Happy Holidays and New Year 2022

Dear CCHI Community and Friends,

We have endured, survived, and thrived one more year of significant challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Like a spotlight, this pandemic has highlighted the social/economic inequities of our modern societies. Health inequities are nothing new to Healthcare Interpreters and the work we do, day-in and day-out, to reduce them has never been more obvious or appreciated. Around the nation diversity, equity and inclusion measures are being implemented and LEP patient services are at the forefront of these efforts. We would never wish this virus on the world, and yet it has taught us such a valuable lesson: we are one human family, and our collective wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of each individual.

The changes we hope for may seem overwhelming, but each individual one of us have made, and continue to make significant contributions. We have been vaccinated, revaccinated, boosted, masked, physically distanced, and completed assignments we never thought possible via video or telephone interpreting. Recognizing the financial hardships this pandemic has caused for so many, CCHI has done everything possible to support our community through renewal discounts to remote exam proctoring. We thank and appreciate all of you – all of us – for the multiple contributions and sacrifices made during these past two years.

As we reflect on these difficult times, the CCHI Commissioners would like to celebrate and thank all who renewed their certification and the many newly certified interpreters who have made the effort to obtain the stamp of quality and professionalism that CCHI offers. This is a major accomplishment at any time, and even more so during a pandemic. We are nearly 5,000 CHI interpreters strong and growing every year.

As we say goodbye to 2021, I would like to express CCHI´s appreciation to all who support our programs to promote our profession. Our scholarship funders helped us increase certification for languages of lesser diffusion; our presenters and volunteers helped CCHI offer amazing webinars, “Community Conversations” and panel discussions throughout the year; our writers, editors and participants of the “Gender Neutral Language in Health Care” survey; and the supervisors, managers and directors of language services who share their best practices for the benefit of all LEP patients in our “National Language Access Leadership Huddles.” Of course, CCHI could never complete its mission without the hard work and dedication of our amazing raters, dedicated staff, beloved Commissioners, and our incredible Executive Director who continues to help us navigate both smooth and rough waters. Of course, there would be no certification without all the talented CHI and CoreCHI interpreters who volunteered to write, review, and edit our new test items. Thank YOU all for helping CCHI survive and thrive during 2021.

2022 will continue to be an exciting and challenging year. We look forward to many test-development and community engagement projects that have been long planned for. On behalf of CCHI Commissioners and staff, I want to reassure you that we will be here for you throughout 2022 and for as long as it takes to ensure all healthcare interpreters have the certification and professional respect they deserve.

If you are in the position to donate to CCHI, we welcome your holiday gift and promise to put it to very good use Donate link. There will also be many opportunities to volunteer with us in the coming year.

From our family to yours, we wish you a warm and happy holiday season.

Mateo C. Rutherford-Rojas
CCHI Chair

P.S. Stay connected: at Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn,and Instagram, and website!