Release

Media Advisory: Language and Healthcare Focus of Conference Convened by UAlbany's Center for Women in Government and Civil Society

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 23, 2007)

What:
New York State Conference on Increasing Language Access to Healthcare: Toward Effective State and National Policies. Conference organized by University at Albany Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, The Education Fund of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, Center for Immigrant Health New York University School of Medicine. 

Who:

• Judith Saidel, Executive Director, Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, University at Albany
• Hon. Adriano Espaillat, New York State Assembly, 72nd Assembly District
• Keynote: Eric J. Hardt, M.D., Associate Professor of  Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
• Keynote Moderator: Francesca Gany, M.D., M.S., Director, Center for Immigrant Health, New York School of Medicine
             

When:
Wednesday, April 25, 2007, 8 a.m-5 p.m.

Where:
Campus Center Ballroom, University at Albany uptown campus, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12222

Background:
The University at Albany's Center for Women in Government & Civil Society received a $96,759 grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in the U.S Department of Health and Human Services to convene a conference on linguistic access to healthcare. Directed by the Center's program Voices for Change: Immigrant Women & State Policy, the conference will make a significant contribution to the national dialogue on improving linguistic competency and reducing healthcare disparities. It is designed to:

• share evidence-based knowledge addressing the benefits of removing language barriers to healthcare and the efficacy of emerging language options for improving healthcare outcomes; and
• encourage the development of effective national and state language access policies. 

Founded in 1978, the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society is part of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. The center's mission includes a commitment to equity, access, diversity and women's leadership development.

Conference Agenda:

8 - 9 a.m.: Registration

9 - 9:15 a.m.: Welcome and opening remarks

• Judith Saidel, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany
• Honorable Adriano Espaillat, New York State Assembly, 72nd Assembly District

9:15 - 10:15 a.m.: Keynote Presentation: Language Access Research, Key Findings and Evidence-based Policy Implementation

• Eric J. Hardt, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
• Moderator: Francesca Gany, M.D., M.S., Director, Center for Immigrant Health, New York School of Medicine

10:30 a.m. - noon: Workshop Session I
Workshop A: Legal, Ethical and Financial Parameters for Linguistic Access in Healthcare Settings

• Nisha Agarwal, J.D., Attorney/Skadden Fellow, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Inc.
• Mara Youdelman, J.D., LL.M., Director, National Language Access Advocacy Project, National Health Law Program
• Moderator: Catherine Abate, President/CEO, Community Healthcare Network

Workshop B: Case Studies: Providing Linguistically Competent Care to Perinatal and Reproductive Health Clients

• Jennifer K. Carroll, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry 
• Khadija Abukar, Senior Staff Mentor, Somali Bantu Community Association, Rochester, and Interpreter, Brown Square health Center
• Sadiya Omar, Research Assistant and Interpreter
• Anne Pearson, Director, Reproductive Rights Unit, Civil Rights Bureau, NYS Office of the Attorney General
• Grace Mose, D.A. Research and Program Associate, Family Planning Advocates of New York State
• Moderator: Joan Malin, President/CEO, Planned Parenthood of New York City

Workshop C: Assessing Quality and Evaluating Healthcare Outcomes for LEP Individuals

• Francesca Gany, M.D., M.S., Director, Center for Immigrant Health, New York University School of Medicine
• Stergios Roussos, Ph.D., M.P.H., Research Assistant Professor, Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health,
• San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health
• Moderator: Wilma Waithe, Ph.D. Director, Office of Minority Health, NYS Dept. of Health

Noon - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch Presentation: Providing Linguistic Access: Can We Afford Not To?

• Marsha Regenstein, Ph.D., MCP., Research Professor and Director, Speaking Together, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services
• Amy Wilson-Stronks, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
• Moderator: Cathy Cave, Director, Cultural Competency, NYS Office of Mental Health

1:30 - 3 p.m.: Workshop Session II
Workshop D: Linguistic Access Technologies and Innovations in Healthcare Settings

• Emily Ambizas, Ph.D. St. John's University & Linda Weiss, Ph.D., New York Academy of Medicine
• Cornelia E. Brown, Ph.D., Founding Director, Multicultural Association of Medical Interpreters (MAMI)
• Siddharth Rastogi, M.BA., Co-founder,  SimulTel Inc.
• Moderator: Kathy Miraglia M.S., C.S.C. Director, Interpreter Services, University of Rochester

Workshop E: Developing an Action Plan for a Linguistically Competent Organization: Lessons from the Field

• Karen Scott Collins, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
• Gayle Tang, M.S.N., R.N., Director of National Linguistic & Cultural Programs, National Diversity, Kaiser Permanente
• Virginia Tong, M.S.W., Vice President, Cultural Competence, Lutheran HealthCare
• Moderator: Lynn Stone, M.A., Bureau of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance, New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance

Workshop F: Ensuring High Quality Interpretation and Translation

• Wilma Alvarado-Little, M.A., Co-chair of the Board, National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare
• Javier Gonzalez, Director of Language Initiatives, Center for Immigrant Health, New York University School of Medicine
• Moderator: Tammy Arnstein, Director, Language Access, New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs

3:30 - 4:45 p.m.: Plenary Session and Discussion Groups: Toward New York State and National Language Access Policies

• Kick Off Speaker: Maysoun Freij, M.PH., Health Policy Associate, New York Immigration CoalitionModerator: Karen Anderson, M.Ed.., M.PH., Director of Public Policy, Family Planning Advocates of New York State

4:45 - 5 p.m.: Concluding Remarks
Dina Refki, D.A. Director, Immigrant Women & State Policy, Center Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany

 

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