Press Release: Catholic Charities Receives Grant for Spanish Medical Interpretation Services

Catholic Charities Receives Grant for Spanish Medical Interpretation Services from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation

January 9, 2024 (Fort Wayne, IN) – Last month, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend (CCFWSB) received a two-year grant of $90,000 from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation in support of the Hispanic Health Advocate (HHA) program.  

The HHA case manager provides ongoing support for Spanish-speakers who lack proficiency in English. A certified medical interpreter with specialized training in medical, dental and mental health terminology accompanies the client to the doctor’s office and interprets the entire conversation between the provider and the client. After assessing each client’s needs, the HHA case manager can make a referral for an ESL class and utilize CCFWSB’s expertise in Stability, Counseling, Migration and Pro-Life services through internal referrals.

When Anthony was struck with severe pain, he underwent surgery to remove a kidney stone. After leaving the hospital, Anthony was still in pain. He reached out to the HHA case manager for guidance. The case manager found out, due to the language barrier, Anthony didn’t realize he needed to attend a post-operation appointment. The case manager quickly called the hospital to set up an appointment with the specialist who was able remove another stone.

Due to the services of the HHA program, Anthony is feeling better and committed to changing his diet and exercise.

In fiscal year 2022-2023, the HHA program provided over 660 services for 148 individuals – all of whom fell below the Indiana Poverty Threshold.

CCFWSB is grateful for the support of the St. Joe Foundation and proud to continue to further its mission to strengthen, improve, and sustain long-term community health in Allen County.  

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About Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend:

Catholic Charities is a private 501 (c) 3 incorporated in the state of Indiana to act as the coordinating and administrative agency for the charitable activities assigned to it by the Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend; to plan for, initiate, direct, support and coordinate Catholic social-services programs for the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical welfare of persons in need; to seek and determine the causes of social problems in order to better promote preventative social-action programs; to participate in community planning and organization, and work cooperatively with other individuals and groups in the field of social work. The service area for Catholic Charities includes the 14 counties of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, encompassing 2,236 square miles, with a population of 1,247,850. Currently, Catholic Charities has offices in Fort Wayne (Allen County), Auburn (DeKalb County), and South Bend (St. Joseph County), Indiana. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, CCFWSB served over 21,000 individuals at a fiscally responsible rate of 88 cents of every dollar dedicated to client services. The agency’s mission is to serve all those in need as Christ calls us to do.

About the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation

The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation is sponsored by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and invests in programming and operations that improve the health and well-being of vulnerable residents in Allen County. www.sjchf.org