Interpreting for Forensic Evaluations Using a Trauma-Informed Approach

Interpreting for Forensic Evaluations Using a Trauma-Informed Approach - July 2025

Forensic evaluations are used in many contexts including healthcare settings, legal criminal proceedings, asylum applications, and immigration hearings. A successful forensic evaluation often requires the interviewee to detail uncomfortable and upsetting information about their lives. In this workshop, participants will learn from a physician and a certified medical interpreter about the format, flow, and questions contained in a typical forensic evaluation, as well as best practices for conducting the interview in collaboration with an interpreter. We will discuss modifications to the pre-session, the importance of establishing rapport, preparation strategies for lexical challenges, strategies to control one’s own strong emotions, managing vicarious trauma, and collaborating with clients using a trauma-informed approach.

We will review the National Council for Interpreters in Healthcare guidelines for advocacy and brainstorm mock scenarios. The workshop will include one hour of practice in which attendees will work on realistic scenarios the trainers have identified as particularly difficult. We will also allow everyone to practice an adapted pre-session for creating a comfortable climate for the interviewee. Finally, we will conclude with a discussion of additional training resources and ways to get involved in forensic evaluations for asylum cases moving forward, and the tremendous fulfillment this work can bring despite the traumatic content.

Instructor: Robin Ragan, PhD & Jordan Greenbaum, MD

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the format and purpose of forensic medical and mental health evaluations

• Summarize key strategies of the trauma-informed approach and how an interpreter can employ these strategies during a forensic evaluation.

• Name common challenges for interpreters during a forensic evaluation.

• Describe coping strategies for the interpreter to manage vicarious trauma.

CEUs:

• Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI): 4 CE hours

• International Medical Interpreters Association: 0.4 IMIA/NBCMI CEUs

• American Translators Association: 4 ATA CEPs

• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf: 0.3 RID* CEUs

• Ontario Council on Community Interpreting: 4 OCCI PDUs

Target audience: Healthcare Interpreters and Community Interpreters.

This course is limited to 25 participants. Once the course has reached capacity, those interested will be added to a waitlist in the order in which their inquiry is received.

Attendance Policy for Live Online Training Programs

In order to receive a course completion certificate, participants in our live online programs must submit all applicable documentation; complete all coursework requirements; be visible on their webcam for the entire program; and complete the applicable attendance requirement:

• For live online programs shorter than 10 hours, participants must attend all live scheduled hours.

• For live online programs 10 hours or longer, participants may miss no more than 10% of the total live scheduled hours. (For example, attendance of 18 hours is required for a 20-hour program; attendance of 36 hours is required for a 40-hour program.)

Disruptive Behavior Policy

In order to uphold the collaborative nature of our online training programs, onboardings, support sessions and webinars, Cross-Cultural Communications reserves the right to remove any participant for abusive or aggressive behavior, spoken or written, towards CCC staff, trainers or other participants. We recognize that the past few years have been difficult for everyone. However, our participants, trainers and staff have the right to a safe and respectful learning and working environment. We thank you for your understanding.

Training Participant Information Release

By registering for our live online training programs, you agree to allow Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC to share your contact information with participants in the same training session for purposes of creating a collaborative online training experience for all participants. Should you have concerns or not wish to have your contact information shared by CCC, prior to the training session please email info@cultureandlanguage.net.

Cross-Cultural Communications records its live online training sessions for quality control purposes. Recordings are not shared with anyone outside of the organization or training session.

*Please note that there is an additional $20 processing fee, per program, for RID CEUs. To process your RID CEUs, please email your certificate of completion to our RID sponsor, Linguist Education Online, at admin@linguisteducationonline.com.