Snowden Lonnie R, Masland Mary, Guerrero Rachel
Center for Mental Health Services Research, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-7400, USA.
Am Psychol. 2007 Feb-Mar;62(2):109-17. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.62.2.109.
As noted in the supplement to the U.S. Surgeon General's report on mental health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001), overcoming language access barriers associated with limited English proficiency (LEP) should help to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care access and quality. Federal policy requires remedial action to overcome language barriers: Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Medicaid and other federally funded programs must provide assistance to LEP persons. Some state-level public and mental health authorities have responded by instituting "threshold language" policies. The history and terms of federal civil rights policy, and of threshold-language-policy-inspired initiatives, should be understood by everyone concerned with overcoming ethnic disparities in mental health services use. Concerned parties should promote implementation of required measures for language assistance and help to evaluate their implementation and effectiveness.
正如美国卫生局局长关于心理健康的报告补编（美国卫生与公众服务部，2001年）中所指出的，克服与英语水平有限（LEP）相关的语言获取障碍应有助于消除心理健康护理获取和质量方面的种族和族裔差异。联邦政策要求采取补救行动以克服语言障碍：根据1964年《民权法案》第六章，医疗补助和其他联邦资助项目必须向英语水平有限的人提供援助。一些州级公共卫生和心理健康当局已通过制定“门槛语言”政策做出回应。所有关注消除心理健康服务使用方面种族差异的人都应了解联邦民权政策以及受门槛语言政策启发而开展的举措的历史和相关条款。相关各方应推动实施所需的语言援助措施，并协助评估其实施情况和效果。
