Medical Interpreter Training Grants Program

What is it?

The Virginia Medical Interpreter Training Grants Program was established to build capacity statewide to deliver linguistically appropriate healthcare services and communicate with limited English proficient (LEP) individuals in the event of a public health emergency. Funds are being made available to pay for the cost of tuition to a limited number of bilingual individuals each year who wish to be trained as medical interpreters through an authorized Virginia course provider.

Who is eligible?

Determine if you are eligible to participate in Virginia Training Grants Program by answering the below questions. If you answer yes to all of the following questions, you are eligible!

• Are you bilingual?
• Have you taken and successfully passed the course prerequisite language proficiency test from
  an authorized Virginia course provider? The test has both an oral and a written component and assesses proficiency in both English and a target (nonEnglish) language. The test requires a time commitment of approximately two hours and there is a fee associated with the test.
• Are you eligible to work in the United States?
• Are you able to commit to providing 40 hours of community service as an interpreter through an
  authorized Virginia course provider interpreter service program AND/OR an authorized healthcare
  safety net provider site (community service hours must be completed within 12 months after course
  completion)?
• Are you willing to be called on to assist with interpretation in the event of a public health emergency (e.g., floods, hurricanes, epidemics, terrorist attacks)?

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What are my obligations after receiving the grant?

Upon completion of the program, each recipient must:

• Provide 40 hours of community service as a volunteer medical/health care interpreter services to an authorized Virginia healthcare safety net provider site.
• Submit the Verification of Community Service form on the seventh of each month to the BRAHEC until all service hour obligations are fulfilled.
• Provide emergency interpretation service assistance in the event of a public health emergency (e.g., floods, hurricanes, epidemics, terrorist attacks) within twelve months of course completion.
• Make available his/her name, updated contact information, training expertise area and availability information for database that will be utilized by public health emergency planning entity/entities.
  

How can I apply?

1. Complete the Application

Download the application. You will need to check the information on this website to identify your community service region.

2. Sign the Contract and Mail It

Download the contract, sign it and send it to:

Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center
Lucy Church
JMU MSC 9009
Harrisonburg, VA 22807

What does it require?

For the 40 credit hours of tuition paid on their behalf, an applicant must agree to participate in 40 hours of community service (community service hours must be completed within 12 months after course completion) as an interpreter through an authorized Virginia course provider interpreter service program AND/OR an authorized healthcare safety net provider site. Applicants must also be willing to be called on to assist with interpretation in the event of a public health emergency.

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Authorized Virginia Course Providers

To request inclusion on this list of authorized Virginia course providers, please contact Valerie McCallister, Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, (804) 864-7437.

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Authorized Virginia Healthcare Safety Net Provider Sites

If you are looking for an organization in which to provide your 40 hours of Community Service-- The Virginia Health Care Foundation provides links to Virginia’s health safety net providers.  (this includes links to free clinics and community health centers)

The Virginia Health Care Foundation
http://www.vhcf.org/who-and-how-we-help/medical/health-safety-net-providers/

Bon Secour 

St. Mary’s Health Wagon

Virginia Association of Free Clinics Member Sites

Virginia Department of Health Local Health District Sites

Virginia Primary Care Association Member Sites

Safety net providers are defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as “providers that by mandate or mission organize and deliver a significant level of health care and other healthrelated services to the uninsured, Medicaid, and other vulnerable patients.” These providers have two distinguishing characteristics:

1. by legal mandate or explicitly adopted mission they maintain an “open door,” offering access to services to patients regardless of their ability to pay; and
2. a substantial share of their patient mix is uninsured, covered by Medicaid, or are otherwise vulnerable patients.

These core safety net providers typically include federal, state, and locally supported community health centers (CHCs) or clinics, many of which are deemed Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), public hospital systems, and local health departments. In some communities they also include mission driven teaching hospitals, community hospitals and ambulatory care clinics (which are often located in central city areas or serve as the sole provider of health care in the community).

Rural health clinics (RHCs), small rural hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAHs), clinics that receive Ryan White HIV/AIDS grant funding, and nurse managed clinics also are important examples of key components of the safety net. (Source: http://www.hrsa.gov/medicare/forpartdsponsors.htm)

Other safety net providers may be eligible for this program. To request inclusion on this list of authorized Virginia course providers, please contact Valerie McAllister, Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (804) 864-7437.

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For more information, please contact:

Valerie McAllister
Virginia Department of Health
Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy
(804) 864-7437
Valerie.McAllister@vdh.virginia.gov

Susannah Lepley
Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center
(540) 568-3383
lepleysm@jmu.edu

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