Business Details
Health Equity Through Partnership and Innovation
The Center for Health Impact (CHI) is a woman-led nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health equity through partnership and innovation. We specialize in eliminating health disparities by enhancing access to quality healthcare and education, addressing structural racism, and fostering workforce development. Our multidisciplinary team collaborates with communities, healthcare systems, and institutions to build sustainable organizational systems, develop stronger leaders, and empower frontline workers. With over 35 years of experience, we deliver nationally recognized certification courses, including medical interpreter training, community health worker programs, and technical assistance tailored to diverse populations. Our services extend to interpretation, translation, curriculum design, and community-based participatory research, ensuring cultural and contextual relevance.We prioritize social justice, adopting a collaborative, asset-based approach to solve complex health challenges. Certified as a 501(c)3 by the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, we serve as a model for culturally and linguistically appropriate programming nationwide. Our partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, and community-based organizations enable us to address social determinants of health and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. Through initiatives like the Healthy Aging Program and Language Link division, we break down barriers to care while maintaining rigorous quality standards. Our commitment to responsiveness and affordability ensures clients receive practical, cost-effective solutions aligned with their unique needs.
Services
Interpreter Services
Translation Services
Workforce Training
Technical Assistance
Healthy Aging Programs
Highlights and features
- We offer a wide range of services to develop organizational capacity.
- Our team combines expert methodologies with real-world experience.
- We provide some of the most competitive pricing in the industry.
- We model a collaborative, asset-based approach to problem-solving.
- Our multidisciplinary team addresses complex health challenges.
Services
Interpreter Services
Our Language Link division provides trained interpreters for clinical, educational, and governmental settings. We facilitate communication in over 20 languages, including Arabic, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Our services ensure cultural and contextual accuracy, breaking down barriers between patients and providers through partnerships with MassHealth and UMass Medical School.
Translation Services
We deliver culturally responsive translations of healthcare materials, including medication manuals and legal documents. Our multilingual teams ensure accuracy through rigorous editing and proofreading processes. Services cover languages like Chinese, Russian, and Portuguese, supporting government agencies, hospitals, and community organizations in reaching diverse audiences.
Workforce Training
We offer nationally recognized certification programs for community health workers and medical interpreters. Our curriculum includes mental health first aid, telehealth integration, and chronic disease management. Training combines classroom instruction with practical tools to improve patient engagement and health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Technical Assistance
Our team provides expertise in curriculum design, community health assessments, and coalition-building. We partner with healthcare systems and academic institutions to develop policies addressing social determinants of health. Services include research support, focus group facilitation, and customized training for frontline workers.
Healthy Aging Programs
We implement initiatives like the Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) program and Care Transitions Education Project. Our services include fall prevention training, heart health education, and caregiver support programs tailored for older adults with disabilities in Central Massachusetts.
People
Joanne L. Calista
CEO/President
Joanne leads CHI's strategic vision for health equity, leveraging over 25 years of experience in social work and public health leadership. She oversees partnerships with academic institutions and state agencies.
Jena Bauman Adams
Senior Vice President
Jena manages program development and organizational growth, focusing on expanding CHI's statewide impact through innovative workforce solutions and community-clinical linkages.
Flavia Perry
Vice President of Operations
Flavia directs interpreter services and training, ensuring quality language access programs that meet national standards for healthcare communication.
Erika Schulz
Senior Director of Translation
Erika leads language access initiatives, overseeing culturally accurate translations for healthcare providers and government agencies across multiple languages.
Harvard Thompson
Senior Director of CHW Training
Harvard develops curriculum for community health worker programs, specializing in telehealth integration and mental health support for underserved populations.
Questions
What services does Center for Health Impact offer?
We provide interpreter services, translation, healthcare workforce training, technical assistance, and healthy aging programs to reduce health disparities.
Are your interpreters certified?
Yes, our interpreters receive training through UMass Medical School and are eligible for national certification exams.
Do you offer continuing education for healthcare professionals?
We provide MHFA certification, cultural competency training, and specialized workshops for community health workers.
How can organizations access technical assistance?
Contact our team for support with curriculum design, community health assessments, and coalition-building initiatives.
What languages are available for translation?
We offer translations in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and 15+ other languages through our Language Link division.
