Bridging the Gap Interpreter Training | Colorado Language Connection

BRIDGING THE GAP INTERPRETER TRAININGPROGRAM

40-hour Medical Interpreter Training
24-hour Mental Health Interpreter Training

Bridging the Gap is a professional development course created by The Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP) that provide the training bilingual individuals to become professionally trained and qualified interpreters. This course will provide an introduction to various skills and topics required for successful interpreting in the medical field.

For questions about this program please email Erha Agi Puspita Davis erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

or send a TEXT to 303-923-6558

Participants interested in attending our virtual training must reside in the following states:

Colorado, Texas, and Florida.

Download Bridging the Gap flyer 2024

We are currently working on finalizing the training schedule for 2025. Stay tuned for updates!

BTG TRAINING SCHEDULE

2024

December 2024

Bridging the Gap 40-hour Medical Interpreter Training

IN-PERSON TRAINING

Course Tuition Fee

Early Bird Registration (good through Nov 29) $675

Regular Tuition Fee $725

Language Proficiency Assessment $75, per language, non-refundable

Monday to Friday

9 am - 6 pm MT

12/09, 12/10, 12/11, 12/12, 12/13

Students must attend all hours of the training and pass the Final Test to earn a Certificate of Successful Completion.

LOCATION FOR IN PERSON LEARNING

Aurora Mental Health & Recovery

Mike Kucera Auditorium (Lower Level)

791 Chambers Rd, Aurora, CO 80011

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Online application, complete language proficiency, full payment must be received by

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

BTG 40-HOUR ONLINE APPLICATION

PAY ONLINE

We are currently working on finalizing the training schedule for 2025. Stay tuned for updates!

Registration & Enrollment Procedure

1. Complete our BTG online application form

2. Copies of the following should be submitted within your Bridging the Gap online application form:

Copy of high school diploma, GED certificate, or university/college degree
Proof of language proficiency (in English and the target language*)

* If you do not have proof of proficiency in your second language, please skip the field Proof of Language Proficiency (Language 2) in the online application form.

* Please contact Agi Davis at erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org to arrange for the language proficiency assessment.

* The fee for language proficiency assessment is $75 per language, non-refundable. We require payment in advance prior to scheduling language proficiency test

3. PAYMENT, CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

BTG 64-hours: we require a $200 non-refundable course deposit to reserve your spot in our training. Remaining course fee $725 must be paid before the application deadline. Proof for language proficiency in English and the assessed language must be provided before you can make the payment for the course.

BTG 40-hours: we require a $200 non-refundable course deposit to reserve your spot in our training. Remaining course fee $525 must be paid before the application deadline. Proof for language proficiency in English and the assessed language must be provided before you can make the payment for the course.

BTG 24-hours: we require a $200 non-refundable course deposit to reserve your spot in our training. Remaining course fee $200 must be paid before the application deadline.

Make the payment by clicking "Pay Online" button.

Balance must be paid before the application deadline.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

Cancellation received at least 7 business days before a scheduled training: A full refund minus $200 non-refundable deposit will be given
There are no refunds for any cancellation less than 7 business days.

Licensed by The Cross Cultural Healthcare Program (CCHCP)

Bridging the Gap is a professional development course created by The Cross Cultural Health Care Program that provide the training bilingual individuals to become professionally trained and qualified interpreters.

This course will provide an introduction to various skills and topics required for successful interpreting in the medical field.

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).

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

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).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can't find an answer? Feel free to contact Erha Agi Puspita Davis erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org or send a text to 303-923-6558

How much does the Bridging the Gap training cost?

64-hour Medical and Mental Health Interpreting Course $895

40-hour Medical Interpreting course BTG 40-hour $725

24-hour Mental Health Interpreting course $400

Language Proficiency Assessment Fee $75 per language, non refundable

**Take advantage of our Early Bird Registration**

What is the phone number to call?

We are currently experiencing high volume calls in our office, and it is taking us longer than usual to answer phones and respond to voicemails. Please email your questions about this program to erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

Is language proficiency assessment included in the Bridging the Gap course fee?

Language proficiency assessment is not included in the Bridging the Gap course fee. The fee $75 per language, fee is non-refundable. We require payment in advance prior to scheduling language proficiency test. Please email Agi erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org to schedule test

If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency, the registration process will include a speaking and listening assessment conducted over the phone. These are scheduled through ALTA Language Services at a time that is convenient for the applicant. Once a language assessment is scheduled, the applicant will receive a phone number to call and instructions to begin the assessment, which is approximately 20-25 minutes long. The maximum possible score is 12; a 9 or higher is required for admission.

As a certified medical interpreter, I need to earn continuing education units to maintain my interpreting certification. Will I receive CEU for completing the 24-hour mental health interpreting course?

Yes, CCHI interpreter will earn 20 Continuing Education (CE) hours from the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI).
NBCMI interpreter will earn 2.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA).

Click the link below to view CCHCP's guide to proof to language proficiency that explains the different forms of language proficiency that are acceptable for the BTG program.

A GUIDE TO PROOF TO LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Is a Seal of biliteracy acceptable form of language proficiency?

No, Seals of Biliteracy do not meet the BTG course requirements.

Would my high school transcript that includes target language courses acceptable for form of language proficiency?

No, we cannot accept high school language classes as proof of language proficiency.

Do you accept CLEP exam in target language for form of language proficiency?

No, we cannot accept CLEP as the test appears to only test written assessment in target language.

The language proficiency testing company does not have my language. What should I do?

If you can't find any company that offers a language proficiency assessment in your target language, you will need to provide us with a letter from your employer or community member who can verify your language skills. The letter must be signed by the person who verifies your language skills.

What is the difference between Bridging the Gap 64- and 40-hour?

The 64-hour covers the foundation skills in the 40-hour Bridging the Gap curriculum with additional sections for mental health interpreting and medical terminology. We suggest to enroll in the 64 hours if your professional background is in mental health field or have a passion/interest to learn about mental health interpreting.

What is the difference between Bridging The Gap's certificate program and national medical interpreter certifications?

After the successful completion of BTG you will receive a certificate of medical interpreter training from the Cross Cultural Health Care Program. This will help you start your career as a medical interpreter.

Bridging the Gap certificate fulfills the training pre-requisite for those pursuing their National Medical Interpreter Certification. For more information about National Medical Interpreter Certification and their pre-requisites, please visit each accrediting organization’s respective website:

Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI)

National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI)

What happens if I don’t pass the written exam at the end of the course?

Participants who don’t pass the written final exam will be given another opportunity to retake the exam. If after retaking the exam, the participant does not pass again, then they will be required to re-take the course at no additional cost.

Do you offer private Bridging the Gap training?

Yes, we do! We offer private Bridging the Gap training sessions with minimum 10 participants. We offer private training in three formats: in-person or 100% live remote via ZOOM or hybrid (half sessions in zoom and the other sessions in person).

In-person private training must be held in your location. Please note a travel fee will be assessed.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

For cancellation notice received at least 7 business days before a scheduled training, a full refund minus $200 non-refundable deposit will be given.

There are no refunds for any cancellation less than 7 business days.

Can't find an answer? Feel free to contact Agi Davis

erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

or send a TEXT to 303-923-6558

Admission Requirements:

Requirements:

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.
Submit a completed online application

Proof of language proficiency can be copies of any one of the following documents:

Copy of high school diploma or GED certificate, University/College degree from a school using the assessed language(s)
State or federal court interpreter certification
Oral language proficiency results with scores equivalent to ACTFL Advanced Mid-level or ILR Level 2; Through ALTA, the score must be a 9 or higher is required for admission; TOEFL - for English proficiency
If you have other certificate/document that is not listed here and not sure if it is accepted as proof of proficiency, please email a copy of that document to erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency:

If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency, the registration process will include a speaking and listening assessment conducted over the phone. These are scheduled through ALTA Language Services at a time that is convenient for the applicant. Once a language assessment is scheduled, the applicant will receive a phone number to call and instructions to begin the assessment, which is approximately 20-25 minutes long. The maximum possible score is 12; a 9 or higher is required for admission.
The fee $75 per language, fee is non-refundable. We require payment in advance prior to scheduling language proficiency test
Email erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org to schedule test

What does the Training cover?

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 64HOUR 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

About The Course

For questions about this program please email Erha Agi Puspita Davis erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

or send a TEXT to 303-923-6558

COURSE FEE:

BTG 64-hour $895

BTG 40-hour $725 (early bird $675)

BTG 24-hour $400

*Take advantage of our Early Bird Registration for discounted tuition

* Bridging the Gap course fee does not include the language assessment fee.

BRIDGING THE GAP TRAINING MATERIALS

BTG 64-HOUR training material includes 64-hour Bridging the Gap: A Textbook for Medical Interpreters, Bilingual Medical Glossary if available in your target language (if not available participants will receive an English-English glossary), and Mental Health Glossary.

Certificates of successful completion will be awarded to participants who score 70% or higher on the Final Test and completed the 64-hour training

BTG 40-HOUR training material includes 40-hour Bridging the Gap: A Textbook for Medical Interpreters, Bilingual Medical Glossary if available in your target language (if not available participants will receive an English-English glossary), and Guides to Common Medications.

Certificates of successful completion will be awarded to participants who score 70% or higher on the Final Test and completed the 40-hour training

Note:

We require a $200 non-refundable course deposit to reserve your spot in our training. Remaining course fee must be paid prior to pick up the textbook.
Language proficiency test fee $75 is not included in the course fee

Training dates: (See detailed schedule on top of the column) Participants must attend all hours of the training. Colorado Langue Connection reserves the right to cancel a class that does not have minimum enrollment.

Bilingual Medical Glossaries are available in the following languages: Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Burmese/Karen, Chinese, Farsi, French, Haitian/Creole, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Marshallese, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrigna, Urdu, Vietnamese.

*If the target language not available participants will receive an English-English Medical glossary

Final Exam:

FOR IN-PERSON/HYBRID BTG TRAINING: Final exam will be conducted on the last day of training.

Admission Requirements:

For questions about this program please email Agi Davis

erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

MINIMUM AGE AND EDUCATION

Participants must be 18 or older and have a high school degree or the equivalent.
Participants must be bilingual in English and at least one other language, and proof of proficiency in both languages is required to enroll in the class.

ORAL PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH

Proof of language proficiency of any one of the following documents:

Bachelor, Masters, PhD, or any other degree from any US institution of higher education.
Graduation from any High School from an English language country or from an American School abroad
One of the following tests (subject to change):
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 570+ on paper; 230+ on computer version; 90+ on iBT.
- ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test): 950+
- MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) 80+
- ECPE (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English): PASS
- FCE (First Certificate in English, Level 3): A
- CAE (Certificate in Advanced English, Level 4): B
- CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English, Level 5): B
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) 7.0+

ORAL PROFICIENCY IN TARGET LANGUAGE

Proof of language proficiency of any one of the following documents:

Copy of school diploma in the language(s) being assessed
- For example: if your target language is Spanish and you receive a high school or college diploma from Mexico, we will count your diploma for the proof of your Spanish proficiency
University/College degree from a school using the assessed language(s)
24+ semester credit hours of courses in the target language
5 or more years of verified professional experience working in the language(s) being assessed.
State or federal court interpreter certification
Oral language proficiency results with scores equivalent to ACTFL Advanced Mid-level or ILR Level 2; Through ALTA, the score must be a 9 or higher is required for admission
If you have other certificate/document that is not listed here and not sure if it is accepted as proof of proficiency, please email a copy of that document to erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org

ALTA PROFICIENCY LEVEL

Rating to be considered as proficient in candidate's target language: Level 9 out of 12

RATING SCALE: A person at a level 9 can successfully handle in-depth conversations in the target language, on a broad range of subjects and at a normal rate of speech. He/She has difficulty understanding some slang or idioms or some advanced grammatical structures, but can figure out what is said by the context of the discussion. When speaking, a person at a level 9 can express himself/herself over a broad range of topics at a normal speed. He/She may have a noticeable accent and will make grammatical errors, for example with advanced tenses, but the errors will not cause misunderstanding to a native speaker

Please note:

It’s also important for graduates of the BTG program to be able to take their national certification if they choose. If they don’t end up taking the language proficiency test and then go another option such a reference letter from former/current employer, there is a possibility they will likely have to take a proficiency test or provide another form of language proficiency proof if they want to obtain their national certification later on.

If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency:

If applicants do not have any prior proof of language proficiency, the registration process will include a speaking and listening assessment conducted over the phone. These are scheduled through ALTA Language Services at a time that is convenient for the applicant. Once a language assessment is scheduled, the
applicant will receive a phone number to call and instructions to begin the assessment, which is approximately 20-25 minutes long. The maximum possible score is 12; a 9 or higher is required for admission.
The fee $75 per language, fee is non-refundable. We require payment in advance prior to scheduling language proficiency test
Email erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org to schedule test

Registration & Enrollment Procedure

COURSE FEE:

BTG 64-hour Medical & Mental Health Interpreting $895

BTG 40-hour Medical Interpreting $725

BTG 24-hour Mental Health Interpreting $400

1. Complete our BTG online application form

2. Copies of the following should be submitted within your Bridging the Gap online application form:

Copy of high school diploma, GED certificate, or university/college degree
Proof of language proficiency (in English and the target language*)

* If you do not have proof of proficiency in your second language, please skip the field Proof of Language Proficiency (Language 2) in the online application form.

* Please contact Agi Davis erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org to arrange for language proficiency assessment.

* The fee for language proficiency assessment is $75 per language, non-refundable. We require payment in advance prior to scheduling language proficiency test

3. PAYMENT, CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

BTG 24-hours: we require a $200 non-refundable course deposit to reserve your spot in our training. Remaining course fee $200 must be paid before the application deadline.

Make the payment via Online Bill Pay button on our website.

Balance must be paid before the application deadline.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

Cancellation received at least 7 business days before a scheduled training: A full refund minus $200 non-refundable deposit will be given
There are no refunds for any cancellation less than 7 business days.

Make the payment via Online Bill Pay button on our website. Remaining course fee must be paid by the application deadline.

BRIDGING THE GAP INTERPRETER TRAININGPROGRAM

40-hour Medical Interpreter Training 24-hour Mental Health Interpreter Training

Licensed by The Cross Cultural Healthcare Program (CCHCP)

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Can't find an answer? Feel free to contact Erha Agi Puspita Davis erhapuspitadavis@auroramhr.org or send a text to 303-923-6558

​

How much does the Bridging the Gap training cost?

40-hour Medical Interpreter Training
24-hour Mental Health Interpreter Training