Quarter 02 | May 2020
Letter from Executive Director
Life, Work and Mission in the Time of COVID-19

Hello from our working-from-home CCHCP team. It’s been two months since the first statewide stay-at-home orders and over four months since the first coronavirus case was reported in the US. There has been such upheaval, grieving and uncertainty in our lives because of the pandemic that it can be difficult to see how our lives can go back to normal again as states begin to open up. For us at CCHCP, the pandemic experience has strengthened our sense of mission and our commitment to those we serve.

We honor the health care organizations and medical interpreters we serve as they work on the front lines dealing with this devastating COVID-19. We honor the language agencies who have found ways to keep training medical interpreters and deploying them to provide much-needed communications support to patients with limited English proficiency. 

While our communities have shown strength and resilience during these times, sadly the pandemic also has seen divisiveness in our society and a rise in anti-Asian racism. It also has made more evident the inequities in our health care system for people of color and for people of lower income levels. CCHCP is even more committed now to our mission of helping address those inequities and we look forward to partnering with you in the days and months ahead to heal divisiveness and make equitable access to quality health care a reality for all.  

Paulina Bendaña | Executive Director


To download this letter, please click here .
EQUITY & INCLUSION
Like most of you, the Equity and Inclusion department had a bit of a learning curve when it came to sheltering in place and working from home. Once we made the adjustments, we let this challenge inspire us to think of new ways to continue the work that we do.

In this vein, we have decided to change our summer Training of Trainers (ToT) from an in-person training here in Seattle, WA, to an online training via Zoom. The online training will take place over 3 weeks from July 13-31. Out of respect for the financial hardship that COVID-19 has placed on many organizations, we are offering a one-time 10% discount ! The discount will be applied to all training levels for any organization that attends the summer ToT. For any questions or to begin the application process, please send an email to eiprograms@xculture.org .

In addition to the ToT, we are very thrilled about our new free “Summer Learning Series.” The series will be 4 one-hour webinars, each held twice between June and September. The topics will include Equity and Inclusion Defined, The Range of Our Differences, Health Disparities: The Core Paradox, and Involving the Community. For more details on each webinar and to register, please visit our website . 
LANGUAGE ACCESS
The Bridging the Gap (BTG) team has been staying healthy and safe at home these past few months, but that hasn’t kept us from working! We have been busy adapting the curriculum to fit an online learning structure. We are thankful for all the BTG trainers and teams across the country who have collaborated with us in an effort to continue delivering Bridging the Gap.

This summer we are excited to host two trainings online, starting in June with a 40-hour BTG course. Then in July we will hold our Bridging the Gap Training of Trainers online as well. We recognize how critical interpreter services are at this time and we want to make it is easier for you and your organizations to access these trainings. This is why both our June and July trainings will be offered at a discount. To learn more about these opportunities, please visit our website or send an email to bridgingthegap@xculture.org.

Stay connected with us on social media to learn how to register for two upcoming webinars this month. The first will be with IMIA and the second with Boostlingo. Contact us to learn how to register for either of these webinars.

May 21 st: IMIA Lifelong Learning Series - Help Me Live and Die with Dignity
May 25 th : Boostlingo - Interpreter Training Overview
IN THE NEWS
At this extraordinary time of pandemic, I feel it is important to remark on a harmful bias that has emerged in 2020. People who are presumed to be East Asian are being ignorantly profiled as coronavirus carriers and targeted with violence. Click here to read this letter from CCHCP's Equity and Inclusion Program Director, Bryon Lambert.
People from diverse communities have developed powerful strategies for promoting mental health in their communities; including strong family ties, robust spiritual traditions, and mentoring from community elders. However, these communities also face unique challenges to their mental health and well-being. (Continue article here )
Working in health care and human services means that compassion fatigue is a constant threat. Working through a global pandemic increases this threat, so finding time for self-care is especially important. These tips from Boostlingo and NASW are great resources for medical interpreters, health workers, and human services personnel. How we manage our own mental health will have a positive impact on how we care for our patients and clients.

  • June 10 - EI Summer Learning Series: Equity and Inclusion Defined
  • June 15-29 - Online Bridging the Gap 40-hour Training
  • June 24 - EI Summer Learning Series: The Range of Our Differences
  • July 8-24 - Online Bridging the Gap Training of Trainers
  • July 13-31 - Online Equity and Inclusion Training of Trainers
  • July 15 - EI Summer Learning Series: Health Disparities: The Core Paradox
  • July 29 - EI Summer Learning Series: Involving the Community
  • August 12 - EI Summer Learning Series: Equity and Inclusion Defined
  • August 26 - EI Summer Learning Series: The Range of Our Differences