There are several certifications available to interpreters in Colorado. These certifications can be broken down into two broad categories: certifications for spoken languages and certifications for American Sign Language (ASL).
Spoken language certifications. Legal. Federal, District and County courts require their interpreters to obtain a certification in order to interpret in their court. There are several legal certifications available. The Colorado Judicial Branch provides certifications for Spanish and other spoken languages. There is also a Federal court certification program. In general, Federal certification requirements are more stringent than those at the state level.
Medical
In Colorado there is not a formal certification for medical interpretation. There are several organizations that offer training programs; one of the organizations is the Colorado Association of Professional Interpreters (CAPI).
Sign Language certifications
There are many certifications available for ASL interpreters. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) offers Generalist and Specialist certifications. The Generalist certificate contains many subcategories, such as Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC), and Master Comprehensive Skills Certificate (MCSC). To achieve a Generalist certificate an interpreter must pass a written and a skills examination, as well as an interview. An interpreter who is a Generalist can interpret in a wide variety of settings such as social services, business settings, as well as some medical, and educational settings.
The Specialist certificates offered by the RID are for legal interpreting. There are several legal certificates offered, differing based on the experience and skill level of the interpreter. Examples are the Conditional Legal Interpreting Permit-Relay (CLIP-R) and Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L). Specialist certificates are obtained the same as Generalist certificates; through a written and skills exam as well as an interview.
