Procedure for Use of Pacific Interpreters Service

UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services Counseling Services

PROCEDURE FOR USE OF PACIFIC INTERPRETERS SERVICE

NORTH HALL COUNSELING SERVICE

1. All North Hall counseling staff have phones with speaker phone capacity.

2. Dial this toll-free number: (9) 1-800-264-1552. A Pacific Interpreters Customer Service Agent (CSA) will answer.

3. Provide Access Code: 840394 and your name.

4. Inform the CSA of the language you need, or ask for help in determining the language.

5. Advise the CSA if you need to connect to a third party at another location (you make the 3-way call, even if the call is international – instructions on how to make international call and three-way calls are attached).

6. The CSA will put you on hold until the interpreter is on the line.

7. To continue the conversation using the speaker function, press the “SPEAKER” button located on the phone and place the handset on the cradle. This will activate the speaker function. (Note: your phone may have other means of accessing the ‘speaker’ capacity; pls. review prior to using this function.)

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

THROUGH AN INTERPRETER

1. Greet the interpreter, then focus on the client. Speak directly to the client, not to the interpreter.

2. The interpreter will reflect exactly what the client said: “I am depressed” instead of “She says she is depressed.”

3. Speak at an even pace.

4. Pause often to allow the interpreter to interpret.

5. If you are concerned that the interpreter has not interpreted everything, ask the interpreter to do so.

6. Avoid: slang, psychological terminology, complicated sentence structure, changing ideas in the middle of a sentence, asking multiple questions at one time.

7. Ask the interpreter to point out potential cultural misunderstandings.

8. Do not hold the interpreter responsible for what the client says or doesn’t say.

9. The interpreter may have to paint word pictures of terms you use and this may take longer than your original speech.

10. Please avoid making assumptions about your clients’ educational level. Lack of fluency in English does not necessarily mean a lack of education.

11. You are always in control of the encounter.

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