Breakout Room 6 Notes

Language Access Work Group

Notes from 

Meeting 2 Breakout Room 6

August 8, 2023

Breakout Room 6 Participants                                       Breakout Room 6 Facilitator

Patricia Alonzo                                                                                Adolfo Capestany

Zugey Garcia

Carrie Huie-Pascua

Elsie Rodriguez Paz

 

Homework: In what ways can the State of Washington support having more qualified medical interpreters?

 

  • Restart testing and invest in communities with high LEP concentration. Tap into the talent pool of LEP communities. Provide career path for these young people. Since young people are already doing it, why not formalize it?

 

  • Implement interpreting in school curriculum. Tap into the schools since they already require a foreign language. The talent pool is in the school system; the state needs to reach out to them.

 

  • Community colleges and Running Start are a vital resource. Promote and get into the community colleges and high school.

 

  • Add an educational requirement about medical interpreting. Already doing ethics course so why not add this?

 

  • Need to provide background and training to support people going forward. Make clear what a qualified language interpreter looks like.

 

  • Expand electronic testing access.

 

  • Add other physical locations for testing based on geographic need. Deliver test proctors to where the masses are. Use the facilities of medical providers to do testing.

 

  • Implement a structured calendar for the year.

 

  • More technology attracts more young people. Add a component to educate people on what video remote interpreting looks like. Good pieces of technology for remote testing. Make video remote interpreting easier to use and access.

 

  • Tap into CBOs for the people who are served by them. Nonprofits that support immigrants and refugees.