Rhode Island College establishes state’s first public health and equity sign language interpreter program

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE has formed the Rhode Island College Public Health and Equity Sign Language Interpreter Program to address barriers the deaf community faces in health care settings. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island College announced Aug. 18 that, through a partnership, it has created the state’s first interpreting program to address barriers the deaf community faces in health care systems.

The college, along with the Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Rhode Island Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, has formed the Rhode Island College Public Health and Equity Sign Language Interpreter Program.

The program, which will be led by RIC special education professor Marie Lynch, is designed to increase the number of qualified sign language interpreters in health care settings.

The college said interpreters who participate in the program will learn to recognize and address barriers to quality health care for deaf individuals. The program runs for nine months, RIC said, and program participants will engage in online coursework beginning in September.

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Those interested in the program can email Lynch directly.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

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