The CHIA Standards

Released in 2002, our nationally recognized California Standards for Healthcare Interpreters - Ethical Principles, Protocols, and Guidance on Roles & Interventions - or the CHIA Standards - are an essential tool for raising language-service quality and quality of care. 

They are also the law. On Jan. 1, 2009, regulations under Senate Bill 853 took effect stating, "The Department will accept plan standards for interpreters ethics, conduct, and confidentiality that adopt and apply, in full, the standards promulgated by... CHIA or the National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare." (Title 28, California Code of Regulations, Section 1300.67.04 Language Assistance Programs).  In other words, all interpreters who provide service to limited-English-speaking enrollees and beneficiaries covered by commercial plans and insurance in California must get trained in "interpreting ethics, conduct, and confidentiality" as set out "in the standards promulgated by the California Healthcare Interpreting Association."  

To quote from the Standards: "The goal of this document is to standardize healthcare interpreting practices by providing a set of ethical principles, interpreting protocols, and guidance on roles particular to the specialty of healthcare interpreting. We hope that increased availability of quality interpreting will result in better access to healthcare for limited English proficient (LEP) patients."  

We offer two presentations on our Standards - a two-hour session for interpreters and bilingual staff, and a one-hour presentation for administrators. We offer the trainings onsite at hospitals and clinics, as well as at our regional trainings and Annual Educational Conference. For more information about the presentations, please contact standards@chiaonline.org. 

Click here to download a PDF copy of CHIA Standards in English 

NEW! Click here to Download a PDF copy of CHIA Standards in Spanish