When Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) providers offer care to patients who use sign language to communicate, they partner with sign language interpreters who serve as a critical bridge between the provider and patient.
The Health Care Authority’s (HCA) Interpreter Services Program (ISP) assists in this effort by offering sign language and spoken interpretation services for eligible, prescheduled Apple Health appointments.
ISP partners with the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) to help providers access a large statewide pool of certified sign language interpreters.
HCA at the ODHH Expo
Earlier this year, HCA representatives visited Southwest Washington to spread awareness about Apple Health and ISP at the 2nd Annual ODHH Expo. We returned to the expo, after joining ODHH last year for the first annual expo in Olympia.
These in-person events were open to the public and in American Sign Language (ASL), with spoken English interpretation and captioning services offered. The expos were “designed to raise awareness about public programs and services, [and] targeted to people that are d/Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, and Late Deafened”. (See the ODHH April Update Transcript.)
This year’s expo was held at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, on May 17, 2024.
HCA hosted a booth at the expo to share information about Apple Health and ISP.
We also offered help to prospective and current Apple Health clients. With the help of HCA’s Medical Eligibility Determination Services, medical eligibility specialists and sign language interpreters worked together to provide case assistance in sign language. Visit the Interpreter services for clients’ webpage to learn about available services.
We are fortunate to have collaborated and connected with clients, providers, interpreters, contractors, organizational representatives, advocates, and visitors from across the state.
How can I learn more?
Visit the Interpreter Services for providers' webpage.