Colorado Language Connection

Bridging the Gap is a professional development course created by The Cross Cultural Health Care Program that teaches foundational skills and specialized information to become a professional medical interpreter.

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Additionally, the BTG 40- and 64-hour courses qualify as prerequisites for the national certifications provided by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) and the Certification Commission for Health Care Interpreters (CCHI).

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Continuing Education Units are available for Certified Medical Interpreters who take the 24-hour mental health interpreting:

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Earn 20 Continuing Education (CE) hours from the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI). 
Earn 2.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA).

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*To enroll in the 24-hour mental health interpreter training, participants must have completed the Bridging the Gap 40-hour course or another 40-hour interpreting course approved by CCHCP.

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BRIDGING THE GAP INTERPRETER TRAINING COVERS

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• Basic interpreting skills. Roles, ethics, conduit and clarifier interpreting, managing the flow of the session.

• Codes of ethics. Codes of ethics and decision-making for interpreters in health care.

• Integrated medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. Introduction to common terms, procedures, and specialties relating to human physiology and health.

• Interpreting in mental health. Specialized strategies and skills that apply to the unique demands of mental health settings (covered in 64-hour and 24-hour ONLY ).

• Information on health care systems. Introduction to the health care systems and types of health care providers.

• Culture in interpreting. Self-awareness, basic characteristics of specific cultures, traditional health care in specific communities, culture brokering.

• Communication skills for advocacy . Listening skills, communication styles, how doctors think, appropriate advocacy.

• Professional development. Effective communication, professional conduct, self-care, resources for professional growth

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ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT​

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• Applicants must be able to attend all hours of training.

• Be 18 years of age or older.

• Have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or university/college degree. This will also count as proof of proficiency in the language spoken at the institution you have a degree from.

• Have or obtain proof of language proficiency in English and one other language that you will be interpreting in. Please refer to the application form for a list of acceptable documents.​

• Submit a completed online application.

  • You may skip one of the fields requesting proof of proficiency in another spoken language, as the language can be assessed through our language proficiency assessment. 

• Refunds will not be issued for cancellations made by participants less than seven business days before the class start date.

 

If you don’t have proof of language proficiency, you will need to take an over-the-phone language assessment. The assessment is scored on a scale of 1-12, and a 9 or higher is required as admission into this course. The language assessment costs $75 per language and non refundable. We require payment in advance before scheduling for the assessment.

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