Gulfcoast South AHEC Receives National Award

On July 14^th, Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center (GSAHEC) was recognized by the National AHEC Organization (NAO) with the Dr. Andy Nichol’s Social Justice Award. GSAHEC’s Advanced Cultural Competence Education & Support Services (ACCESS) Programaligns with Dr. Nichols’ vision of social justice and health for all by helping to overcome the cultural and linguistic barriers that promote health disparities in healthcare and community settings. As nearly 30% of Florida’s population speaks a language other than English, addressing social justice in Florida’s healthcare systems is a need that GSAHEC continues to address through the ACCESS Program. 

The ACCESS Program provides Occupational Spanish, Cultural Competency, and Medical Interpreting training to healthcare, human service and public safety professionals, and those seeking to enter these fields. The Occupational Spanish workshops provide basic language education for professionals to more effectively serve Spanish speaking patients/clients/communities.

The Cultural Competency seminars are designed to strengthen provider knowledge and interpersonal skills to facilitate understanding and appreciation for working with individuals from cultures other than their own. Lastly, the Medical Interpreting training bridges the communication gap between speakers of different languages, which helps to increase understanding, respect, and equality between providers and patients/clients/community members.

The implementation of the Medical Interpreting training results in an increase of patient utilization of preventative services, follow-up care and adherence to treatment. All three trainings are committed to the social justice of Florida’s population by reducing the liability risks and health disparities associated with language and cultural barriers that are common in many healthcare, public safety and community settings.

As expressed by Liliana Irwin, ACCESS Program Director, upon acceptance of the award “It is our honest hope that through the ACCESS Program we can contribute to the education of healthcare providers and community members about the need and benefits of language access and cultural competency for all.”

To learn more about Gulfcoast South AHEC, please contact Ansley Mora, CEO, at (941) 361-6602, ansleymora@usf.edu or visit www.gsahec.org.

Photo attached: Liliana Irwin, ACCESS Program Director.