Mayra Torres, Bilingual Victim Advocate, and Michely Valentin, Bilingual Intake Specialist, with Ivy Garcia, Director of the Rape Crisis Center.

For All Seasons Staff Participate in Community Interpreter International Program

Two For All Seasons employees, Michely Valentin, Bilingual Intake Specialist, and Mayra Torres, Bilingual Victim Advocate, participated in a 40-hour Community Interpreter International program from June 11 to 15 at Chesapeake College, organized by the Talbot Language and Cultural Competence Committee.  The Talbot Language and Cultural Competence Committee is a multi-agency collaborative endeavor integrated by agencies such as the Talbot County Department of Social Services, Talbot County Health Department, Talbot County Public Schools, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, Talbot County Department of Emergency Services, Choptank Community Health System, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, Easton Utilities, Chesapeake College and Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC). ChesMRC is a key partner of the Talbot Language and Cultural Competence Committee and is responsible for the project’s initiatives in the areas of interpreting and increasing cultural competence. Since the Hispanic community in the Mid-Shore is a growing section of many agencies’ clientele, the agencies wish to better serve and understand the population and its needs. Improving capacity for bilingual communication is one of the main objectives of the committee.

Participants complete the 40-hour Community Interpreter International Program organized by the Talbot Language and Cultural Competence Committee.