This video follows up on our initial video that called for deaf community participation in a review of the Medical Interpreting Services in BC.
The deaf community is very important us and to the Provincial Language Service and we apologize for not sharing more information about the scope and purpose of the review with you.
The Provincial Language Service is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority that provides interpreting and translation services to BC health authorities including American Sign Language interpreting for deaf, deaf blind and hard of hearing people.
As part of the public health care system, they commonly review services and service providers to ensure both value for money, as well as patient and client satisfaction with the services provided. The contract for American Sign Language interpreting services is coming up for renewal and the Provincial Language Service is conducting a review to identify whether there are opportunities for improvements.
They are seeking feedback to help improve the services for deaf community members and medical professionals.The Provincial Language Service has contracted Debra Russell and Karen Malcolm to lead this review. I have been hired to facilitate focus groups with the Deaf community.Feedback from the deaf community is a key part of this review. After hearing from several Deaf community groups, we have expanded the groups that we will seek input from.
We will be seeking feedback using surveys, focus groups and one on one interviews with the following groups:
- Deaf community members
- Deaf-Blind consumers and service providers
- Deaf interpreters and ASL interpreters who provide service to the Medical Interpreting Services.
- Health care providers in BC who have provided services to deaf, hard of hearing and/or deaf-blind consumers.
- The current service provider, Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and its Vancouver Island subcontractor, the Island Deaf and Hard of HearingCentre.
- And we will be reviewing similar service providers in other provinces, as well as US-based providers.
Upcoming meeting dates for Deaf community members are: November 30 in Vancouver, December 7 in Vancouver, December 19 in Victoria and January 14 in Kelowna. All Deaf community members are welcome. Both Vancouver meetings will take place at Douglas College, New Westminster. Nov. 30 will be held in Room S3902 and Dec. 7 will be Room N5214. Locations for Victoria and Kelowna will be announced later.
Once the review is completed, the Provincial Language Services is committed to consulting with the community on the review recommendations and working together on how best to move forward to deliver service to move forward to deliver service to deaf, deaf blind and hard of hearing people in BC.
Thank you for your support and participation. If you have questions, please contact us
at misreview2016@gmail.com.
Regards from Karen and Deb and Anita
And the Provincial Language Services program
