ABSTRACT
Producing materials in Spanish should be part of a comprehensive plan of bilingual interventions in any mental health agency or school. These materials will complement your newly acquired Spanish skills and send a message that you and your agency are attuned with the bilingual and cultural needs of your clients. Although translation may seem trivial and straightforward to many people, it is a very technical competence that very few people can do with a high degree of accuracy. For instance, I have been into many hospitals, schools, and governmental and social agencies that have the best of intentions in having Spanish translations of several brochures, posters, and handouts. However, to my surprise, many of these documents are plagued with grammatical mistakes, syntax errors, and awkward words because they have been forcefully translated from English into Spanish. Observe that these inaccurate translations can lead to incorrect medical and counseling follow-ups, faulty legal advice, and missed career or job opportunities.
