Language Access & Translation

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Minority Health (OMH) yesterday issued revised National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care as well as guidance materials to help implement them. Compliance with these standards is voluntary (except to the extent that they overlap with the required HHS Limited English Proficiency Guidance). The standards are intended to advance OMH’s goal of eliminating health care disparities, broadening the definition of culture beyond ethnicity and language to include socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, geography (rural/urban) and religion. In addition, the concept of health is broadened to include physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being, and new standards on organizational governance and leadership have been added. The standards and related materials may be found at thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/content/clas.asp. The Limited English Proficiency Guidance is available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/lep.