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20-570 Language Assistance Program and Cultural Competency Services

Date: 07/31/20

This information applies to Hospitals.

This information applies to Medi-Cal in Fresno, Kings and Madera counties.

Meet patients’ language needs and stay compliant

Language assistance regulations (28 CCR 1300.67.04, CIC 10133.8-.11) require all California managed care plans and health insurers to provide language assistance to members who have limited English proficiency (LEP), limited reading skills, are deaf or have hearing impairments, or have diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. To comply with this requirement, on behalf of CalViva Health, Health Net* created the Language Assistance Program (LAP). CalViva Health and Health Net do not delegate LAP responsibilities to hospitals. If a hospital cannot provide interpreter support for CalViva Health members, please contact the health plan number on the member’s identification (ID) card.

Members have the right to file a grievance with CalViva Health and to file a discrimination complaint with the Office of Civil Rights if their language needs are not met.

Hospitals cannot:

  • Use a minor or attending adult to interpret or help communication, except:
    • In an emergency where a qualified interpreter for the LEP person is not available right away. Note the emergency in the member’s medical record. A parent cannot give permission for a minor child to interpret in any other circumstance.
    • When the LEP person specifically asks that the attending adult interpret, that adult agrees to provide such assistance, and reliance on that adult is appropriate. Please document in the member’s medical record the circumstances that resulted in the use of an attending adult as an interpreter.
  • Ask or require anyone to bring their own interpreter.
  • Rely on staff, other than qualified bilingual/multilingual staff, to communicate directly with LEP persons.

Remember to take the cultural competency training

All providers should take cultural competency training. We suggest the cultural competency training offered by the Office of Minority Health (OMH). The training is computer-based training for health care providers. OMH developed this no-cost training to give providers competencies to better treat an increasingly diverse population. CalViva Health and Health Net do not sponsor the OMH training.

If you have questions about interpreter services, or for more information about cross-cultural communication, health literacy or to schedule training, contact Cultural and Linguistic Services by email or by telephone at 1-800-977-6750.



Last Updated: 07/31/2020