Cross Cultural Initiatives

Communication and understanding are the most important tools health care workers rely upon to understand, diagnose and treat a patient. However, language and cultural barriers often present a challenge to providers in caring for patients in a diverse community. The Office of Community Programs (OCP) offers training and other services designed to improve cultural awareness across the health care workforce.

Cross-cultural literacy is most important when serving a community whose first language is not English. Without linguistically and culturally appropriate care, individuals with limited-English proficiency are at risk, often unable to communicate basic health care needs.

To help ensure that patients and providers are able to communicate effectively during the medical encounter, OCP offers assessment, training and educational opportunities for clinical and non-clinical staff at all levels within an organization. Services include:

• Cultural awareness assessment and training
• Interpreter proficiency assessment
• Introductory and advanced medical interpreter training and certification
• “Train the trainer” medical interpreter program & training manual
• Development of culturally relevant educational materials
• Creation of customized medical interpreter training programs
• Translation services and medial interpreter dispatch services in partnership with the Central Massachusetts Area Health Education Center
• Consulting to assist in the development of a medical interpreter service department

To learn more about our cross-cultural service initiatives, contact our program director, Lisa Morris, at lisa.morris@umassmed.edu.