curricula. Her life philosophy is that we can each enhance the quality of people’s lives through a commitment to respectful understanding, a lifetime of learning, and a profound sense of community.
Elida Acuna-Martinez
Elida Acuna-Martinez is the Senior Director of the Interpreter Services and Patient Advocacy Departments at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. Prior to joining EBNHC, Elida worked at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Medical Center where she held various roles in their Interpreter Services Departments. She has over 20 years of experience in the medical interpreting and translation profession. She has dedicated her professional career to providing language access to LEP patients, helping them navigate their health care experiences and ensuring that their cultural traditions and beliefs are respected. As the Director of Patient Advocacy department, she will strengthen the relationship between patients, families and staff in a culturally respectful, compassionate, engaging and innovative way by providing patients and caregivers a venue to confidentially express complaints and compliments about the care they receive or provide at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. Elida obtained her medical interpreting training from Cambridge College and her Patient Advocacy training from Cleveland State University. She completed the Boston Future Leaders program at the Boston Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Harvard Business School. She was awarded the Partners in Excellence Award at Massachusetts General Hospital and the YMCA Achiever’s award for her continuous dedication in providing excellent care to the LEP patient population.
Fabián Armijo
Fabián Armijo was born and raised in New Mexico and has worked at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) since 2015. During his time with UNMH, Fabián has served UNMH as a qualified medical interpreter, an interpreter trainer, and currently as a part of the leadership team. In his current role as Executive Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Fabián oversees the following areas: Interpreter Language Services, Community Engagement, Native American Health Services, DE&I Education, and Health Literacy. Before working at UNMH, Fabián studied at the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, the University of Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and received his Master of Health Administration (MHA) from the University of New Mexico’s School of Public Administration.
Monica Serrano
Monica Serrano is the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Language access manager, and ADA/Civil Rights Coordinator for Kaiser Permanente Northwest. She has over 20 years of professional and volunteer experience working with limited English proficient (LEP) people in the Pacific Northwest. In the early 90s, she started working as an independent medical Spanish interpreter for Multnomah County Health Department. For years, she worked as a staff interpreter, translator, and supervisor for Oregon Health & Science University’s Interpreter Services Department. For the last 10 years, Monica has been a leader for Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) managing and building language access services. Monica’s focus is to improve Equitable access to care for KPNW LEP members. She oversees the infrastructure and develops processes and metrics to ensure language access services are monitored for quality, compliance, and process improvement. Monica immigrated to the United States with her mother from Guatemala as a teenager; she has firsthand experience as a limited English proficient person. She is passionate about health equity and advocating for people vulnerable to social health barriers. At KPNW, Monica continues to live her values by supporting the organization's mission to provide high-quality, equitable, affordable health care services to all its members. Monica has a Political Science degree (’01) from Reed College.
About the Moderator:
Tim Moriarty, MPA, CHI-Spanish
Tim Moriarty has been a director on the NCIHC Board of Directors since 2018. He is currently board liaison to the Organizational Development Committee and Annual Membership Meeting Work Group as well as participating actively on the Outreach and Membership Committee, especially within the Social Media Work Group. Tim is from Springfield, Massachusetts, has lived and worked for extended periods in New York City, Guatemala, and Panama. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hispanic Studies and then a Master in Public Administration Degree from Columbia University. He is a nationally certified healthcare interpreter, and has spent most of the last 20 years managing a large interpreter and translation services department at Baystate Health in his home town in Western Massachusetts. The Interpreter & Translation Services Department at Baystate Health, a 4 hospital health system with 90 locations that include a level 1 trauma center, children’s hospital, regional cancer center, specialty practices, as well as primary care, is a 24/7 on-site department with 50 staff members and nationally certified interpreters for Arabic, Mandarin, Nepali, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
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