Bridging The Gap: Training for Medical and Mental Health Interpreters

Finger Lakes Community Health offers 2 different professional development programs that prepare bilingual individuals to work as medical interpreters:

Bridging The Gap: Medical Interpreting and Bridging The Gap: Mental Health Interpreting.

Bridging The Gap Medical Interpreting course trains individuals to become competent medical interpreters and covers:

Basic interpreting skills. Roles, conduit and clarifier interpreting, and managing the flow of the session.
Code of Ethics for medical interpreters.
Information on the U.S. healthcare system. Introduction to healthcare systems.
Medical terminology. Anatomy, phisiology and basic medical proceedures.
Culture in interpreting. Self-awareness, traditional healthcare in specific communities, and cultural brokering.
Communication skills for advocacy. Listening skills, communication styles, and appropriate advocacy.

Tuition for Bridging The Gap Medical Interpreting is $750 (includes the $150 non-refundable fee). Limited scholarships are also available for agencies that serve agricultural workers. All courses are hybrid. The first and last dates of each course are in-person. The remaining dates are remote by WebEx. For information on scholarships or to request an application form, contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.

*Please note: In order to take the Bridging the Gap Medical Interpreter course, you must be 18 years of age or older and have a high-school diploma (or equivalent) and proof of language proficiency in English and one other language that you will be interpreting in.

Upcoming Medical Interpreting courses:

October 2023: Class will meet on 10/13, 10/16, 10/20, 10/23, 10/27 and 10/30 in Geneva, NY (40 Hour Course)
April 2024: Class will meet on 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, and 4/29 from in Geneva, NY (40 Hour Course)
Additional sessions may be available for groups of 6 people or more. Please contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.

Bridging The Gap Mental Health Interpreting course trains interpreters specifically for the mental health setting and covers:

Terminology related to mental health.
Challenges in mental health interpreting.
Mental health interpreting techniques.
Impact of culture on mental health.
Interpreter self-care.
Practice interpreting skills.

Tuition for Bridging The Gap Mental Health Interpreting is $500 (includes the $150 non-refundable fee). Limited scholarships are also available for agencies that serve agricultural workers. All courses are hybrid. The first and last dates of each course are in-person. The remaining dates are remote by WebEx. For information on scholarships or to request an application form, contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.

*Please note: In order to take the Bridging the Gap Mental Health course, you must be 18 years of age or older, have a high-school diploma (or equivalent), and provide proof of successful completion of the 40-hour Medical Interpreting course.

Upcoming Mental Health Interpreting courses:

• November 2023: Classes will meet 11/1, 11/3, 11/6, 11/8, 11/10, 11/13 from 8am-12pm in Geneva, NY (24 Hour Course)

• November 2024: Classes will meet 11/4, 11/5, 11/6, 11/7, 11/8, and 11/11 from 8am-12pm in Geneva, NY (24 Hour Course)

Registration Enrollment Procedure

Step 1: Complete and submit the Bridging the Gap Application to Beverly Sirvent at BeverlyS@flchealth.org
Step 2: Mail $150 check, payable to Finger Lakes Community Health, Attention: BTG, PO Box 423, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Step 3: Once we receive your completed application form and $150 non-refundable deposit, we will send you instructions via email on how to proceed with the Language Proficiency Assessment.
Step 4: Once you’ve completed the Language Proficiency Assessment, you will receive an acceptance email.
Step 5: Confirm your attendance, and pay the balance of tuition for your specific course.

*Certificates of successful completion will be awarded to participants who score above 70% on the post test.

Enrollment Instructions - Medical

Click here to complete the Enrollment Form

Enrollment Instructions - Mental Health

Call the health center nearest you for an appointment today!

HEALTH CENTERS

Refuerzo:

Si recibió la serie de vacunas Moderna:

Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 5 meses después de su segunda dosis o dosis adicional.

Si recibió la serie de vacunas de Pfizer:

Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 5 meses después de su segunda dosis o dosis adicional.
El refuerzo de Pfizer solo está disponible para personas mayores de 12 años.

Si recibió la vacuna Janssen (Johnson & Johnson):

Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 2 meses después de la vacunación.
El refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) solo está disponible para personas mayores de 18 años.

BOOSTER Shot:

If you received the Moderna vaccine series:

You can receive a booster dose of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) or Pfizer 5 months after your second dose or additional dose.

If you received the Pfizer vaccine series:

You can receive a booster dose of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) or Pfizer 5 months after your second dose or additional dose.
The Pfizer booster is only available for people who are 12 years of age and older.

If you received the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccination:

You can receive a booster dose of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) or Pfizer 2 months after your vaccination.
The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) booster is only available for people who are 18 years of age and older.

Si recibió la serie de vacunas de Pfizer:

• Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Moderna, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 5 meses después de su segunda dosis o dosis adicional.
• El refuerzo de Pfizer solo está disponible para personas mayores de 12 años.

Si recibió la vacuna Janssen (Johnson & Johnson):
• Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Moderna, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 2 meses después de la vacunación.
• El refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) solo está disponible para personas mayores de 18 años.

Pfizer (12-17) Additional Dose Qualifiers

Active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
Organ transplant recipients who are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
Stem cell transplant recipients (within the last 2 years or taking immunosuppressive medications)
Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
Advanced or untreated HIV infection

Si recibió la vacuna Janssen (Johnson & Johnson):

• Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Moderna, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 2 meses después de la vacunación.
• El refuerzo de Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) solo está disponible para personas mayores de 18 años.

Si recibió la serie de vacunas Moderna:

Puede recibir una dosis de refuerzo de Moderna, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) o Pfizer 5 meses después de su segunda dosis o dosis adicional.
El refuerzo Moderna solo está disponible para personas mayores de 18 años.

Calificadores de dosis adicionales

Los estudios mostraron respuestas inmunitarias inadecuadas a solo dos dosis en personas con las siguientes condiciones:

Tratamiento oncológico activo para tumores o cánceres de la sangre
Receptores de trasplantes de órganos que toman medicamentos para inhibir el sistema inmunitario
Receptores de trasplantes de células madre (en los últimos 2 años o tomando medicamentos inmunosupresores)
Inmunodeficiencia primaria moderada o grave (como el síndrome de DiGeorge, el síndrome de Wiskott-Aldrich)
Infección avanzada o no tratada de VIH
Tratamiento activo con dosis altas de cortico-esteroides (p. ej., cortisona, prednisona) u otros medicamentos que pueden suprimir su respuesta inmunitaria.
Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre si debe recibir una dosis adicional, comuníquese con su proveedor de atención médica.

NOTA: Si no ha completado su serie de dos dosis, su dosis adicional se puede programar al recibir su segunda vacunación.

Qualifying Medical Condition

Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers);
Chronic kidney disease;
Pulmonary Disease, limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases;
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down
Syndrome;
Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure);
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes;
Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or higher), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2), Overweight (BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher but < 30kg/m2);
Pregnant or recently pregnant;
Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia;
Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus;
Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain);
Neurologic conditions include but not limited to Alzheimer's
Disease or dementia;
Liver disease limited to cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, or autoimmune hepatitis;
Current or former smoker;
Substance use disorder,
Mental health disorders are limited to mood disorders including depression, schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Qualifying Medical Condition

Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers);
Chronic kidney disease;
Pulmonary Disease, limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases;
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down
Syndrome;
Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure);
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes;
Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or higher), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2), Overweight (BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher but < 30kg/m2);
Pregnant or recently pregnant;
Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia;
Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus;
Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain);
Neurologic conditions include but not limited to Alzheimer's
Disease or dementia;
Liver disease limited to cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, or autoimmune hepatitis;
Current or former smoker;
Substance use disorder,
Mental health disorders are limited to mood disorders including depression, schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Additional Dose Qualifiers

Studies showed inadequate immune responses to only two doses in people with the following conditions:

Active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
Organ transplant recipients who are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
Stem cell transplant recipients (within the last 2 years or taking immunosuppressive medications)
Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
Advanced or untreated HIV infection
Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (e.g. cortisone, prednisone) or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.
If you have a question about whether you should receive an additional dose, please contact your health care provider.

NOTE: If you have not completed your two-dose series, your additional dose can be scheduled at the completion of your second vaccination.