Skip to main content
Fall 2025 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice Workshops
Not Found
Webinar

F25-907 Effective Inclusion Through Language Access

Total Credits: 6 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practices CEs

Bundle(s):
Fall 2025 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice Workshops
Categories:
700 Professional Growth & Development |  900 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice |  DC Public Health Priorities |  New
Instructor:
Carol Velandia Pardo, MSW, MBA, PMP, CHI
Course Levels:
Intermediate
Duration:
7 Hours 30 Minutes
Target Audience:
Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists
Dates
Save for Later  Add to Cart »

Description

This training equips social workers with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to address language barriers and enhance equity in social work settings. Participants will know the legal framework governing language access, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Affordable Care Act, and relevant executive orders. This workshop will also help debunk biases associated with language diversity in the US.   

Through real-world case studies and best practices, social workers learn to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), collaborate effectively with professional linguists, and ethically utilize AI tools to bridge communication gaps. Ultimately, the course empowers social workers to advocate for language justice, improving outcomes across all public services for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals and ensuring that linguistic diversity is recognized as a strength rather than a barrier.  

 

This workshop is in accordance with and compliance with the NASW Standards with a focus on service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, and social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, in practice settings, as professionals, to the social work profession, to the broader society. 

This workshop is in compliance with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.03.06.A(5) and with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work 17-70-7008.4.   

Maryland: This workshop meets the license renewal requirement for Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice for Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.06.03.A.(1)(d) with a focus on social justice. 

District of Columbia:  This workshop meets the continuing education requirement for DC Public Health Priorities in the following topic: 4. Healthcare Professional Retention and Capacity Building.  

Instructor

Carol Velandia Pardo, MSW, MBA, PMP, CHI Related Seminars and Products

Carol Velandia is the founder and CEO of Equal Access Language Services (EALS) and a recognized expert in language access policy, negotiation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) . With a background in social work and interpretation, Carol has dedicated her career to ensuring equitable access to services for limited English proficient (LEP) populations.   

Carol has developed groundbreaking training programs, including the Interprofessional Curriculum: Effective Inclusion through Language Access, which is being trademarked. She has also spearheaded language access training initiatives for government agencies, healthcare providers, and educational institutions. Her expertise extends to policy development, advocacy, and training design, helping organizations implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services.   

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Carol is a passionate advocate for language justice and the elimination of language-based discrimination. She has been a key contributor to language access initiatives at state and national levels, working with various agencies to improve multilingual communication. Through her work, she aims to foster a more inclusive society where language is not a barrier but a bridge to opportunity and equal access.   

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

8:50 am – 9:00 am Log on 

9:00 am - 9:45 am (45 mins) 

  • Introduction to Language Access  
  • Definitions: Language Access, Language Rights, Language Justice  

9:45 am - 11:00 am (75 mins) 

  • Linguistic Diversity in the U.S.  
  • Overview of U.S. linguistic diversity  
  • Implications for service delivery  

11:00 am – 11:15 am Break 

11:15 am - 12:15 pm (60 mins) 

  • Language Barriers and its Impact in the Multilingual Population   

  • Impact of language barriers on public service outcomes  

  • Real-world case studies highlighting communication breakdowns  

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm Lunch break  

1:15 PM - 2:30 pm (75 mins) 

  • Legal Framework for Language Access  

  • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act  

  • Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act  

  • Executive Orders 13166 and 13985  

  • ADA compliance  

  • CLAS standards  

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm (60 mins)  

  • Working with Professional Linguists  

  • Roles of spoken language interpreters, ASL interpreters, and translators  

  • Code of ethics and best practices for collaboration  

3:30 - 3:45 Break  

3:45 pm – 4:15 pm (30 mins) 

  • Ethical and Safe Use of AI in Language Access  

  • AI tools in healthcare: capabilities, ethical considerations, and limitations  

  • Best practices for ethical integration and human oversight  

4:15 pm - 4:30 pm (15 mins) 

  • Wrap-up  

  • Key takeaways  

  • Questions and answers  

 4:30 pm Adjournment  

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Define key concepts related to language access, language justice, and language rights, emphasizing their importance in healthcare equity.  

  • Identify historical and contemporary factors shaping linguistic diversity in the United States and their implications for healthcare access and equity.  

  • Explain the legal framework and compliance requirements for language access, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, Executive Orders 13166 and 13985, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the National CLAS Standards.  

  • Recognize and analyze the impacts of language barriers on patient safety, quality of care, and healthcare costs, highlighting the critical role of professional interpreters in mitigating these challenges.  

  • Describe the roles, ethical standards, and essential competencies of professional spoken language interpreters, American Sign Language interpreters, and professional translators in healthcare settings.  

  • Apply best practices for collaborating effectively and ethically with professional linguists, emphasizing the use of qualified interpreters, translators, and avoiding reliance on family members or untrained staff.  

  • Identify the ethical considerations, limitations, and appropriate uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in healthcare language services, ensuring human oversight, patient safety, and cultural competence.  

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

Agarwal, R., Sands, D., & Schneider, J. (2010). Quantifying the economic impact of communication inefficiencies in U.S. hospitals. Journal of Healthcare Management, 55(4), 265–281. Retrieved from ProQuest Public Health. 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2012). Improving patient safety systems for patients with limited English proficiency. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/health-literacy/systems/hospital/lepguide/index.html 

Chen, A. H., Youdelman, M. K., & Brooks, J. (2007). The legal framework for language access in healthcare settings: Title VI and beyond. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22(Suppl 2), 362–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0366-2 

Executive Order No. 13166, 3 C.F.R. (2000). Improving access to services for persons with limited English proficiency. U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2010/12/14/eolep.pdf 

Harrison, K. D. (2007). When languages die: The extinction of the world's languages and the erosion of human knowledge. Oxford University Press. 

Higham, J. (2002). Strangers in the land: Patterns of American nativism, 1860–1925. Rutgers University Press.   

Kaufman, D. (2017, April 7). Linguistics and the preservation of endangered languages. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/linguistics-preservation-endangered-languages.html 

Migration Policy Institute. (n.d.). Language diversity and English proficiency in the United States. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/language-diversity-and-english-proficiency-united-states#:~:text=Poverty-,Distribution%20by%20State%20and%20Key%20Cities,)%20(see%20Figure%202 

National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. (2004). National code of ethics for interpreters in health care. https://www.ncihc.org/assets/documents/publications/NCIHC%20National%20Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf 

National Geographic. (2020). Disappearing languages: Endangered languages in the U.S. 

Ngai, M. M. (2004). Impossible subjects: Illegal aliens and the making of modern America. Princeton University Press. 

The Joint Commission. (2014). Joint Commission International crosswalk: CLAS standards and Joint Commission standards. https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/deprecated-unorganized/imported-assets/tjc/system-folders/topics-library/crosswalk_clas_ahc_20141110pdf.pdf?db=web&hash=1A9119E24EF51B941108E0A3FF731DD3  

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health. (2013). Enhanced national CLAS standards. https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/assets/pdfs/EnhancedNationalCLASStandards.pdf 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Affordable Care Act Section 1557: Summary of final rule. https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/summary-of-final-rule/index.html 

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 6 Category I Continuing Education Units for anti-oppressive social work practices. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

 

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
  • Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

  • Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

 

 

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

 

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

  • Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
  • Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
  • Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
  • Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

 

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

If you are requesting ADA accommodations, please contact our office via email at least two weeks prior to the workshop date. Requests after that date may not be fulfilled.  

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $130, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 11/27/25, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

 

Back to Top