Please see the success story here: https://www.montereylanguages.com/blog/medical-interpreter-pilot-project-independent-findings-and-operational-insights-5214

When patients and professionals truly understand each other, outcomes improve. The Medical Interpreter Pilot Project demonstrated just how powerful clear communication can be—showing measurable improvements in patient engagement and preventive care.

But results like these don’t happen automatically. They depend on something fundamental: the quality, professionalism, and cultural competence of the interpreters supporting each interaction.

Looking beyond the headline results, it becomes clear that consistent standards, careful interpreter selection, and reliable scheduling all play an essential role in making effective communication possible.

More Than Language: Cultural Competence Matters

Professional interpreters do more than translate words. They help bridge the gap between two cultures, ensuring that meaning, context, and intent are fully understood on both sides of the conversation.

Culturally competent interpreters recognize that communication styles, expectations, and ways of expressing concerns can vary widely between communities. By understanding these differences, interpreters help prevent misunderstandings, support respectful dialogue, and create an environment where individuals feel comfortable asking questions and participating in decisions.

Concrete example – diabetes and traditional foods:
During a diabetes consultation, a patient mentions a traditional breakfast dish. The interpreter, familiar with the dish and its ingredients, conveys this information to the doctor, ensuring everyone has a shared understanding of the patient’s dietary habits.

Expertise You Can Trust

Professional interpretation requires more than bilingual ability. It requires training, subject knowledge, and a commitment to accuracy.

Certified and Experienced Professionals
Interpreters are selected based on national certifications and demonstrated experience in complex environments such as healthcare and technical settings.

Careful Assignment Matching
Rather than sending the first available interpreter, assignments are matched to professionals who are familiar with the terminology and pace of the specific meeting or appointment.

Ongoing Quality Standards
Regular evaluations help maintain the professionalism and reliability organizations depend on when communication truly matters.

A Reliable and Simple Process

Organizations often value not only interpreter quality but also the ease of scheduling support. A streamlined process helps ensure that communication needs are met quickly and consistently.

Straightforward Scheduling
Requests can be submitted easily, allowing appointments and meetings to be coordinated efficiently.

Flexible Service Options
Interpreting can be provided either on-site or through remote platforms depending on the needs of the organization.

Responsive Support
When situations arise that require quick coordination, fast-turnaround requests can often be accommodated.

Supporting Diverse Communities

While Spanish played a central role in the pilot project, language needs across California extend far beyond a single community. Organizations frequently require support in many languages to serve their patients, clients, and community members effectively.

Providing access to qualified interpreters across a broad range of languages helps ensure that everyone can fully understand important information and participate in meaningful conversations.

Where Professional Interpretation Makes a Difference

Accurate communication is essential whenever important information must be clearly understood. Professional interpreters frequently support organizations in situations such as:

• Healthcare appointments and consultations
• Public service programs and community outreach
• Workplace safety training sessions and orientations
• Technical briefings and informational sessions

Clear Communication Leads to Better Outcomes

The results of the Medical Interpreter Pilot Project reinforce a simple but powerful idea: when communication barriers are removed, organizations can deliver better services and communities’ benefit.

Professional interpreters play a vital role in making that possible and ensuring that every conversation is understood clearly, accurately, and with confidence.

So what is 1557?

Section 1557 of the ACA “prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities.” The term “national origin” is understood to include providing language services for those with limited English proficiency (LEP).

Section 1557 was first put into place in 2010, and had a few issues with it. For example, the then-legal standard was for “competent” interpreters to assist LEP individuals; this could allow a loophole for family members or even non-adult family members, or bilingual/multilingual staff at the agency to provide interpretation. Without proper, certified medical interpreters, there may have been many miscommunications, to say the least.

Major Revisions

The Obama administration’s revisions took effect in 2016. Under this revision, some changes were that “competent” interpreters were changed to “qualified” interpreters; minors and family members were only allowed to interpret under special circumstances such as emergencies; and bilingual/multilingual staff were held back from interpreting unless they were able to sufficiently demonstrate proper interpretation abilities. Translation of written materials was also required.

Many things changed in 2020 due to the Trump administration, however. For example, the wording was changed to have a more general requirement of language services to LEP people, rather than each and every LEP person. Federally funded organizations had to undergo a test to determine how to provide language services; the Trump administration changed this again to be more based on the “likelihood” of servicing an LEP individual rather than each specific instance of servicing an LEP individual. Standards of remote video interpretation were also removed, focusing instead on telephonic interpretation only.

Finally, citing too many expenses (presumably for translation fees, extra paper space, and ink), there was also a change to not require that each state have the top fifteen languages represented in a tagline on a non-discrimination notice. Taglines are short statements written in non-English languages that notify the reader that they can access language services free of charge.

Proposed Revision

As mentioned previously, the US Department of Health and Human Services has released a proposed rule to reverse the changes implemented by the Trump administration and to strengthen language access in general compared to the rulings from the Obama administration. Some proposed changes include the following:

Previously removed definitions will be added back for the following terms: language assistance services, limited English proficient individual, qualified interpreter, qualified translator, and qualified bilingual/multilingual staff. Care will also be taken to provide each LEP individual with language access, as well as those who need assistance such as sign language; this will be aided by the requirement of taglines on a large number of documents.

Other changes include the restoration of standards for remote video interpreting, the requirement to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to each LEP individual, the requirement to inform individuals of their rights, and the requirement to have a specific employee be responsible to coordinate compliance with 1557. Another change would be applying Section 1557 to Medicare Part B, which notably has not had requirements for Section 1557 despite being federally funded through trust funds.

Our Conclusion

These proposed new rules seem to be taking a huge step toward fair access to language services. Especially exciting is the requirement returning to provide each LEP individual with language access, rather than a general estimate of people. We at Monterey Language Services believe that everyone deserves the right to access to information and services in the language of their choosing, and we’re all for the proposed rules and hope they come to pass sooner than later.

Although the latter was played off for laughs, by comparing these two portrayals, we can see the differences between the two interpreters and what separates a professional interpreter from others.

The Interpreter 2005, Political thriller
Starring Nicole Kidman, this movie is about a UN interpreter who overhears people planning an assassination from her interpretation booth after hours. The producers did extensive research on conference interpreting as a profession, and in this movie you can see her portraying the work of a conference interpreter simultaneously interpreting both in the booths and in a meeting between dignitaries. According to IMDB, the movie is the first to have been filmed at the actual UN headquarters.

We see her portraying a professional interpreter with a great sense of responsibility in communication shown in her paying careful attention to the smallest nuances of language. She interpreted accurately despite a personal difference in opinion while at the same time protecting confidentiality.

Lost in Translation 2003, Comedy-drama
Everyone who has seen this movie probably remembers the Suntory commercial scene, where Bill Murray’s character struggles to understand the instructions of a passionate, machine-gun talking director despite having Japanese interpreter present. This scene is possibly the most humorous rendition of an unprofessional interpreter.

We noticed a few qualities lacking in this interpreter that are holding her back from doing a professional job. First, she appeared to have a lack of language ability that left huge gaps in the message she was trying to convey, and showed a lack of sensitivity to the frustration in the client when he was unable to understand her interpretation. The client shows a great deal of discomfort and confusion, there is still a language barrier that needs to be broken down.

Interpreters in Real Life at Monterey Language Services
Monterey Language Services understands what a significance a professional interpreter can make in bridging language gaps. Every day, we successfully fulfill our mission to serve by sending professional interpreters to hospitals, clinics, community public hearing events, and high-tech customer conferences in Silicon Valley. Our customers are always happy to see the power of communication take place in everyday life!

Here is a recent encounter that required the skills of a professional interpreter — a Cantonese medical interpretation at a children’s clinic in Capitola, CA.
– The Interpreter was a certified medical interpreter, CMI and CCHI precisely: Thanks to her professional mindset, the client was fully taken care of.
– Thorough communication between the doctor and patient was facilitated: The interpreter showed her dedication and ensured all messages were fully conveyed. The assignment was originally scheduled for two hours while the actual time spent interpreting was three hours.
–A willingness to serve: although the location was a bit far, the interpreter was willing to drive all the way to the hospital to make sure that someone was there to cover the assignment.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for a quote.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:         Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation
831-655-3460 (Office)

Translation Services Launches 40-hour Minimum Training
Required in the Healthcare Interpreting Industry

MONTEREY, Calif. (11/19, 2014) – Monterey Language Services (MLS), an independent translation and interpretation company in the Monterey area, announced its new intensive 5 day, 40 hour training course in medical interpreting. The course will take place the week of 6/1 – 6/5, 2015 and is available to online participants, regardless of location.

The Monterey and neighboring Salinas areas are home to many who do not speak English as their first language—or do not speak English at all. The importance of skilled interpreters in providing healthcare services for these residents has become increasingly evident, and the local medical interpretation industry presents a highly attractive job market for area bilinguals.

However, with increasing regulation in the healthcare interpretation field, just because you are bilingual does not mean you are qualified to interpret at a hospital or clinic. The era of family member “interpreters” is over.  “Just being bilingual, it’s not enough.  But if you have a certificate from Monterey Language Services, it’s good,” said Victor Sosa, the head of the Language Access at Natividad Medical Center, during his presentation at the workshop.

“Today, industry standards require medical interpreters to show proof of 40 hour training, successful assessment, and qualification,” said Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation at Monterey Language Services, who is also a Monterey Institute of International Studies trained interpreter.

MLS’s 40 hour course will provide the required minimum training and aims to help participants advance toward national certification. Training will be conducted by experienced medical interpreters and trainers. Upon successfully completing the course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance. Those who pass the exit exam will also receive a certificate of competency in medical interpreting from Monterey Language Services.

When the course was first announced to the participants of MLS’s successful community service workshop, including two attending online, they expressed great interest in the inner workings of the medical interpretation field and were eager for a more in-depth look.

“I was wondering if they (medical interpreters) start out as many of us, interpreting for family and friends, or if they have jobs where the employer saw a need to better train the janitor, for example, so he could fill two roles,” said one participant, “as was the case with my father in 1969.”

The course will next take place 6/1/2015 – 6/5/2015, cost: $800 onsite, $750 online. The flyer and registration form can be downloaded at our blog, www.montereylanguages.com/blog/.  For more information, please call 831 655 3460.

More press related to our 40 hour training:

• 40 Hour Training: Medical Interpreting as a Profession
• Medical Interpreter training announced in the Californian
• Monterey Language Services Trains Bilinguals for Jobs
• Workshop: Medical Interpreting as a Profession
• Bilingual Evaluation

Registration Form (Click to Download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

Frequently Asked Questions about our
40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

1. What is the cost of the 40 hour training?
2. For the certification process, is the exam required?
3. Can you take the exam without the training?
4. If you take the exit exam and pass, what are the benefits?
5. Regarding national certification, how much does it cost? How does it work–sign up online; how far out are the appointments; where is the exam administered? What is the time frame to receive results and be ready for employment?
6. Is this training and preparation truly required to work as an interpreter?
7. The leading motivator to pursue the training and certification will be income opportunity. What can you tell me about the income opportunities in this area for those who attend?
8. What is the style of your training?
9. What is the feedback from past workshops?
10. What are the new laws in California requiring medical professionals to provide an interpreter for non-English speaking patients?

Question 1

What is the cost of the 40 hour training?

Answer:  The fees for training, including the exit exam, are $750 for online participants and $800 for in-person participants.
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Question 2

For the certification process described in the workshop flyer: exam required or not?

Answer: Upon finishing the course, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion.  This also serves as the minimum requirement for you to take the national certification.

Our training also comes with an exit exam, its fees are included in the training.  If you take the exam and pass, you receive a Certificate of Competency.

If you decide not to take the exam, it is okay.
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Question 3

Can you take the exam without the training? If so, what is the cost?

Answer:  If you do not take the training, you may still take the exam, but there will be a fee of $150.
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Question 4

If you take the exit exam and pass, what are the benefits?

Answer:

• Certificate of Competency endorses that you meet industry standards, which mean that you are delivering quality service to your patient.
• You will have a higher chance of being hired as a medical interpreter by Monterey Language Services and elsewhere.
• It also signifies that you are ready to take the national certification.

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Question 5

Regarding the national certification, how much does it cost? How does it work—sign up online; how far out are the appointments; where is the exam administered? What is the time frame to receive results and be ready for employment?

Answer: To take the national certification exam, there is a requirement of a minimum of 40 hours training—which you receive at Monterey Language Services. Our training meets national standards. To answer the other questions, please visit The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters @ http://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/getcertified  OR Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters @ http://www.cchicertification.org/ . Either agency can get you nationally certified.
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Question 6

Is this training and preparation truly required to work as an interpreter?

Answer:  Would you risk the life of your patient without having proper training?  One example of the dangers involved in interpreting without appropriate training is the following unfortunate true story: When an untrained person served as a medical interpreter to a pregnant woman who only spoke Spanish, the woman was prescribed an abortion-inducing drug instead of the prenatal care she was expecting. She lost her baby.

In the Joint Commission’s New & Revised Standards and EPs for Patient-Centered Communication, it says “Qualifications for language interpreters and translators may be met through language proficiency assessment, education, training, and experience.”

Monterey Language Services’ interpreter training conforms to the above and follows the rigorous standards and guidance currently available from National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC).  This training is also posted on IMIA’s website: http://www.imiaweb.org/education/details.asp?id=4209

Our training also discusses the California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) standards. These standards are the law for medical interpreters since 2009. All such interpreters must be trained in “interpreting ethics, conduct, and confidentiality” as set out in the CHIA standards.
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Question 7

The leading motivator to pursue the training and certification will be income opportunity.  What can you tell me about the income opportunities in this area for those that attend?

Answer:

• Types of work: Hospitals, doctors offices, community opportunities—public education sessions/seminars
• Average annual salary for interpreters nationwide was $50,610 as of May 2011, which means $24.33 per hour. **
• Interpreters with less than one year experience can expect $10-18.50 hourly. The range of annual salaries for professionals of all experience levels is from $21,036 – $83,847. ***
• Salinas, CA has an employment of 890, not including self-employed persons, an hourly mean wage of $12.10, and an annual mean wage of $25,170. **
• Job outlook: no need to worry about a saturated market. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 42% improvement in the job outlook for interpreters and translators in the next decade. ** Economicmodeling.com stated “when most of the economy was taking a severe beating, translation and interpretation services have grown by about 50%.”****
• The states with highest employment are as follows: **

**According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. ***According to Payscale.com

****According to Economicmodeling.com *****Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
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Question 8

What is the style of your training?

Answer: Our training has a real-world focus: practical, yet fun. You will learn from industry professionals: hospitals, language service providers, and practicing medical interpreters. These professionals will share their experience with you. You will be involved in realistic role-play sessions to practice your new skills. You will have the opportunity to use the technology that interpreters use on a daily basis. There will be a consistent environment of group support.
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Question 9

What is the feedback from past workshops?

Answer: “I thought I couldn’t make a career of medical interpreting. This workshop has been most encouraging.”

“The variety of presenters was beneficial.” “The speakers were very professional.”

“Even though it’s not a secret field, I have found medical interpretation difficult to get into.”

“It was a most informative workshop and I look forward to learning more.”

“This workshop was excellent. Thank you so much.”
[Insert YouTube video links here when done]
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Question 10

What are the new laws in California requiring medical professionals to provide an interpreter for non-English speaking patients?

Answer:  On January 1, 2009, California implemented the first law—Senate Bill 853—to require that health insurance companies provide interpreting and translating services to patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination against people in programs receiving federal assistance regardless of national origin. This means interpreters must be provided to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 also supports the use of interpreters. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments to make their programs accessible to deaf or hard of hearing people, therefore also requiring ASL interpreters.
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Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

2015 Training Calendar

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

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These dates don’t work for you?

Suggest new ones here!

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Each term above is a link to a mini-site on that subject–please click!

The training will move you forward toward
the following goals:

• Meet minimum requirement to take national certification exam!
• Be part of the 46% growth in interpreting jobs in the next decade
• Help the community fulfill the need in healthcare interpreting
• Improve the quality of services in the healthcare industry

Click calendar for details on our next session!

Click Here to Download Registration Form

Training Focus:

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

Take a glimpse of our instructors…

Instructors are real-world professionals

• Experts in their field
• Work in doctors’ offices and hospitals daily
• Examples are:
  • certified medical interpreters,
  • language access coordinators,
  • Monterey Language Services management

Who should participate?

• Interpreters looking to earn the 40 hour minimum training for state and national certification
• Bilinguals wanting to begin the process of becoming medical interpreters

Feedback from previous training sessions

“I thought I couldn’t make a career of medical interpreting. This workshop has been most encouraging.”

“Even though it’s not a secret field, I have found medical interpretation difficult to get into.”

“It was a most informative workshop and I look forward to learning more.”

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

$800    In-person participants

$750     Online participants

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Certificate of Completion

Received at end of the 40 hours

Minimum requirement to take the national certification

Certificate of Competency

Given after passing exit exam

Exit Exam

Fee included in the training

Given one month after training completion

Optional

May take the exam without training, but there will be a fee of $150.

Benefits of passing exit exam

Endorsment that you meet industry standards–that you deliver quality service to your patient

Higher chance of being hired as a medical interpreter by Monterey Language Services and elsewhere

Signifies that you are ready to take the national certification

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training