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Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators. National Perspective. ??Currently, 43 states have one or more laws addressing language access in health care settings (up from 40 states in July 2003).? Some states' laws provide detailed guidance, while others note the importance of lan
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1. Texas Legislation to Achieve Standard Qualifications for the Healthcare Interpreter Mary Esther Diaz
2. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators National Perspective “…Currently, 43 states have one or more laws addressing language access in health care settings (up from 40 states in July 2003). Some states’ laws provide detailed guidance, while others note the importance of language access but do not specify the nature of the services that will be provided. California continues to have more laws addressing language access in health settings than any other state…”
Summary of State Law Requirements Addressing Language Needs in Health Care.
Jane Perkins, National Health Law Program, NC Office, January 2006
3. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators US Senate Bill 1576/HR 3333Kennedy Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act
110th Congress (Current Session)
Senators Kennedy, Cochran, Obama, Bingaman, Clinton, Brown, Durbin
4. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators US Senate Bill 1576/HR 3333 Title I – Increasing Diversity and Cultural Competency in the Healthcare Workforce Through Education and Training
Title II – Promoting Health and Healthcare Awareness and Access
Title III – Research to Reduce and Eliminate Health Disparities
Title IV – Data Collection, Analysis and Quality
Title V – Leadership, Collaboration and National Action Plan
5. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators Texas Bills Filed in 2005 SB 213 – Sen. Shapleigh
SB 376/HB 1396 – Sen.Madla/Rep.Zedler
SB 555/HB 1122 – Sen. Janek/Rep. Uresti
HB 1341 – Rep. Strama
6. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators Bill Filed in 2007 HB 161 –
Rep. Gonzales / Escobar / Ortiz, Jr./ Vo
7. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators Proposed Bill for 2009 81R122 –
Rep. Rodriguez
8. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 213 – Sen. Shapleigh
Requiring more Spanish language content for online information provided by state agencies
Status: Passed. Effective 9/1/05
9. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 213
Each state agency shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that Spanish-speaking persons of limited English proficiency can meaningfully access state agency information online.
10. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 376/HB 1396 – Sen.Madla/Rep.Zedler Pilot program for language interpreter services under the medical assistance program
Status: Passed. Effective 5/17/05
Assigned to DHHS
11. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 376 / HB 1396 The Health and Human Services Commission shall establish a pilot program to provide recipients of medical assistance with oral and written language interpreter services in accordance with federal law and applicable publications of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
12. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 376 / HB 1396 continued The Commission shall establish the pilot program through local governmental entities in at least five sites. The Commission shall request participation by, and give first priority to, the following local governmental entities:
Harris County Hospital District
Bexar County Hospital District
El Paso County Hospital District
Tarrant County Hospital District
Parkland Health and Hospital System
13. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 555/HB 1122 – Sen. Janek/ Rep. Uresti
Requirements for certain medical treatment consent forms
Status: Did not pass
14. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators SB 555 / HB 1122 Each provision of a disclosure form prepared under Section 74.103(b) of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code must be printed in English, Spanish, and any other language the panel considers appropriate. The information must be presented in a manner understandable to a layperson.
15. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 1341 – Rep. Strama Creation of an advisory committee to establish qualifications for certain health care translators and interpreters
Status: Did not pass
16. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 1341 The Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall establish the Advisory Committee on Qualifications for Health Care Translators and Interpreters.
17. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 1341 continued Committee responsibilities
Establish and recommend qualifications for healthcare interpreters and translators, that include:
Ability to fluently interpret another language into and out of English
60 hours of training in anatomy, physiology, medical interpretation and ethics
Practical experience as a translator or interpreter
18. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators Proposed 81R122 Rep. Rodriguez Same as HB 1341
19. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 161
Relating to providing language interpreter services to certain health care providers
Status: Reported favorably out of committee, but never reached House floor
20. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 161 DSHS shall establish a toll-free telephone number that is answered by a health care interpreter 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The health care interpreter shall provide oral language interpretation services to physicians, hospital employees and other healthcare providers to assist those individuals in communicating with patients whose primary language is Spanish.
21. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators HB 161 continued The Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement this section, including rules establishing the qualifications required for health care interpreters who answer the toll free telephone number established under this section.
22. Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators Resources Texas Legislature Online
www.capitol.state.tx.us
Thomas (Library of Congress)
www.thomas.gov
National Health Law Program
www.healthlaw.org