Board Update: OHA Language Access Webinars
Published: November 19, 2025
The Oregon Board of Optometry is sharing an important warning after a licensee reported receiving a call from an individual claiming to be a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent.
Two upcoming OHA Language Access Webinars
We invite you to register for two webinars for health care providers to learn about upcoming language access resources.
Webinar 1: Introducing the Language Access Workbook for Providers
Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Time: 12–1 p.m. PT
Register here for the Zoom meeting
Hosted by: NORC at the University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
Join us for a one-hour webinar introducing Increasing Language Access in Oregon: A Workbook for Providers, developed by NORC at the University of Chicago in collaboration with OHA.
The workbook is designed to help health care organizations and providers understand Oregon’s language access requirements and take practical steps to ensure patients receive care they understand. It highlights strategies to meet federal and state standards, improve performance on the Meaningful Language Access (Health Equity) measure, and strengthen trust and communication with patients who prefer a language other than English or who use sign language.
During this session, NORC and OHA staff will:
- Walk through the language access workbook and its key sections.
- Share examples of how to use the workbook in everyday practice
- Discuss best practices for providing interpreter services.
- Answer questions about the workbook from participants.
This session welcomes anyone involved in improving language access in health care — whether you’re a provider, administrator, or staff member helping coordinate patient care.
For questions about this webinar, please contact Tania Curiel, OHA Health Systems Policy Analyst, at Tania.V.Curiel@oha.oregon.gov or Ilana Dickman, Senior Research Director, at Dickman-Ilana@norc.org.
Webinar 2: OHA Health Care Interpreter (HCI) Program rule changes and available resources
Date: January 15, 2026
Time: 7:30–8:30 a.m. PT
Register here for the Zoom meeting
Hosted by: OHA Health Care Interpreter (HCI) Program
Join us for a one-hour webinar to hear about HCI Program rule changes and available resources, and learn from a panel discussion featuring health care providers, and health care interpreters from OHA HCI central registry.
Panelists include:
- Amelia Pacheco, Qualified Health Care Interpreter
- Audrey Egan, Quality Manager, Umpqua Health Alliance
- Dr. Kelly Crawford, Internal Medicine, Virginia Garcia Health Center
- Maria Luz Hernandez, Certified Health Care Interpreter
- Dr. Melinda Muller, Internal Medicine – Legacy Health Systems
More information coming soon.
For questions about this webinar, please contact Edna Nyamu, Program Manager, edna.nyamu@oha.oregon.gov, or David Simnitt, DS Consulting, dsimnitt.dsc@gmail.com.
Need Help?
If you have questions, contact the Oregon Board of Optometry for assistance.
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