PALS for Health
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is training important?
There are many studies that report how interpreters that are not trained commit more mistakes when interpreting than those who have taken a training.  Some of those errors include omission, additions, substitutions and distortions in the meaning of the message.  Lack of language proficiency and training account for most of these errors.  Studies also have found that these errors are of potential clinical consequences that can and have lead to serious harm to the patients.  A person who is interested in the interpreting profession must possess the necessary skills to avoid the problems that are mentioned above.  Training affords individuals the knowledge, practice and ethics to become a competent interpreter. 

Currently, medical facilities and or organizations are seeking trained health care interpreters as they understand that by doing this they are saving health care dollars by decreasing the likelihood of negative outcomes, reducing the number of inpatient days and interventions, and increasing the rate of treatment adherence.  For course availability and schedules please contact us at (213) 553-1818 or info@palsforhealth.org. 
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Why should I use a trained health care interpreter? Isn’t a bilingual staff adequate?
Bilingual staff members often do not have adequate proficiency in medical terminology nor are they skilled in interpretation techniques.  Furthermore, the heavy workload of bilingual staff does not permit them to easily step away from primary duties to interpret for patients.

A trained health care interpreter’s bilingual proficiency has been properly assessed and deemed superior.  The interpreter is trained in medical terminology, interpretation skills and bound by the ethical standards guiding the practice of health care interpretation.

Providing trained health care interpretation services will also help you to ensure that the quality of your services is not lost in translation.  It will promote trust with the patient and will prevent potential medical malpractice from inadequate interpretation by untrained interpreters.  Finally, there is a large body of federal and state laws mandating the provision of competent language assistance to limited English proficient health consumers.  A partial list of language access laws and regulations include:
 Federal Laws & Guidance
  • Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
  • Executive Order 13166
  • Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil  Rights  (OCR) LEP Guidance
  • Office of Minority Health Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards  (OMH CLAS)
  • Federal Medicaid/SCHIP Managed Care Contracts
California Laws &  Regulations
  • CA GOVT. CODE 11135,11139 22 C.C.R.982100 et seq.
  • Dymally-Alatorre
  • Kopp Act
  • Medi-Cal Contracts
  • Healthy Family Contracts
  • SB 853 (Escutia): Managed Health Plans 
Is there a cost for training?
For upcoming training dates and fees, please call our office at (213) 553-1818. 

Is previous interpreting experience required?
Although previous experience is not required, there is a benefit to having an interpreting background. The only prerequisite for training is passing the 2.5 hour language skills assessment; this is done to gauge your language expertise.

Interpreter Training Calendar
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PALS for Health is a division of Special Service for Groups
515 S. Columbia Ave. Suite 320 
Los Angeles, CA 90017
P:  (213) 553-1818   |   F:   (213) 553-1876   |    E:  info@palsforhealth.org
                                     
  • Home
  • About Us
    • History
    • Client List
    • Employment
    • "I Speak" Cards
    • Know Your Language Rights >
      • Title VI
      • CLAS Standards
      • "In the Absence of Words": Shared Stories
  • Translation
    • REQUEST TRANSLATION
    • Translator Qualifications
    • Translation Process
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
  • Interpretation
    • REQUEST INTERPRETER >
      • CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION
      • SIMULTANEOUS/CONFERENCE INTERPRETATION
    • Interpreter Qualifications
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
  • Trainings
    • TRAINING CALENDAR
    • Professional Training & Continuing Education
    • Connecting Worlds 40-Hour Interpreter Training Course >
      • Customized Training Courses
      • Workers Comp.
    • Cultural Competency Training Course
    • Additional Continuing Education Training Courses
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
  • Language Assessment
    • SCHEDULE LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT
    • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Payment
    • Donations
  • Interpretation Survey
  • Translation Survey
  • Community Outreach & Education
  • Community Calendar
  • PALS Corner