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Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for February 2010

Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information 



California Health Plans Gear Up for Timely Access Language Requirements:

2009 marked the first year of implementation of the California Language Assistance Program (CALAP) that required health plans  to provide language access to plan enrollees. This year the industry is gearing up for new language access regulations that will go  into full effect in January 2011, which require health plans to survey their enrollees  on an annual basis to measure compliance and to put in place a quality assurance program to track capacity and availability of interpreters. Language Line Services consults with several health plans around the state to help them comply with the requirements of CALAP. A company representative is available to discuss the first year of CALAP implementation and the new challenges health plans face in meeting “timely access” requirements. To schedule an interview, please contact Shawn Yanan at (305) 962-1768 or at .


U.S. Public Schools Beef Up Chinese Instruction to Meet Growing Global Demand:

While thousands of American schools have cut budgets for foreign language studies in the last decade, the number of schools offering instruction in Chinese is steadily increasing. It seems educators, parents and business leaders consider Mandarin an increasingly popular foreign language option in public and private schools, and essential to competing in the global market.  Among America’s approximately 27,500 middle and high schools offering at least one foreign language, the proportion offering Chinese rose to 4 percent, from 1 percent, from 1997 to 2008, according to a survey which was done by the Center for Applied Linguistics, a research group in Washington.  Language demand data from Language Line Services supports this trend.  2009 year-end results from Language Line’s LanguageTrak, the company’s proprietary service which provides real-time demographic information on language trends, revealed a thousand percent year-to-year increase in demand for several languages including Cantonese.  Moreover, Mandarin ranks among the five most requested languages within 17 of Language Line’s top 20 cities.  To find out what other languages are experiencing the highest demand, and what organizations can do to prepare for these language spikes and trends, please email Christine de la Huerta at or call 305-448-7535.


Hispanics Feel Discriminated Against by the Healthcare System:

A recent study by the Arkansas Minority Health Commission found that two thirds of Hispanics seeking medical treatment had difficulty understanding their doctor because they did not have an interpreter present.  This startling statistic also affected other areas of the study, as half of the Hispanics in the state said they did not have a health care provider or health insurance, and 20% said outright they feel discriminated against.  While these results are specific to Arkansas, they reflect a growing problem nationwide of health providers, government agencies and businesses struggling to keep up with growing language demands.  One alternative is to utilize the services of an interpretation provider to ensure proper communication with limited-English speakers.  Language Line Services, the leading provider of language services in the world, works with hospitals, doctors, 9-1-1 call centers, government agencies and private businesses to ensure language barriers are no longer an issue in communication.  A representative is available to discuss the importance of utilizing interpreters, and for more information please contact Julie Jimenez at 305-461-5794 or .


ABOUT LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES


Language Line Services, the world’s leading provider of language-based services, is a trusted partner to thousands of organizations whose focus is to effectively serve the rapidly expanding market of limited English speakers.

The company delivers a dynamic suite of solutions spanning translation, transcription, phone and video interpretation, interpreter certification, localization and localized software and devices, enabling clients to communicate with customers in their preferred language.

Through its leading-edge technology infrastructure, Language Line Services provides support for more than 170 languages to its industry-leading portfolio of clients across markets including health care, financial services, government, telecom, manufacturing, insurance, entertainment, travel, and more.

For information on how Language Line Services is helping clients achieve their strategic multi-cultural marketing and regulatory compliance objectives, please call 1-800-752-6096.