Building bridges through interpretation. Creating opportunities through education.

BTG Partnerships

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Learn how Clark County Kentucky's pioneering program, is creating pathways to medical interpretation careers while serving multilingual communities...

Pilot Program Success

Program Impact Statistics

100% of first cohort students successfully graduated
85% of graduates pursuing further education in healthcare fields
Real-world interpretation sessions conducted during the pilot program
Students are prepared to pursue National Certification and enter the workforce.

How It Works

1. Recruitment & Training

Students with

bilingual abilities are

identified and enrolled in a specialized professional interpretation curriculum, developed with medical professionals.

2. Supervised Practice

Students gain

hands-on experience

through supervised interpretation sessions in educational and

healthcare settings.

3. Career Pathways

Graduates receive

qualification certificate

which is needed to pursue national certification and connections to continuing education or employment opportunities in medical interpretation.

FAQs

What costs are associated with implementing this program? The standard cost is $800 per participant which includes the following course materials: 1) secure eBook course textbook, 2) bilingual medical glossary, and 3) the Guide to Common Medications

How long does it take to establish a student interpreter program? The first group of students can be organized and scheduled in as little as 45-60 days.

What resources and staff are required from the school district? A minimum of one school district stakeholder and one staff member stakeholder.

How are students selected and what requirements must they meet? Participants must be bilingual in English and at least one other language, and proof of proficiency in both languages is required to enroll in the class. Proof of proficiency can be copies of any one of the following documents: • High school diploma or equivalent, or university/college degree from a school using the assessed language(s) • 5 or more years of verified professional experience working in the language(s) being assessed • State or federal court interpreter certification • Oral language exam results with scores equivalent to ACTFL Advanced Mid-level or ILR Level 2 If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency, the registration process would then require a speaking and listening assessment conducted over the phone or on-line. The language fluency or proficiency test is not included in the price of the course.

What certifications do students earn through the program? Certificates of successful completion will be awarded to participants who score 70% or better on the post test by the Cross Cultural Health Care Program of Seattle, WA (CCHCP). Participants will be notified via email about their test results within one week of completing the course. Certificates will be mailed within two weeks after the training. Receiving a certificate is proof that a participant is a trained medical interpreter. In order to become a certified medical interpreter, participants who successfully complete the course should take and pass national certification exams through the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org) or the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (www.cchicertification.org).

Testimonials

Dustin Howard - Superintendent Clark County Schools

"It's a win-win for the school system. It's a win-win for the University who are really trying to expand services. And it's a win-win for kids and families... It's a win-win-win all the way around. And once you get to that point, it's really then writing that narrative of why it's good for our community."