Overview

Quality health care interpreters are lacking throughout the country. National Linguistic & Cultural Programs (NLCP) is addressing this need with its HCI Certificate Training Program, now in its eighth year in partnership with City College of San Francisco (CCSF). The HCI Certificate Program is recognized in the industry as a model program that increases the community's capacity and capability to provide high-quality health care interpreting services. The objective is to provide a diverse patient population with linguistically and culturally appropriate services by increasing the pool of linguistically and culturally competent health care interpreters.

Health care interpreting requires a complex and intricate set of skills and has become a recognized service by the industry. Studies show that language is a major determinant in accessing health care and that the use of untrained interpreters and lack of effective communication are underlying causes of health care disparities for many immigrant populations. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for trained health care interpreters. As an integral member of the health care team, the interpreter helps to facilitate linguistic and cultural communication between patients, clinicians, and the health care system at large. Unless a limited-English proficient (LEP) or non-English proficient (NEP) patient's provider speaks their language, interpreting services are key to assuring optimal care.

NLCP's nationally acclaimed HCI program is a cost-effective and innovative approach that addresses the growing needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. NLCP accomplishes this through partnerships with educational institutions which provide a unique practice-oriented curriculum with a strong academic focus, and aligned with Kaiser Permanente standards.