OMH Language Access Survey Project


About the OMH Language Access Survey project

The OMH Language Access Survey project developed a web-based survey of OMH facilities to assess the scope, type, and quality of access that patients with limited English proficiency have to mental health services in their primary language in order to improve access to services for consumers with limited English proficiency across New York State.

This project is part of the Best Practices for Interpreting and Cultural Brokering Services initiative which seeks to evaluate language access services at the New York State Office of Mental Health facilities and to develop a novel model for expanding the cultural brokering function of interpreter services using teleconferencing technology to improve the quality of clinician-consumer communication.

Project details

  • Data analysis is largely completed. Response rate of over 95%.
  • Preliminary results have been presented to the OMH Cultural Competence Steering Committee in January, 2013.
  • A final report is being prepared for publication, along with one or more peer-reviewed journal articles.
  • Guidelines for Interpreters Working in Mental Health Settings information sheet has been developed in collaboration with Wilma Alvarado-Little at SUNY Albany. The draft information sheet was presented to the OMH Cultural Competence Steering Committee in January 2013, and a webinar for OMH is under development.

To see an alphabetical list of all the projects being conducted at our Center, please click here:  Research projects at the CECC.