1) ASL interpreters face unique challenges when interpreting for mental health sessions, as deaf individuals have experiences that hearing people cannot imagine. It is important for providers to be culturally sensitive and for interpreters to ensure deaf patients receive equal care. 2) During mental health sessions, interpreters must know ethics codes and RID protocols. It can help to discuss seating arrangements with clients and counselors. Providers may not understand ASL nuances, so interpreters should provide context. 3) TransPerfect is creating a mental health glossary in various languages to help interpreters understand terminology based on the DSM-5. The glossary covers disorders and includes translations, definitions, symptoms, and treatment options.

1. August 2016
Issue 1
Insider
Interpreter October 2016
Issue 3
Insider
Interpreter
Mental Health Signs: Challenges ofEI Spotlight:
g g
the Deaf Community
ASL interpreters have a
unique challenge presented
to them when they attend
t l h lth i t t ti
EI Spotlight:
Dana Austin
Recruitment
Project Coordinator
mental health interpretation
assignments. Deaf
individuals have been
subjected to experiences that
the hearing world has great
difficulty imagining. Because
of this it is important thatof this, it is important that
providers are culturally
sensitive and that the
interpreter helps to ensure
that patients are getting the
same quality of care as
hearing patients.
During mental health assignments,
it is important that interpreters have
knowledge of the code of ethics as
well as RID protocols. It is helpful,
Where are you originally
from?
Pennsauken, NJ – born
and bred
hearing patients.
About 90% of Deaf children
are born into hearing
families. This means that
their families have no first-
hand experience of what it is
well as RID protocols. It is helpful,
if possible, to discuss with the
client and the counselor what the
best seating arrangements is for
both parties. Since ASL is a distinct
language, providers may not
understand the subtle nuances and
What did you study?
I was enrolled in the
ASL<>English Interpreter
Training Program in
Philadelphia, PA until I
transferred to Gallaudet
like to be Deaf and the
challenges associated with
this. One example of a
common issue within the
Deaf community is the idea
of “dysconcious audism.”
Thi th t th
different grammatical structures
present in ASL. Some individuals
dealing with severe mental issues
may not be able to cohesively
string together sentences in sign
language. When appropriate, the
i t t h ld id t t
University in Washington,
DC where I studied
International Studies with a
minor in American Sign
Language. When I first
entered college after high
school, I majored in
S i h T l ti t This means that the
dominant hearing culture
imposes its own views on
what it means to be Deaf.
This can affect all types of
social interactions and create
a sense of inferiority to
interpreter should provide context
for their renditions if it will help the
provider understand the thought
processes of the individual.
For more information on this
subject visit:
Spanish Translation at
Montclair State University.
What got you interested
in ASL?
I’ve always been attracted
to languages and all things a sense of inferiority to
hearing individuals ultimately
affecting mental health.
subject visit:
http://www.mhit.org/arizona-
training.html
1
g g g
visually expressive. ASL is
the perfect blend of the two.
Continued on page 3

2. October 2016
Issue 3
Insider
Coming Soon: Mental Health Glossary
October 2016
Issue 3
Insider
Interpreter
Coming Soon: Mental Health Glossary
Knowledge of medical terminology is integral to a successful interpretation encounter. As a
reflection of this, TransPerfect has prepared a mental health glossary for interpreters to ensure that
they are up-to-date on medical and mental health terminology in their target languages.
Our glossary is highly comprehensive and aligned with the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical
School District Meetings
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) from the American Psychiatric Association. This glossary
covers main mental and behavioral disorders, from ADHD to substance use. This will assist with
the complex subject matter that interpreters deal with during a mental health encounter. The
glossary is organized first alphabetically to provide an easy search option for the term, with
translation and definition, and then by disorders, listing symptoms and treatment options all
translated into the target language. Below is just an excerpt of the upcoming Vietnamese glossary:
Quick Tip: Interested in more information about mental health topics?
Visit: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/
2
The glossary will be available in the following languages: Albanian , Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese,
Cape Verdean, French, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and
Vietnamese.

3. August 2016
Mental Health Interpretation
Issue 1
Continued from Page 1
October 2016
Issue 3
Insider
Interpreter
Mental Health Interpretation
In Mental Health encounters,
communicative demands are
complex. You will be expected to
convey subtle meanings in
Cultural Competence and
Cultural Brokering (within your
expertise)
A l ll h
Continued from Page 1
How do your experiences
as an interpreter help you
in your role at
TransPerfect?
Having insight as an
challenging settings in the
presence of psychosis, anxiety,
depression or thought disorder,
You may need to interpret word-
for-word when no coherent
meaning is present. Accuracy and
ff ti i ti l
A culturally competent approach
to Mental Health encounters is an
essential part of diagnosis. Your
role as cultural broker is very
important (e.g. feeling blue may
mean different things in different
cultures; stigmas associated with
g g
freelance interpreter, I
understand the importance
of assignment detail. Often
times, the lack of
information in an
assignment’s details can be
the difference between a
highly successful job and aeffectiveness is essential as
interpretation errors may lead to
under or over-estimation of mental
health conditions.
Mode of Interpretation
cultures; stigmas associated with
mental disorders may impede
communication, etc.). If you move
into the role of a cultural broker
during a session, it is essential
that you raise issues you think are
present allow the provider to ask
highly successful job and a
catastrophe. My position as
a Project Coordinator at
TransPerfect allows me the
ability to provide
interpreters placed on an
assignment the detailed
components that, to others
The mode of interpretation may
vary from consecutive to
simultaneous. Be flexible. The
preference may be set by the
provider during the pre-session
depending on type of disorder,
present, allow the provider to ask
follow-up questions to the patient
and you, and provide additional
feedback while always informing
the provider about the limits of
your knowledge and experience.
p
may not seem critical but,
can and likely WILL help
the job to be completed as
smoothly as possible.
What do you think is the
most challenging aspect
of being an interpreter?p g yp ,
type of encounter and the overall
rhythm of the encounter. In some
situations, such as when the
client’s speech is confused or
incoherent, word-for- word
interpretation may more accurately
Expect Continuity of
Encounters with the Same
Patient
Most patients require a series of
encounters in the evaluation and
O h f l
of being an interpreter?
Because the language I
interpret is audibly silent
and foreign to most people,
it’s sometime difficult to
have others understand
that when I am voicing the
convey such confusion or
incoherence. Sometimes the
information to be conveyed may
make no sense as a result of
thought disorder or psychosis. For
the Mental Health staff member to
di thi it i th t
treatment. Once they feel
comfortable with an interpreter,
they tend to develop a preference
for reasons of trust and stability.
Mental Health Protocol Video Links:
g
thoughts/feelings/opinions
expressed by the signer, I
am solely the messenger,
not the source.
What are your hobbies
outside of work?
discern this, it is necessary that
you interpret exactly what is said,
rather than constructing meaning
where no coherent meaning exists.
https://goo.gl/FPcC0h
https://goo.gl/994lTx
3
Painting, writing, thrift
shopping, star-gazing,
daydreaming, drinking
apple juice, eating carbs,
and being eternally free.