Civic Engagement Toolbox for Healthcare Interpreters
Healthcare interpreters possess subject matter expertise about their profession and issues affecting healthcare interpreting industry. According to the Association of Language Companies, the largest sector of interpreting services delivered by language companies in the U.S. is health care. We are an important and powerful profession on many levels. It is vital that interpreters recognize that they need to engage with legislators at various levels whenever matters affecting the profession are under consideration. Legislators consult with experts in every other industry on professional issues. Other professionals (doctors, nurses, lawyers, insurance agents, bankers, etc.) are present when laws and regulations that affect their work are being discussed. This is how practitioners advocate for their profession. Interpreters need to offer their expertise with the same authority. If interpreters are not present, others will provide uninformed or their interest-driven opinions, and the profession will suffer the consequences.
Where to start?
- Listen to the recording of the webinar on civic engagement that CCHI held on May 31, 2017, with CCHI’s Chair Margarita Bekker, Bill Rivers, Executive Director of Joint National Committee for Languages–National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL–NCLIS), and Don Schinske, Executive Director of California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) and Advocacy Director of Cal Capitol Group. CCHI expresses its deep gratitude to the presenters for offering this recording and their presentation slides to the public free of charge.
- Review the PowerPoint slides of their presentations. The content of the PowerPoint presentations contained in this file is courtesy of its respective authors/their organizations, all rights reserved.
- Review additional resources about professional advocacy and civic engagement provided below. Share your resources with us (email info@cchicertification.org and we’ll add your links to this webpage).
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Your Public Comment on a policy or regulation
Make your voice heard and amplify the voices of the patients you work with! Every time a federal agency proposes a policy (called a “rule” or “regulation”) that affects the patients you serve, it must consider comments from the public. Your front-line expertise carries the same legal weight as input from any large organization or lobbyist. Right now, your voice is needed more than ever.
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National Advocacy Efforts
- Advocacy info and toolkits by JNCL-NCLIS. Learn more
- Language Advocacy Resource Center (ACTFL). Learn more
- NAJIT’s Advocacy initiatives. Learn More
- RID’s Advocacy Toolkit. See toolkit
- Do My Comments Really Matter? Demystifying the Public Comment Process (Nov 2025): click here
- Tracking and searching federal legislation. Visit website
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Info About State Legislature
- See Directory
- Tracking and searching state legislation
- California Legislature Resources:
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Info About Local Legislature
Tracking local legislation is similar to tracking state legislation. Locate the website for your local government and then look for “legislation,” “county council,” or something similar. Most local governments post the ordinances they have voted on in the past, as well as an agenda for upcoming votes.