Sixth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops The Long and Winding Road Toward National Certification for Health Care Interpreters
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Special Session I Language access policy: Laws, funding, and certification

The Long and Winding Road Toward National Certification for Health Care Interpreters
Monday, September 22, 2008: 4:15 PM-6:00 PM, Minn Marriott, 8th Floor - Wayzata/Gray's Bay
The National Council on Interpreting in Health Care has intended to create a national agenda for certification that has the involvement and buy-in of key stakeholders in the healthcare interpreting field, and that will eventually result in a well-conceived certification process that is respectful of the many linguistic groups represented in this profession, while developing a system that is of rigorous technical quality.

In 2006-07 the NCIHC held 12 Open Forums across the U.S. to increase awareness of the technical as well as political complexities of instituting a national certification process and solicit input on the potential benefits and disadvantages of a national certification process.  In this NCIHC presentation, the co-chairs of the Standards, Training and Certification Committee will highlight the discussions that arose during the open forums and will give an overview of the work currently being done to develop a national certification for healthcare interpreters. The issue of national certification for health care interpreters has been one that has been discussed for over 10 years. With National Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice in place, the time seems ripe to engage in a thoughtful national certification process. This could be the most defining moment in the still young healthcare interpreting profession.

Handouts
  • National Coalition on Health Care Interpreter Certification.pdf (279.3 kB)

    • Presentation Information:

    Program: Main Conference Concurrent Workshops
    Primary Category: Language Access
    Subtopics: Interpreter training, assessment and certification

    Region Addressed by Presentation: National
    Organization: Non-Profit Organization/Association
    Population/Demographic: LEP
    Keywords: certification, interpreter, NCIHC


    Website: www.ncihc.org
    Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, MA , UW Hospital & Clinics/National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Madison, WI
      UWHC Director of Community Partnerships/NCIHC Co-Chair Standards, Training & Certification Committee
      UW Hospital & Clinics/National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
      UW Hospital & Clinics
      600 Highland Ave Mail Code 2460
      Madison WI, USA 53792

      Phone: 608-265-7424
      Fax: 608-265-1704
      Email Address: s.bidarsielaff@hosp.wisc.edu

      Biographical Sketch:       Shiva Bidar-Sielaff is the Director of Community Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics. Ms. Bidar-Sielaff has been instrumental in the development of language access policies and practices in Dane County, Wisconsin. She is the Vice-Chair of the Dane County Latino Health Council. On a national level, she has worked extensively on issues of equal access to health care for limited English proficient individuals. She is on the Board of National Council on Interpreting in Health Care and the Co-chair of its Standards, Training and Certification Committee. Ms. Bidar-Sielaff was awarded the Dane County Public Health Leadership Award for Multicultural Health Care in 2000 and is the 2005 recipient of the Madison YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for her work in fighting inequality and eliminating racism. Ms. Bidar-Sielaff obtained her B.A. from the School of Interpreters, University of Hainaut, Belgium, and her M.A. from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, California.
    Karin Ruschke, MA , International Language Services/NCIHC/National Coalition on Health Care Interpreter Certification, Chicago, IL
      President, International Language Services/NCIHC Co-Chair Standards, Training & Certification Committee
      International Language Services/NCIHC/National Coalition on Health Care Interpreter Certification
      2707 North Halsted Street
      Chicago IL, USA 60614

      Phone: (773) 525-8590
      Fax: 773-525-8591
      Email Address: kruschke@ilschicago.com

      Biographical Sketch:       Karin Ruschke has dedicated her career to bridging language and cultural differences in the healthcare setting. Ms. Ruschke is founder and president of International Language Services, a full-service agency providing on-site interpreting, document translation, and training to clients nationwide. Ms. Ruschke consults nationally on how to implement interpreting services. She has developed a comprehensive training program which addresses the rigorous standards of accuracy, confidentiality, role and cultural-sensitivity, improving the effectiveness and professionalism of interpreting. In addition, Ms. Ruschke is on the Board of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) and has co-chaired the Standards, Training, and Certification (STC) Committee since 1999. The STC committee has pubblished the National Code of Ethics and the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care. Ms. Ruschke received her M.A. from the School of Translation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.
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