Training

In the United States, conference, sign language and judicial interpreting have been recognized as professional occupations longer than health care interpreting. The first training programs for community interpreting began to appear in this country in 1995. This includes judicial and medical interpreting, work often performed by members of the language community being served.

In 1997, only 23 semi-formal training programs existed in the United States and Canada that prepared interpreters for health care settings. To capture the state of the field, Hablamos Juntos conducted a web search of health care interpreter programs and commissioned National Council on Interpreting in Health Care to prepare Models for the Provision of Health Care Interpreter Training. When health interpreter training is available, these training programs being offered by hospitals, other health care facilities, Area Health Care Education Centers (AHECs), community agencies, interpreting agencies, and a few institutions of higher education. Overall, there appears to be little consistency among these programs with respect to the overall skill development of medical interpreting.

By 2003, two networks of training programs had developed in California: one based among community service agencies and the other based in the community college system. These networks shared a single training curriculum that Hablamos Juntos sites will be disseminating through partnership they are forming with local community colleges and universities.

The Challenges That Must Be Overcome
Training Programs
Funding for Training
Hablamos Juntos Approach to Training

For more information, call the National Program Office at (213) 743-1556