An Overview of Language Access for Healthcare Providers: Part 1

This two-part training prepares healthcare providers to deliver patient-centered care through collaboration with credentialed healthcare interpreters and the practice of cultural humility. Grounded in evidence that history-taking informs most diagnoses, it emphasizes how cultural awareness in interpreter-supported encounters improves understanding, accuracy, trust, and outcomes. The course reviews key legal and regulatory frameworks, including Title VI, Section 1557, the ADA, National CLAS Standards, and Oregon Health Authority requirements, while also addressing provider bias and Oregon’s diverse communities. Participants will learn best practices for working with interpreters, applying cultural humility, and fostering equity in healthcare encounters. By the end of the session, providers will be equipped to create safe, respectful, and inclusive care that upholds patient dignity and autonomy.

See more information below regarding who this course is geared towards.

NOTE: This is an asynchronous course. You will be able to watch the Part One training video within this course module virtually and at your own pace. Once you complete this training module, you must then reach out to the instructor for this course for final steps related to completing this course. 
Approved by the Oregon
Health Authority

  • Cultural Competency Continuing Education (CCCE)

    1.00 Hour

    OHCIA has been approved by the Oregon Health Authority to offer Cultural Competency Continuing Education (CCCE) for health care providers in Oregon.

    OHCIA is thrilled to connect with providers seeking to grow their skills.
     
    If you are a Chiropractor, Counselor/Therapist, Dental Hygienist, Dentist, Denture Technologist, Dietitian, Emergency Medical Service Provider, Home Care Worker, Lactation Consultant, Long Term Care Administrator, Massage Therapist, Medical Imager, Midwife, Naturopathic Doctor, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Optometrist, Pharmacist, Physical Therapist, Physician (MD/DO), Polysomnographic Technologist, Psychologist, Social Worker, or Speech-Language Pathologist/Audiologist Interested in CCCE, this course was created with you in mind. 

    Instructor Bio: Maria Michalczyk, MA, Retired RN

    Maria Michalczyk, MA, Retired RN is a nurse, educator, and national leader in healthcare language access with more than five decades in healthcare and over thirty years advancing medical interpreting. She managed the Medical Interpreter Program at Oregon Health Sciences University and later founded and directed the Healthcare Interpreter Training Program at Portland Community College, one of the first of its kind nationwide. A founding member and Honorary Lifetime Member of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) and a founding commissioner of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), she has been instrumental in shaping state, national, and international standards for healthcare interpreters. She currently serves as President Emerita and Secretary of the Ore- gon Health Care Interpreters Association, a member of the Oregon Health Care Interpreter Council, and Director and Treasurer of the Billi I. Odegaard Scholarship Fund.