Programs
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition has four departments in providing bilingual and bicultural direct services aimed to best serve Latino/Hispanic community members in the Central Ohio area. Please click on the following buttons to learn more from each department.
Health
Promotoras de Salud Program —
The Promotoras de Salud Program is the longest-running and most successful program implemented by the Ohio Hispanic Coalition. Promotores de Salud, or community health workers, are stationed throughout various locations in the Columbus area through federally-qualified centers.
The promotores are bilingual/bicultural community members that primarily serve as interpreters for health providers in order for patients to receive quality care. Using their bilingual capacity and cultural understanding, promotores also educate the community and connect them to additional resources patients may need.
The program has promotores aim to serve Spanish and Somali-speaking patients.
Interpretation & Translation
Interpretation Services —
The Interpretation & Translation Services program began in 1999 as a partnership between the Ohio Hispanic Coalition (OHCO) and three other non-profit agencies. The partnership was formed to address the issue of patients in hospitals and clinics being unable to receive proper services due to language barriers.
OHCO and partners went on to form standards for interpreters and providers; these standards were later made the standards for all of Columbus by the Health Commissioner.
Since being founded, OHCO has expanded its services to almost all common languages spoken throughout Columbus area. The Ohio Hispanic Coalition currently has professionally trained interpreters for over 20 languages. They are available 24/7/365 for on-site interpretation and conference calls.
The Interpretation & Translation Department provides professionally trained interpreters to local health centers, attorney meetings, immigration appointments, schools, mental health service providers and other local social service providers.
The following are the languages currently available: Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Nepali, Somali, Amharic, and more. (Subject to change)
If you would like to schedule an interpreter or inquire about Interpretation Services contracts, please call 614-746-1032 or email interpreterservices@ohiohispaniccoalition.org.
If you are interested in becoming an interpreter. Please visit the Employment Opportunities section under the Get Involved page for more details.
Translation Services —
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition also offers translation services for documents. Translations are also able to be notarized, upon request.
Languages available for translations are the following: Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.
For a free quote, please call 614-746-1032
or email interpreterservices@ohiohispaniccoalition.org.
30-hour Interpreter Training —
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition provides training and education on the standards, and the mode and roles of interpreters through its 30-hour Interpreter Training which covers the following topics:
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Introductions and Goals of Training
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Terminology, Modes of Interpreting and Roles of Interpreting
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Goals of Interpreting
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Basic Interpreter Standards
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Code of Conduct and Ethics
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Appropriate Behavior / Professional Conduct
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Interpreter Role and Personal Limitations
Please check our Events page to register for the next available training.
"Working with Interpreters" Provider Training —
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition offers training on how to work with an interpreter and how to work with Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals geared towards providers wanting to enhance their utilization of interpreters in serving their clients.
Please call 614-746-1032 for more information about the provider training.
Youth & Education
Department Name — "Niños en Acción"
(Children in Action)
After-School Program —
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition's After-School Program was founded in 2002 to ensure that Limited English Proficient (LEP) Latino/Hispanic students were receiving education assistance that is bilingual and bi-culturally-responsive to their educational needs. At the time, Ohio had received a large number of immigrant children coming from Latin American countries and schools were encouraging students to speak exclusively in English. The students began losing their connection with their native language and culture, a situation that OHCO sought to prevent with the After-School Program.
The Program takes place Monday to Friday in the afternoons, throughout the school year and enrolls students in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
While attending the program, students receive homework assistance and participate in enrichment activities related to the arts, science, math, and technology. Each student at the program receives a healthy dinner and participates in nutrition education. The students read and write in both Spanish and English on a daily basis and engage in physical activities such as soccer, yoga, and Zumba. The program includes two field trips throughout the school year and celebrates both the Hispanic/Latino and American holidays through interactive, family-oriented festivities.
The After-School Program currently operates at three sites (Northside Columbus, Eastside Columbus, and Westside Columbus) and serving approximately 100 students each year.
Enrollment for the After-School Program takes place in September each year. To enroll your student in the program, please call the respective site:
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North Site: 614-842-3250
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East Site: 614-842-3202
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West Site: 614-842-3229
Summer Enrichment Camp —
The Ohio Hispanic Coalition also offers the Summer Enrichment Camp, an 8-week day camp that focuses on providing a safe, fun, and educational environment for the Hispanic/Latino participants when school is not in session. The children participate in sports, arts, and music activities alongside daily reading and math lessons.
In partnership with the Columbus Parks & Recreation, participants receive daily nutritious snacks and lunches and go on weekly field trips to locations such as the pool, the movies, and the Olentangy Caverns.
The program operates in Northside Columbus, Eastside Columbus, and Westside Columbus and serves approximately 120 participants each year in the Franklin County area, from ages 6 to 13.
Enrollment for the Summer Enrichment Camp takes place in May each year. To enroll your child,
please call the respective site:
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North Site: 614-842-3250
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East Site: 614-842-3202
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West Site: 614-842-3229
Safety
Soy Latina Victim Services Program —
The Soy Latina, "I am Latina," Victim Services Program serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, family violence, dating violence, and stalking. Promotora Specialists, similar to a Promotora de Salud - community health worker, fulfill many functions while working with these cases; they become victim advocates, educators, and caseworkers to ensure that the victim has access to every legal, medical, and social service available to them.
The program parties a client-centered approach in empowering survivors by informing them of the resources available and their legal rights and making decisions that best fit their needs. From the first meeting, Promotoras are there to support the survivor in their decisions and attend any and all meetings, appointments, or hearings for which the survivor wishes them to be present.
Services we offer include:
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Safety planning
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Medical and legal advocacy
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Court companionship
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Life coaching
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Crisis intervention
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Assistance filing the victim compensation application
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Registering for the VINE line
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Referrals to other necessary services
For more information, please call 614-746-3534. For emergencies, please call 9-1-1.
Empoderando Mujeres Support Group —
The Empoderando Mujeres, "empowering women," Support Group is a ten-week educational group available to for Latina/Hispanic survivors. During this program, participants are exposed to different topics such as self-esteem, victim’s rights, sexual violence prevention, safety planning and methods of problem solving without the use of violence, to name a few.
The group meets once a week in the Columbus, OH area.
Mujeres en Acción Community Empowerment
Group —
The Mujeres en Acción, "women in action," Community Empowerment Group for Latina/Hispanic women throughout the Central Ohio area in where community members participate in activities such as tejido (knitting), manualidades (crafts), Zumba, maquillaje (make-up), and other Latino activities along with education on domestic violence, sexual abuse, and healing.
The group meets once a week in the Columbus, OH area.
For more information, please contact 614-746-3534.
Soy Latina Legal Services —
The Soy Latina Legal Services Program provides financial assistance on legal services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or crime.
The victim must need financial assistance for one of the following: U-visa, VAWA visa, dissolution, uncontested divorce, and uncontested custody.
Client eligibility includes the following:
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Individual is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or crime.
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Individual requests legal services that are available through the Soy Latina Victim Services program.
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Individual is below poverty line and/or displays financial hardship.
For more information, please contact 614-746-3534.