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Commentaries
July 11, 2008Commentaries is where Minnesota Public Radio welcomes your thoughtful opinion about current events and issues. Commentaries are like letters to the editor. To be considered for publication, your commentary should be issue-related, clearly written, and follow our Terms of Use. New insights into ongoing topics are especially welcome. Not all commentaries received are published. For topical interaction with others, visit the discussion groups.
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Culturally specific treatment programs work
Culturally specific programming does work! [MPR News: White Earth purchases tribal teen treatment center]
It will allow these kids to uncover the root causes of their hurtful and destructive behavior so that they can make positive changes. Having treatment in a culturally specific setting will allow these kids to have a voice, to feel comfortable and safe when they talk about personal issues, etc. Talking is the first step toward recovery from past trauma and other underlying issues that make kids turn to drugs and other destructive behaviors in the first place. I wholly support this effort.
Liz Hugley
Saint Paul, Minn.
Training and standardization necessary for all interpreters
I agree with the a need for better training and standardization of the interpreting profession. [MPR News: Interpreters an important part of medical team]
However, there are some methods in place to determine how well someone can interpret. In the legal profession, interpreters must pass a federal certification exam before they can interpret in a court of law. Many states also offer exams to determine if a person is competent to interpret in his or her different languages. Unfortunately, many health care organizations use agencies that train their own interpreters (usually a quick test to determine fluency in both languages). A good solution is to look into resources already in place and find out ways to improve. A university that provides interpreting and translation training can work with local hospitals and organizations to provide trained, professional interpreters to the area. Churches and other places of worship in the cities also have several bilingual people within their organization that can help train multilingual people to interpret.
Urban areas already have many bi-lingual and multilingual members of the community to help others with limited English. If healthcare organizations, schools, and other major areas of the community work together, they can easily tap this pool of talented people and increase the numbers of available interpreters.
Terra Lindquist
Burnsville, Minn.
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