By Lara | Project Leader
We have a single mother “Amina” in shelter with her toddler daughter for several months. Amina is an immigrant from Ethiopia and speaks primarily Tigrinya and some very elementary English and Amharic. She has immigration challenges, cognitive problems, and a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Without the tool of the Language FON service, communicating effectively with Amina about these very complex issues and how to address them is nearly impossible. Arlington County’s mental health providers have used untrained friends to translate for her during mental health treatment, which has been found by our staff to be ineffective in helping her understand her diagnosis. Research has shown that when friends and family interpret, they are prone to omit, add, and substitute information. Often they inject their own opinions and observations, or impose their own values and judgments, rather than interpreting what the patient or health care provider actually said. Only when we have used Language FON have Doorways staff found that Amina has truly demonstrated understanding what she is being told. The availability of this service has been invaluable to assisting Amina, who is now living in her own apartment and participating in HomeStart Supportive Housing.
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By Lara | Project Leader
By Lara | Project Leader
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