This section provides information on multi-lingual and multi-cultural resources and services that may be of use to people living with arthritis who require assistance in their native languages or who may have hearing impairment.
Arthritis Society - BC and Yukon Division
Regional Head Office: #200 - 1645 W. 7th Avenue
Vancouver, BC, V6J 1S4
Telephone: 604-714-5550
Office e-mail: info@arthritis.ca [1]
Website: www.arthritis.ca/bc [2]
Arthritis Answers Line: 604-875-5051
Toll Free: 1-800-321-1433
Arthritis Answers Line is operated by trained volunteers in English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi.
Affiliation of Multicultural Services and Societies in BC (AMSSA)
Website: www.amssa.org [3]
AMSSA includes the following services:
- Database of Multicultural Health Publications - Easily searchable database providing access to hundreds of Canadian and international multicultural health publications
- Guides of Multicultural Health Services/Programs and Resources - Guides describing multicultural health programs and resources for residents of BC communities available in one or more languages other than English and how to access interpreting services and / or translated publications
- BC Directory of Multicultural Expertise - A directory offering information to access service providers with multicultural health expertise as well as cross-cultural health care services
BC Ministry of Community Services BC Seniors Guide Program
The BC Seniors' Guide website contains helpful information on programs and benefits available to seniors in British Columbia. It is available on-line in English, Chinese, French and Punjabi at: www.cserv.gov.bc.ca/seniors [4]
Printed copies can be obtained by calling BC Seniors’Line at: 1-800-465-4911
BC Ministry of Health
Toll-free in BC: 1-800-465-4911
1515 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC V8W 3C8
Website: www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca [5]
The Ministry of Health works together with BC’s health authorities to provide quality, appropriate and timely health services to British Columbians
The following are multilingual services and resources:
- BC NURSELINE 1-866-215-4700
Deaf and hearing-impaired toll-free province-wide. A registered nurse answers questions about symptoms, health concerns, recommended course of action when to see a health professional and information about health resources. This is a 24 hour line providing multilingual services. Interpreters are available by phone in 130 different languages. - The BC HealthGuide provides health information and advice on health concerns, prevention tips, and home remedies. You can get a copy in your local pharmacy or Government Agents Office or call Toll-free in BC: 1-800-465-4911 or e-mail your name and address to HLTH.Health@gov.bc.ca [6]. The handbook is available in English and French. The general brochure is available on-line in English, French, Chinese and Punjabi at: http://www.bchealthguide.org/multicultural.stm [7]
- The BC Health Files are easy-to-understand fact sheets on over 180 health and safety topics such as: common illnesses, environmental health concerns, problems with pests, and health and safety tips. The Health Files are available in Chinese, French, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese at your local health unit and on-line at: http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/bilingua/index.stm [8]
- Dial-a-Dietitian 604-732-9191 (Lower Mainland) Toll Free: 1-800-667-3438 E-mail: dial@dialadietitian.org [9] Website: www.dialadietitian.org [10] Dial-A-Dietitian is a free nutrition information line for British Columbians, which specializes in easy-touse nutrition information for self-care, based on current scientific sources. Dietitians can provide brief nutrition consultation by phone. If in-depth counselling is needed, they will refer to hospital outpatient dietitians, community nutritionists or other nutrition services in the caller's area. This service does not replace the medical counsel of a doctor. It operates Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Interpretation services are available on request in 130 languages.
- Health & Seniors Information Line Toll Free: 1- 800- 465-4911 This help-line provides general information about Ministry of Health programs, services and initiatives and about services available for British Columbia’s seniors. It also provides information to BC residents regarding cardiac care services, cancer diagnostic and treatment services, organ transplant programs, hospital funding and other related health care initiatives. The line can be accessed province wide and operates from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Monday to Friday. Interpreters are available through phone helpline.
- Quit Now By Phone Toll Free: 1-877-455-2233 It is a free, province-wide telephone service that offers information on topics from quit smoking methods to withdrawal and ongoing support from trained Quit Specialists. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to all BC residents. Languages: English and French and other 120 languages through telephone interpreting services.
Fraser Health Authority
Corporate Office: 300, 10334 - 152A Street
Surrey BC V3R 7P8
Toll Free General information line: 1-877-935-5669
E-mail: feedback@fraserhealth.ca [11]
Website: http://www.fraserhealth.ca [12]
Fraser Health serves about 1.5 million people or one-third of the BC population and provides hospital care, residential care, home support, home care nursing, public health, environmental health, and mental health and addictions services in homes and at more than 100 facilities across the health authority Services are provided for residents of the following regions: Fraser East (Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope, Agassiz) Fraser North(New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) and Fraser South (Surrey, White Rock /South Surrey, Delta, Langley).
Language Services Trained interpreters are provided at no charge to patients/clients/residents when they are requested by a Fraser Health care provider. Interpreting Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Cantonese and Mandarin interpreters work on site at Burnaby Hospital. FH health care providers can find out more information about booking interpreters on the FH intranet site, under “Quick Links, Interpreter/Translation Requests”.
Provincial Health Services Authority
700 - 1380 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H3
Phone: 604-675-7400
Fax: 604-708-2700
Website: http://www.phsa.ca [13]
The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) is one of six health authorities in BC. Its primary role is to ensure that B.C. residents have access to a coordinated network of high-quality specialized health care services: BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Cancer Agency, BC Transplant Society, BC Renal Agency, BC Mental Health and Addiction Services. Many of the agencies of the PHSA offer services targeted to multilingual communities and can be found in this guide under the agency name.
The Provincial Language Service
4500 Oak Street Box 104, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1
Interpreting Services 604-875-3402 or 1-877-BCTALKS (1-877-228-2557)
Translation Services / General Inquiries 604-875-2526 Fax: 604-875-3428
E-mail: pls@phsa.ca [14]
Website: www.phsa.ca/pls [15]
The Provincial Language Service (PLS) is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) that is committed to assisting organizations in providing equitable services to the culturally diverse and Promoting Healthy Living in BC’s Multicultural Communities Project 10 linguistically diverse residents of British Columbia. It provides health-focused interpreting and translation services in over 100 languages, and cross-cultural program development services. Trained interpreters are provided at no charge to PHSA patients when they are requested by a PHSA health care provider. The services of the PLS are available to other non-PHSA health care organizations province-wide on a fee-for-service/cost-recovery basis. Non-PHSA health care providers, can access trained health care interpreters to use with their clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week by registering with the PLS.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is available at no charge through Medical Interpreting Services (MIS). Health care providers or patients call MIS to book an ASL interpreter at 604-736-7012.
Francophone Health Access: The En Français initiative provides access to health care interpreting and translation in French, as well as an online directory of French-speaking health providers in BC and health information materials in French: - One-stop, province-wide access point for health care interpreting and translation services in French.
Phone: 604-875-3402 (Lower Mainland)
Toll Free: 1-877- BCTALKS or 1-877-228-2557.
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