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LANGUAGE ACCESS TASK FORCE
Chairs: Virginia Rosa and Veronique Felix
Language Access Task Force Forum Posts
Language Access Legal Resources
HHS Releases Enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services standards
From the National Health Law Program:
Today, HHS released the Enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards. The Enhanced CLAS Standards update and expand the original CLAS Standards from 2000. The guiding principle for the 15 standards is to Provide effective, equitable, understandable, and respectful quality care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, health literacy, and other communication needs.
The Standards and other infomration on providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services are available on the Office of Minority Healths website Think Cultural Health. A Blueprint accompanies the new standards, offering additional information and resources.
HHS press release is available here.
Leveraging Health Care Reform: Cultural Competency & Health Literacy Strategies Webinar
Date:
Mon, 04/22/2013 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
On Monday, April 22nd from 2:00 to 3:00 pm the Coalition is hosting the first in its webinar series on Cultural Competency and Health Literacy. These are two of the pillars to ensure that we create a Culture of Health in Maryland where everyone will receive health care services that meet their individual needs. Consumers must understand not only what it means to have an insurance card, but also how to use it effectively.
In this first webinar we will discuss the basics as an introduction to the future webinars. Topics we discuss will include::
- Definition of the terms - cultural competency and health literacy; and
- The framework for integrating these into Maryland's health care reform initiatives.
Our two dynamic speakers are:
- Laura Herrera MD, MPH serves as the Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH). In this capacity she oversees local public health, prevention and health promotion, and health systems and infrastructure. Prior to this she served as the Chief Medical Officer (DHMH) and Acting Deputy Chief Patient Care Services Officer in the Veterans Administration. She also served as an advisor for the Coalition's Issue Brief - Health Equity: The Promise of Health Care Reform.
- Maria Rosa Watson DDS, DrPH is currently the epidemiologist and Research Director for the Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County. She has a broad background in health disparities, public health, Latino health, health literacy, health promotion and disease prevention, barriers to access to care, and qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
Register now! Need more information? Contact us.
Sponsor:
Maryland Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform
Frederick News Post Opinion piece
This is an interesting opinion piece which references a 1991 PJC case against the Frederick PD.
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_editorial.htm?StoryID=148537
2012 Maryland Health Disparities Chartbook
From DHMH:
Dear Health Disparities Partner:
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and its Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities have placed priority on the elimination of health disparities among the State’s population. We are pleased to provide you with a copy of the third “Maryland Chartbook of Minority Health Disparities Data”. The attached Chartbook provides essential information for identifying and measuring disparities, determining the causes of disparities, planning interventions that work, and tracking progress. This document is also accessible on our website at http://dhmh.maryland.gov/mhhd/SitePages/Home.aspx
Use this Chartbook like a dictionary, search for diseases, population groups, and local communities to answer your questions. There is some information on most disparities data-related subjects as well as recent website references that lead to other sources and further information.
Having done all that, let us know how this document helps you, what questions remain to be answered, and suggestions for future publications. Send comments to:
dhmh.healthdisparities@maryland.gov
| Attachment | Size |
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| Maryland Health Disparities Data Chartbook 2012 021413.pdf | 3.62 MB |
Language Access Task Force meeting
Date:
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 2:30pm - 4:30pm
If you are a member of the Task Force, find the GoToMeeting information at:
http://www.mdjustice.org/LanguageAccessTaskForceGoToMeeting
Be sure to sign in to see the page.
All meetings are in Baltimore City.
Sponsor:
Maryland Legal Aid
Save the dates! 2013 PBTF Meetings
PUBLIC BENEFITS TASK FORCE
Meeting Dates for 2013
First Thursday of alternate months
9:30 am – 12:30 pm
2nd Floor conference room in Baltimore City office and GoToMeeting
Tuesday, January 8
March 7
May 2
Tuesday, July 9
September 5
November 7
Health Care. Women of Color Get It.
Date:
Sat, 09/08/2012 - 8:00am - 4:00pm
From the Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform:
The Supreme Court affirmed Maryland's implementation of the Affordable Care Act, now it's time to get it right for women of color! Join Mildred Thompson, Director of PolicyLink Center for Health Equity and Place, and other dynamic speakers who will lead lively discussions on health care reform and it's impact on women of color and their families.
This conference is for you if you are:
- Health care and public health professionals and students;
- Community-based leaders, outreach and education workers and advocates;
- Working on minority health and health disparities, cultural competency and health literacy issues, health policy; or
- Tasked with implementing health care reform and monitoring its impact on communities of color in Maryland.
The conference flyer is here: http://www.mdhealthcarereform.org/storage/pdfs-and-docs/WOC%20Conference%20Flyer_7.26.pdf.
Click on the link below to register now! The cost* is $25 for individuals, $10 for students, or organizations can purchase 5 tickets for $100. Cost includes a continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon break. For full conference details as they become available, please visit our website.
*A limited number of scholarships to cover the registration fee are available. If you need a scholarship, contact us.
Sponsor:
Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform
People's Law Library - new Spanish Content!
The People's Law Library has long been a valuable tool for Maryland residents trying to learn more about how Maryland law affects their lives. If you are not familiar with the People's Law library, find it at http://www.peoples-law.org/. The website is maintained by the Maryland State Law Library, but content is contributed by lawyers across the state.
The website has recently been updated with 36 of the most used of 700 pages translated into Spanish for Maryland residents. The website already had a Spanish portal to some content in Spanish, and to other websites with legal help translated into Spanish. You can find that portal at http://www.peoples-law.org/node/959.
A new Spanish portal is being developed which will link users to the newly translated pages. In the meantime, I am attaching a list of the pages for your reference.
When you land on a page of content on the website, look for this:
In the picture above, "How Do I" is the name of the page, and Espanol (where did my tilde go?) is an active link on the real page that will take you to that same page translated into Spanish.
I may update this page with links to the Spanish pages, but that's not going to happen today. I will, however, attach a copy of the list of pages with the names in English. Unfortunately, it is a pdf, so there's no way to link the page names to the actual pages on PLL at this time.
Besides, PLL will have the Spanish portal up and running very soon.
| Attachment | Size |
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| PLL Spanish.pdf | 88.27 KB |
A translation tool w/back translation
Claudia Johnson from Probononet sent this email to IT staff recently:
Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't believe that machine translation is "there yet"--and that it needs human intervention to arrive at a risk free translation--for content that will be seen by large numbers of eyeballs and will provide information on important rights and obligations, etc etc.
Having said that--I was excited to read about this tool--which is incorporating a back translation feature--back translation is one of the ways to ascertain the quality in translation work. So for what is worth, for those of you looking for online tools to expidite the translation of content, check this tool out. It may help you ascertain what pieces you need to send out, after the machine runs through it.
If anyone knows of any other tools that incorporate back translation, or any other quality assurance practices/facility, please email me directly. I like to monitor this set of tools, etc.
Claudia Johnson
Here's the link to the article she mentions: http://betanews.com/2012/04/13/if-my-language-is-as-foreign-as-klingon-try-translateclient-6-0-618/.
And directly to the tool itself: http://www.downloadcrew.com/article/27420-translateclient.
MD Legal Aid would not purchase a tool like this without testing it out, so anyone willing to test it, download it, test it out, and tell me what you think.
Consumer Health Foundation Launches New Website - Ngozi Project
The Consumer Health Foundation launched the Ngozi website - a consumer-focused resource that provides information about accessing and paying for health care in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The project was named after Ngozi Hall, a Prince George's County uninsured resident who shared her difficulties in finding health care for herself and her husband at a community forum that was organized by the Foundation. Ms. Hall said that it would be helpful to have a resource about the health care system.
The Ngozi website provides information on health access that is:
- specific to the region
- translated into the top languages in the area:Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese
- in an accessible format
The materials which have been developed will:
Help children and adults who don't have health insurance:
- find out if they qualify for public insurance
- start the application process
- learn about options if they don't qualify for public insurance but still need help
- know what's available if they are not U.S. citizens
- find where to go for more help
Help people with medical bills:
- find out if their insurance should cover it
- contest an incorrect bill
- find a health insurance program that can help pay
- learn what to do if a collection agency contacts them
- know where to go for more help
Help everyone communicate better with their providers through:
- tips for preparing for appointments
- examples of how to get the information they need from providers
- suggestions for keeping track of their health records
Help provide information about health care reform especially:
- what it means for uninsured individuals and immigrants
In developing the resource, the Foundation gathered input from community health workers, social workers, parish nurses, hotline operators and school counselors who worked or volunteered in nonprofit organizations. It also partnered with national and local organizations to obtain their feedback.
The Foundation hopes that by providing this resource, residents of our region will be better informed and empowered in navigating the health care system. The Foundation views this resource as a first step and we welcome your feedback about the Ngozi Project website, especially in how we can make it most useful to our community. Please email your comments to ngozi@consumerhealthfdn.org.
Spanish webinar:Work and Life Changes Require Health Choices: Know Your Options and Your Rights
See below for registration info for a webinar en Español on February 29th, 2010 from 1pm-2:30pm
Additioanl link at the bottom for English speakers.
http://www.standupforhealthcare.org/blog/protect-yourself-and-your-family-know-your-job-based-insurance-rights
Protect Yourself and Your Family: Know Your Job-Based Insurance Rights
Making sure that you know your options and rights when it comes to job-based health coverage could save yourself and your family from restless nights and countless headaches. It is especially important to know how to protect yourself and your family when your life changes, like you get a new job, get married, have a baby, or even get laid off.
Families USA is excited to be partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor to reach out to the Latino community to provide an orientation, in Spanish, about our health care rights as workers with job-based health insurance. Join us for a Spanish language webcast to learn more about the rights you and your family have under federal health benefit laws, and what to do to protect them. The webcast will take place on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. EST. You can sign up here, and you can also follow some of the conversation on Twitter at #healthbenefits.
Work and Life Changes Require Health Choices:
Know Your Options and Your Rights
Date: February 29, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST
Registration: CLICK HERE
If you do not speak Spanish, but would like to learn more about your rights and options when it comes to job-based health care coverage, check out some U.S. Department of Labor resources here.
Guardianship Handbook
What do you do if your grandfather, who lives alone and can no longer cook for himself, won't leave his home for a nursing home or assisted living facility?
What do you do if your aunt can no longer manage her finances but seems capable of caring for herself in her small apartment?
These questions and others are answered in the new edition of the Guardianship Handbook . . .
The Law & Health Care Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (UM Carey Law) and the Delivery of Legal Services Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) have published a guide to help both laypeople and attorneys navigate adult guardianship in Maryland. “Guardianship and Its Alternatives: A Handbook on Maryland Law” was originally written by UM Carey Law Professor Joan O'Sullivan, a champion for the legal rights of the elderly, who passed away in 2007. The 2011 Edition was revised and updated by Virginia Rowthorn, JD, Managing Director of the Law & Health Care Program, and Ellen Callegary, JD, a prominent elder law and disability lawyer in Maryland.
The impetus for the updated Handbook was various changes in guardianship law over the last two decades and a realization by elder law and disability lawyers on the Delivery of Legal Services Section Council that there is a great need for practical, easy-to-read advice regarding guardianship for elderly and disabled Maryland residents. The Handbook also sets forth a comprehensive list of alternatives to the formal guardianship process, a time-consuming and sweeping process that may not always be necessary to address a number of problems associated with lack of decision-making capacity.
The book is available as an online guide you can page through at: http://issuu.com/umcareylaw/docs/law_handbook?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222
Guardianship Handbook Now Available
Revised and Updated Guardianship Handbook Now Available
What do you do if your grandfather, who lives alone and can no longer cook for himself, won't leave his home for a nursing home or assisted living facility?
What do you do if your aunt can no longer manage her finances but seems capable of caring for herself in her small apartment?
These questions and others are answered in the new edition of the Guardianship Handbook . . .
The Law & Health Care Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (UM Carey Law) and the Delivery of Legal Services Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) have published a guide to help both laypeople and attorneys navigate adult guardianship in Maryland. “Guardianship and Its Alternatives: A Handbook on Maryland Law” was originally written by UM Carey Law Professor Joan O'Sullivan, a champion for the legal rights of the elderly, who passed away in 2007. The 2011 Edition was revised and updated by Virginia Rowthorn, JD, Managing Director of the Law & Health Care Program, and Ellen Callegary, JD, a prominent elder law and disability lawyer in Maryland.
Callegary, a 1978 graduate of UM Carey Law and a member of the Alumni Board, is a founding partner of the Baltimore law firm of Callegary & Steedman, P.A and has a long history of involvement in disability and elderly issues. During her ten years as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Maryland, she worked directly with two Attorneys General advising state agencies on matters related to the rights of persons with disabilities and serving as principal counsel for the Department of Juvenile Services. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at UM Carey Law, where she most recently taught the Civil Right of Persons with Disabilities Seminar. Rowthorn, who has worked for DLA Piper and the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and served as a Legislative Assistant on the US Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, teaches the Health Law Workshop and directs the Health Law Externship Program.
The impetus for the updated Handbook was various changes in guardianship law over the last two decades and a realization by elder law and disability lawyers on the Delivery of Legal Services Section Council that there is a great need for practical, easy-to-read advice regarding guardianship for elderly and disabled Maryland residents. Suzanne Sangree, Chief Solicitor at the Baltimore City Department of Law, and Past Chair of the Delivery of Legal Services Section Council and Yoanna Moisides, Assistant Director of Advocacy for Training and Pro Bono at Maryland Legal Aid, and Current Chair of the Section Council also wanted a Handbook that set forth a comprehensive list of alternatives to the formal guardianship process, a time-consuming and sweeping process that may not always be necessary to address a number of problems associated with lack of decision-making capacity.
Supported by funds from the Law & Health Care Program, the Rueben Shiling Mental Health Law Fund, the Dr. Richard H. Heller Fund, and the Maryland Bar Foundation, the Handbook will be made available free of charge to attorneys and laypeople throughout the state. All or portions of the Handbook can be duplicated and distributed without charge with proper attribution to the UM Carey Law’s Law & Health Care Program and the Maryland State Bar Association.
Language Access Task Force meetings
Date:
Tue, 02/28/2012 - 2:30pm - 4:30pm
If you are a member of the Task Force, find the GoToMeeting information at:
http://www.mdjustice.org/LanguageAccessTaskForceGoToMeeting
Be sure to sign in to see the page.
Sponsor:
Maryland Legal Aid
Language Line Services Issues 2012 Outlook, Predicts Shift to Mobile Language Access in New Year
With more than 20 million over-the-phone interpretation calls served in 2011, Language Line Services, the global leader in interpretation and translation services, today issued a “2012 Outlook on Language Access” for services that will be required by healthcare, emergency response (9-1-1), government, banking and other business customers.
The report points to the fact that the over-the-phone industry is on the cusp of offering “quick-connect,” live interpretations on cell phones, for the first time and in 170-plus languages. Read more at:
Interpreter Guide now available
The ATA has published its pamphlet, "Interpreting: Getting it Right". A PDF version is available at
http://www.atanet.org/docs/Getting_it_right_int.pdf
John M Estill
jmestill@gmail.com
(330) 674-1607
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center Walk-In Legal Intake
Date:
Mon, 11/07/2011 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
The Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) will start walk-in sessions on Monday, November 7th. The walk-in sessions will be every Monday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at two locations - 11141 Georgia Avenue, Suite 215, Silver Spring, MD and 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC.
Our flyer is at
Please feel free to distribute the flyer.
If you have any questions, I can be reached at jennifer.cheung@apalrc or (202) 706-7142.
Sponsor:
APALRC
Legal Aid In Maryland: Obtaining Free Civil Legal Services
This is a PowerPoint presentation our Chief Counsel, Shawn Boehringer, made to the Maryland Association for the Deaf November 11, 2011, about Maryland Legal Aid services.
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| MDADPowerpoint111511.ppt | 104 KB |
Feedback
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