This class prepares experienced interpreters to provide services for patients and their families who are being seen for evaluation and treatment of an addiction. The recent increase in substance misuse in general, and fentanyl abuse in particular, has increased the frequency with which addiction is being discussed in venues from primary care to the ED, making this webshop relevant to interpreters working in any healthcare setting. Developed in collaboration with clinicians from both Public Health of Seattle-King County’s Pathways program and Harborview Medical Center’s Addiction Services, this class combines information about addiction and addiction services with practice with English vocabulary, conversion, sight translation, and actual dialogue interpreting.
The class includes an overview of addiction and substance use disorders (SUD), including the development of addiction, barriers to recovery, the individual/familial/societal impact of addiction, the diagnostic process and treatment options, what interpreters can expect at medical and social service appointments with patients and families who are living with substance use disorder, and special challenges for interpreters in SUD appointments.
The specialized terminology in addiction services commonly used in medical and social service settings is practiced with English vocabulary exercises, followed by exercises with linguistic conversion between English and a non-English language, practice of sight translation of a variety of common standardized diagnostic tests used in addiction services, and interpreting practice with bidirectional interpreting dialogues available in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin. A bilingual glossary of substance-use terminology is provided in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese for Cantonese speakers (Hong Kong), Traditional Chinese for Mandarin speakers (Taiwan), and Simplified Chinese for Mandarin speakers (Mainland China).
CCHI 6.5 (3 PBC) ATA 7 CE Points IMIA 0.6 CE Units DSHS 7 CE Hours
Heather Gervais
