To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Interim Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #23-457-23 with Health Care Interpreter Network
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Interim Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract #23-457-23 with Health Care Interpreter Network, a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $4,277,500, to provide foreign language and sign language interpretation services via video conferencing for the Health Services Department facilities for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in contractual service expenditures of up to $4,277,500 over a two-year period and will be funded 100% by Hospital Enterprise Fund I revenues.
BACKGROUND:
Individuals with limited English proficiency are at risk of receiving lower quality health treatment because of language barriers. When an interpreter is not readily available patients may rely on family members, even children, to interpret health treatment instructions. California law has required hospitals to provide language assistance since 1990. The Healthcare Interpreter Network's system allows physicians at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Contra Costa Health Centers and various Health Services Divisions to use a software program to route calls to a video conferencing device allowing in-house interpreters and interpreters at other hospitals or remote locations to be connected within seconds to a patient. The County has contracted with Healthcare Interpreter Network for these services since 2009.
This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code ?? 31000. Public Health and Contra Costa Health Center's Quality Management, Utilization Management and Contract Monitor Staff meet on a regular basis to ensure monitoring and pe...
Click here for full text