CLAS Theme 2: CLAS Standards 5-8

Download Slides

In this session, IPRO and participants will discuss:

CLAS Theme 2: Communication and Language Assistance 

CLAS Standard 5: 

• Offer language assistance to individuals who have limited English proficiency and/or other communication needs, at no cost to them, to facilitate timely access to all health care and services. 

CLAS Standard 6: 

• Inform all individuals of the availability of language assistance services clearly and in their preferred language, verbally and in writing. 

CLAS Standard 7: 

• Ensure the competence of individuals providing language assistance, recognizing that the use of untrained individuals and/or minors as interpreters should be avoided. 

CLAS Standard 8: 

• Provide easy-to-understand print and multimedia materials and signage in the languages commonly used by the populations in the service area. 

What is CLAS?

Culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are a way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, which will ultimately help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity. CLAS is about respect and responsiveness: Respect the whole individual and Respond to their health needs and preferences.

Why is CLAS Important?

CLAS helps advance health equity to ensure that every person can “attain his or her full health potential” and no one is “disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.” While many factors impact health equity, providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services is an effective strategy to ensure better health outcomes for diverse populations.

Join IPRO for a webinar series covering the themes and standards based on the HHS National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care.  Complete the IPRO CLAS Assessment to understand where your organization is with its implementation of CLAS and use that to develop an action plan to address opportunities for improvement. This webinar series will walk through how to develop an action plan, best practices, and resources to help implement your action plan.