Ridgeland — In Mississippi, where an estimated 35,800 residents face language barriers in health care, a recent event trained professionals to communicate more effectively with limited-English-speaking patients in an effort to bridge gaps in care.
The program, which began on Oct. 2, was organized by the Mississippi Department of Health’s Office of Health Disparity Elimination and the Bureau of Language Access. It served as a step toward improving access to essential services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals.
“Interpreters are fundamental in ensuring that every individual can fully understand and access the services they need,” said Selma Alford, director of the Bureau of Language Access. “The training is rigorous and essential; it focuses on ethics, cultural competency, and the ongoing development of interpreters’ skills to meet diverse community needs.”
The training program covered a variety of topics essential for effective interpreting, including medical terminology, ethics, and cultural competency, equipping interpreters with the skills necessary for their roles. Each day of training featured interactive sessions, role-playing exercises, and discussions of real-world scenarios. Participants also engaged in exercises focused on building trust with clients and addressing the nuances of communication in health care settings.
Attendees included medical interpreters, court interpreters, teachers and community health workers, among others.
Gabrielle Miller, a housing case manager with the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, attended to enhance her capacity to serve the Spanish-speaking population.
“I studied social work and Spanish in undergrad, and I’ve lived in Spanish-speaking countries. Now I’m back here working in the Gulf Coast … There aren’t that many people working in social services who can speak Spanish and interpret for those in the community. So I think it’s really important to come get my certification so that I can better serve the community that I live in,” Miller said. “… Some of my clients are solely Spanish-speaking, so advocating for them within my role is crucial.”
According to data from the Migration Policy Institute, approximately 1.2% of Mississippians are considered Limited English Proficient (LEP), meaning they speak English less than “very well.” The top five languages spoken by these individuals in Mississippi are Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, and Gujarati. While about 96% of people in the state speak only English, 3.8% speak a language other than English.” This data underscores the critical need for trained interpreters to facilitate access to essential services.
The training also emphasized the risks of using children or family members as interpreters, which can lead to miscommunication.
“Misunderstandings can have life-threatening consequences, especially in medical settings,” Alford said.
Alford and Miller reiterated the need for credentialing and ongoing education to ensure interpreters can effectively support their communities and provide equitable access to critical services.
Alford urged community members to recognize the importance of professional interpreters as the need for effective communication in health care and social services continues to grow.
“Every voice matters. We encourage anyone interested in making a difference to pursue certification and help us build a more inclusive Mississippi,” she said.
Participants in the training received certificates of completion, signifying their readiness to serve as professional interpreters.
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