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in servingthe growing Latino population. These agencies and groups have identified <br />significant barriers to LEP access including: interpreter/staff/volunteer <br />qualifications, provision of culturally competent service, and appropriate use of <br />interpreter/staff/volunteer skills, <br />The Health Department and the Department of Social Services have been required to <br />submit voluntary compliance plans to the North Carolina Department of Health and <br />Human Services (NCDHHS) consistent with expectations from the United States <br />Department of Health and Human Services. The United States Department of Health <br />and Human Services noticed the rapidly growing LEP population in North Carolina <br />and focused intense scrutiny on this State and its agencies in its compliance efforts. <br />The County recently created new positions - a Limited English Proficiency Coordinator <br />- to coordinate the efforts of different departments who serve LEP communities, to <br />identify and eliminate barriers to LEP communities receiving equal services in Drange <br />County. <br />"Each agency is required by the Civil Rights Act <br />to have a Title VI plan and within that plan, each agency is required to <br />have an individual designated as the LEP Coordinator. The Coordinator's <br />chief responsibility is to ensure that all LEP individuals are given <br />their full right to have an interpreter or translated documents. Also, <br />if that is not the case, the Coordinator has a responsibility to ensure <br />the right of "due process" for the LEP individuals if those services <br />are not offered". <br />Terry Hodges - NCHHS -Compliance Attorney <br />