National Multilingual Helpline

The NAPCA National Toll-free Multilingual Helpline is an award-winning service available for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) seniors in the U.S. It is the only one of its kind in the country and is a vital source of information and assistance for Asian seniors. This is the only place where AAPI seniors can call and get direct bilingual assistance and access to translated information on a variety of pertinent issues, without the need to navigate through intimidating English voicemails, phone menus, or operators.

The Helpline consists of four separate language lines: English, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, and Vietnamese. Each language has its own dedicated phone line to help those for whom English is not their first language.

Unlike many other service lines, which start in English and have callers navigate through to get to different languages, the NAPCA Helpline has dedicated lines specifically for each language in which it provides service. Staff answers these calls in the caller’s native language and if the calls are made after business hours, the voicemail that callers hear is also in their native language, increasing the likelihood they will leave a message and get the help they need.

A 2007 study conducted by the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) found that health plan sponsors were only able to serve Limited English Proficient (LEP) beneficiaries in their primary language 54.7% of the time. This study has proven that other translated customer service providers that assist with health plan inquiries, as required by law, have failed miserably.  In over half the time when a non-English speaker called, they didn’t reach an individual that spoke their own language.   More disturbingly, in the AAPI community, this figure jumped to nearly two thirds of the time.

The NAPCA Helpline fields inquiries on topics ranging from Medicare Part D eligibility requirements and enrollment, to Economic Stimulus Payments/tax rebates, to Census 2010. The Helpline assists seniors thoroughly and completely, talking them through an issue from beginning to end. Unlike other service lines which emphasize quantity of calls over quality, Helpline staffers are committed to solving whatever problem a senior may have. Helpline staff go above and beyond what is required, often making extra phone calls or doing internet research on a senior’s behalf to resolve an issue or answer a question.

The Helpline is available to callers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During non-business hours, a voicemail system is set in place that may accept and save up to 100 calls. NAPCA’s Research and Policy team trains highly qualified multilingual staff to handle higher-level inquiries. The Helpline staff is supported by a team of part time employees who are trained to assist in handling call volume. During peak times, volunteers are brought in and trained by staff to answer messages, fill out forms, and assist in other ways.

By any measure the Helpline has been an unqualified success.  Since its creation, NAPCA and its community based organization (CBO) partners have fielded more than 75,000 Helpline calls. Of these, we have directly helped over 9,000 elders sign up for a Medicare Prescription Drug plan. Without our assistance, linguistic and cultural barriers would have prevented APA elders from signing up.

The Helpline has received awards from the American Society on Aging (ASA) and the U.S. Administration on Aging (AOA), as well as recognition from President George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt, and senators and congressmen from across the country. In June 2009 the Helpline won the Seattle Human Services Coalition's 'Innovative Program Award.'

NAPCA National Multilingual Toll-free Helpline Numbers:
English 1-800-336-2722             Chinese 1-800-582-4218
Korean 1-800-582-4259             Vietnamese 1-800-582-4336

Special Thanks to The Walmart Foundation for their generous support of NAPCA programs.