Why we do what we do.
We would love to share our story with you. Learn a little bit about us, how we started, and the philosophy we hold as we strive to love and support our community.
Our story:
Our names are Peter and Christina Boklund and it was within a Deaf ministry in California several years ago we met for the first time. We both had a passion for the Deaf community and became quickly involved in this wonderful community while going through our studies and interpreter training programs. We married, graduated from state universities, started a family, and then realized that California wasn’t a good fit for us any longer. We wanted a place where we could set down roots and feel comfortable calling home. We began looking toward the midwest knowing that this would be the place for us to grow our family. After much prayer and consideration, we found ourselves at home in Wichita, KS.
Established in 2020, Boklund Interpreting Services was formed to meet the needs of our community, a place that is home to ourselves and many people. We specialize in American Sign Language interpreting services and provide these services to our Deaf and Hard of Hearing community members in order to provide equal access in meaningful ways. In the same manner, our hearing community members share in this communication access allowing them insight into the lives of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Boklund Interpreting Services values high standards of professionalism and follows ethical business principles to provide the best service we can to our community. We offer Sign Language interpreting services for medical, business, school, and many other settings and we are glad to support you in any of your interpreting needs. Through Boklund Interpreting Services, we want you to be empowered and valued because we care about you!
Qualifications?
What are the minimum competency requirements for interpreting in Kansas?
Kansas requires all interpreters to be certified by or registered with KCDHH (Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). To be considered as fully registered, the interpreters need to be at least certified with one of the following certifications: NIC (National Interpreter Certification), BEI Advance (Board of Evaluation of Interpreters), or minimum KQAS 4/4 (Kansas Quality Assurance Screening). Otherwise, the interpreter may be given a provisional registration, but it does not mean the interpreter is qualified for certain assignments.
What are the minimum competency requirements for medical and legal interpreting in Kansas?
There is currently no other additional specified competency required for interpreters to work in legal or medical settings. KCDHH retains the final determination in determining the qualifications of an interpreter and uses an internal guideline, which will soon be replaced by an endorsement system for specialty interpreting.
What are the minimum competency requirements for educational interpreting in Kansas?
The state of Kansas requires a 4.0 EIPA (Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment), KQAS 4/4, or 4.0 ESSE (Educational Sign Skills Evaluation) certification score to be considered certified within ED K-12; however, a waiver is allowed to temporarily acknowledge 3.5 EIPA certification scores as a certified interpreter. Currently, Kansas school districts will allow an uncertified interpreter with a score of 3.0 EIPA certification score to be eligible to work contingent that there is a professional plan set in place to achieve certification.
Why choose Boklund Interpreting Services?
Our agency values certification and holds our interpreters to the highest degree of quality. We ensure our team can provide quality interpreters with many holding certification levels that can meet and/or exceed all of Kansas’ current requirements. Not every interpreter is qualified for the setting they may be in; therefore, Boklund Interpreting takes into consideration the sensitivity of settings such as medical or legal by striving to provide certified interpreters at a minimum of a BEI Advance, KQAS 4/4, or NIC. We also strive to provide certified interpreters within Ed K-12 settings; however, Boklund Interpreting does not recognize ESSE certification due to this type of certification representing Signing skills rather than the ability to interpret. Boklund Interpreting believes that the use of unqualified interpreters working in the field can prove dangerous for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. By providing interpreters with 4.0 EIPA, KQAS 4/4, BEI Advance, and NIC, we guarantee that you are getting the highest quality of interpreting available when you book with Boklund Interpreting Services.