The CLAS Act Initiative strives to advance health equity for Virginia's increasingly diverse population by providing and developing resources related to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services (CLAS). Projects within the initiative include:
The ClasActVirginia.org tool is a web-based resource guide designed to help health care providers meet the needs of Virginia’s changing demographics.
The Office of Minority Health and Public Health is pleased to announce that there are a limited number of Interpreter training grants available to bilingual individuals who wish to be trained as medical interpreters through an authorized Virginia course provider. The grants build capacity statewide to deliver linguistically appropriate healthcare services and communicate with limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. Grants are available for enrollment in the following courses:
This is a 40 hour (five day) introductory medical interpreting course.
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Training I. This is a comprehensive 60-hour training course is designed to provide more in depth medical interpreting training.
To learn more or apply, please read the guidelines and download the application or contact: Golam Rabbani, CLAS Act Coordinator, Golam.Rabbani@vdh.virginia.gov, 804-864-7437
The assessments use Census 2000, Virginia Department of Education, and Virginia Department of Health data to give a comprehensive snapshot of the most commonly-spoken language encountered in every health district in Virginia.
The College of William and Mary Student Initiative for Latino Public Health and the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy partner to provide a Spanish language public health/informational newsletter that is developed and distributed monthly throughout the Williamsburg area.
Open to the Virginia Department of Health workforce, the Culturally Appropriate Public Health Training Series will provide training on cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill and cultural encounter in the public health setting. The curriculum, developed through the collaboration of VDH with 10 Virginia institutions of higher education, is specifically designed for VDH in response to the needs revealed in the Cultural Sensitivity Needs Assessment of March 2007.
The need for linguistically and culturally competent communication is highlighted in the news.
Richmond Times Dispatch article regarding the CLAS Act Initiative's 
2007 Vision Award from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. The award honors outstanding and creative state public health department initiatives. Read the full story.
Read more news stories featuring the CLAS Act intiative.
For more information about culturally and linguistically appropriate health services, contact CLAS Act Coordinator, Golam Rabbani.
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