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2 <br />Recipients of federal funding and federal agencies are required to take reasonable <br />steps to ensure meaningful access tc their programs and activities by LEP persons who <br />are five (.5%) of the total population or 1000 individuals, whichever is less, While the <br />standard of "reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access" is designed to be a flexible <br />and fact-dependent standard, the starting point is an individualized assessment that <br />balances several factors, <br />Examples of discriminatory practices taken from Department of Justice literature <br />include: <br />a, Your child's school sends important information or a notice to you in <br />English. The school knows you speak only Spanish. The school refuses <br />to provide the information in Spanish and suggests instead that your <br />child interpret the information far you. <br />b. You try to apply for food stamps, The application is in English, You do <br />not understand the application, The food stamp office workers tell you to <br />come back with an interpreter. <br />Executive Order 13166 & the United States Department of Justice <br />On August 11, 2000, President Bill Clinton issued an Executive Order effectively <br />requiring enforcement and compliance with Title VI and ordering, among other things, that all <br />federal agencies create policies and procedures for providing access to government services for <br />LEP communities. <br />The United States Department of Justice is primarily responsible for coordinating LEP <br />efforts and compliance if internal compliance efforts are unsuccessful. Department of Justice <br />compliance guidance states that a successful written plan, while not required, should include <br />provisions to address, among other concerns, accurate and culturally competent interpretation <br />services and use of informal interpreters (family members, guardians, friends, children, etc,). <br />Oranae Count <br />Orange County is ctarrently required to provide meaningful access to Spanish speaking <br />LEP individuals, Chinese (Mandarin) speaking LEP individuals are a growing population in <br />Orange County and access services may soon be required for this population as well. <br />The Health Department, the Department of Social Services and the Immigrant <br />Emergency Communications group have identified significant barriers tc LEP access including: <br />interpreter/staff/volunteer qualifications, 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 Human <br />Services (NCDHHS) consistent with expectations from the United States Department of Health <br />and Human Services. The United States Department of Health and Human Services noticed <br />the rapidly growing LEP population in North Carolina and focused intense scn~tiny on this state <br />and its agencies in its compliance efforts, <br />