Lost in Translation One Pager

A campaign to ensure that New Yorkers have equitable access to linguistically and culturally competent healthcare services

Language Access

There are estimated to be over 800 languages in New York City, and those who speak any of the low-incident languages outside of those included in the top 10 citywide are often left lost in translation when seeking healthcare services and coverage.

Healthcare settings in New York State are required to provide language assistance to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). LEP individuals are unable to communicate effectively in English because their primary language is not English and they have not developed fluency in the English language. Yet, with over 70 laws addressing language access in healthcare settings currently on the books on both the local and federal levels, there is still an observable deficit in accessibility to language assistance in essential healthcare settings--especially for those LEP individuals who belong to Asian Pacific American communities. There have been a number of hearings and oversight meetings on the monitoring and implementation of these laws, and each has shown a dire need for the City and State to live up to the requirements they themselves established in previous legislation. Stories like that of an individual asking for a Japanese interpreter and being connected to one who speaks Mandarin seem to be universal in community based organizations (CBOs). In order to achieve full health equity, robust language assistance must be available and accessible to all members of a community.