Medical Interpreters Help Connect Spanish-Speaking Families to Care

Heartland Community Health Center medical interpreters Jesenia Rios Rivera and Laura Rojas spend much of their time helping patients and providers understand one another. But their work also takes them outside the clinic and into the community.

Jesenia and Laura perform outreach with Mi Apoyo Pre-Natal, a Spanish-language Family Support Program offered through the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department for pregnant individuals and families with young children.

They meet with Spanish-speaking families, answer questions and share information about care available at Heartland and Panda Pediatrics. They also bring resources for families to take home and talk about programs or upcoming services that may be helpful to them.

For Laura, those visits are an opportunity to make sure families know what is available to them and that they feel comfortable coming to Heartland for care.

“We want to promote the services our clinic offers while also building a stronger sense of community with our patients,” Laura said. “At Heartland, patients can receive not only high-quality medical care, but also support in a welcoming environment where, regardless of their background or circumstances, they can feel safe, cared for and connected to our city and the resources our community provides.”

Families can learn about primary care, pediatric care at Panda Pediatrics, dental and behavioral health services, River City Pharmacy, the Care Cupboard and other resources available through Heartland. Jesenia and Laura can also share information about upcoming services and events, such as Panda Pediatrics’ drive-thru flu vaccine clinics.

“Jesenia and Laura are wonderful with our patients. They have a way of making people feel comfortable, understood and supported, and our patients really connect with them,” said Sara Connelly, director of operations at Heartland Community Health Center. “The work they do with our Spanish-speaking community goes far beyond interpretation. They help families navigate care, connect with resources and feel like they have a place here at Heartland.”

That connection is especially important when patients are learning about a new health care system, trying to find services for their family or simply looking for someone who can answer their questions in the language they are most comfortable using.

“In short, we want our Latino community to feel that Heartland is also for them,” Laura said, “and a place where they can feel safe, supported and cared for.”

Through their work at Heartland and in the community, Jesenia and Laura are helping more Spanish-speaking families understand what care and resources are available to them and know where they can turn when they need support.