Language Access Work Group
Notes from
Meeting 2 Breakout Room 1
August 8, 2023
Breakout Room 1 Participants Breakout Room 1 Facilitator
Gabrielle Bachmeier Scott Hubbell
Vicky Chan
Nadia Damchii
Marguerite Friedlander, Esq
Ruiqin Miao, PhD
Rebecca Saldaña
Quan Trần
Michael Woo
Homework: In what ways can the State of Washington support having more qualified medical interpreters?
- Please see Information Sheet: Preliminary Elements of Medical Interpreter Testing and Certification for examples as well as preliminary elements of medical interpreter testing and certification to be considered in a recommendation
- Participants are encouraged to use the Language Access Work Group: Draft Recommendations Form, which includes elements from the Information Sheet, as they draft their recommendations
- General language test does not include enough medical terminology - need specific medical training before test.
- State needs to give respect to whole system - better communication and more transparency; not doing things or making decisions behind closed doors.
- Use the community college system as a training support.
- 20,000 hearings a year - have to compete with other state agencies for same interpreters - need more people in the pipeline and more tested - grass roots efforts for recruiting that results in less internal competing for interpreters.
- Better overall, broad recruiting for interpreters.
- Target immigrant students, children of immigrants as possible interpreters.
- Use community colleges as a place to recruit new interpreters from high level ESL students.
- We heard from interpreters about the need to have dignity and respect for their expertise and profession. They often feel their voices and input are not centered to make sure they are able to provide quality service and make a living.
- Testing only in Olympia is not very accessible; make testing more accessible with increased opportunity through more locations, more dates, etc.