About Us

Based in Minnesota, the Exchange is a partnership formed to exchange information and resources about health communication and to share multilingual health materials. The Exchange resources and information are open to everyone, but our online library of translated health materials and our forum are for members only. Below, find more information about how our members services work.

Partners include:

• private health care organizations
• public health agencies
• community groups
• individuals interested in multilingual health education

You can participate in the Exchange as a partner, a sponsored partner, a corporate affiliate, or as a guest.

Partners

Partners are health care related organizations that support the Exchange by joining for an annual fee, and have access to all materials in the Exchange online library of translated health materials. Our partners are:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association)
• CentraCare
• Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
• Fairview
• HealthEast
• HealthPartners
• Hennepin County Medical Center
• Medica
• Medi-Sota
• Medtronic Foundation
• Midwest Medical Insurance Company
• Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• North Memorial Health Care
• Park Nicollet Health Services
• Stratis Health
• UCare

Sponsored Partners

Sponsored partners are organizations that are brought into membership under the sponsorship of a fee-paying partner organization and contribute multilingual materials. Sponsored partners include:

• Minnesota International Health Volunteers
• Neighborhood Health Care Network
• The Wellness Project

Corporate Affiliates

Corporate affiliates are organizations that support the Exchange financially, without voting participation in the Exchange's governance. Minnesota Medical Insurance Company is a corporate affiliate.

Guests

Guests are visiting the Exchange or considering membership. Guests can:

• learn more about health education for multilingual audiences. For instance, guests can go to our "What We Do" page to examine our translation protocols, or use the extensive collection of links to other sites that promote quality care for people with limited English.
• get a time-limited username and password that will allow them to view the Exchange library. (This applies to Minnesota-based health care organizations that are considering membership.) Call Patricia Ohmans at 651-757-5970 for more information or e-mail pohmans@healthadovcates.info.

Partners and sponsored partners are non-profit organizations, agencies or companies that are directly involved in activities related to health care for non-English speaking patients. This may include:

• Health maintenance organizations
• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Clinic groups
• Health insurance companies

Partners and sponsored partners can:

• have free access to the Exchange’s wide variety of Minnesota-specific health education materials
• reduce costs by using materials from others
• market their own audio and video materials
• help the Exchange evaluate materials
• collaborate in the development of new materials to be shared by members
• network and exchange ideas through our list serve and meetings
• learn about new initiatives in cross-cultural and linguistic health
• participate in Exchange governance and development

Affiliate organizations can network and exchange ideas through our list serve and meetings and can contribute materials to the Exchange database, but do not have voting membership in the Exchange. Applications for affiliate membership are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Exchange partners, as they are submitted. No endorsement of affiliate members' products or services is intended as a result of acceptance in the Exchange.

Membership Fee

Annual partner membership from July 1 to June 30 is $2,500 for an organization. Affiliate support is $2,500 per year for an organization. For more information on membership, contact Coordinator Patricia Ohmans, or call Health Advocates, 651-757-5970.

A Note for Funders

The Exchange can seek and accept grant funding through its fiscal agent, Stratis Health, a 501 (c) 3 organization.

Meetings

Representatives of over a dozen Minnesota health care organizations have met since May, 2001, to discuss the issue of health education in languages other than English. Exchange partners evaluate and share materials, and work together to develop new multilingual materials.

Meetings are held every two months. Guests are welcome, but should be registered. To attend a meeting, contact Patricia Ohmans at Health Advocates, 651-757-5970.

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