MAMI Interpreters Open Syracuse Office May 26, 2006 -- MAMI, the nonprofit agency that provides trained interpreters to the medical and legal communities, has opened a second office to better serve the Syracuse area, Executive Director Cornelia Brown, PhD, announced. The new office is located at 1010 James Street, Syracuse, in the Family Ties Network suite. The phone number is 424-0009, Ext. 114. Founded in Utica in 1998, MAMI trains and provides interpreters to facilitate communication for people who lack proficiency in English. MAMI stands for Multicultural Association of Medical Interpreters of Central New York. The agency recently conducted Syracuse’s first comprehensive, all-language medical interpreter course, and is “working with Syracuse hospitals to have interpreters available to work with patients and medical care providers,” Brown said. A second, 70-hour course to extend language coverage in the Syracuse area was scheduled for June 12 to July 6. Training involves interpreting skills, ethics and procedures, medical basic anatomy, common illnesses and treatments, culture-brokering, communication skills, role playing, benchmark oral evaluations, and written exam. Upon passing the written exam, participants will be eligible to work as paid MAMI interpreter-interns. Between its Utica and Syracuse offices, MAMI provides interpreters in the following languages: Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Dinka, Farsi, French, French-Creole, German, Hindi, Italian, Karen, Kiswahili, Krahn, Maay Maay, Mishanguli, Russian, Somaki, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. Recognized state-wide and nationally for its groundbreaking advocacy and training, MAMI also trains and provides interpreters for mental health patients and providers, and to help victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse with the police and courts. MAMI just received a grant from the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to pilot a driver education program for Somali refugees. Back to Main News Page