P-0185 - Orange County Government Limited English Proficiency Policy 12-11-2001

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. "Tool Box" for Providing Services to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Clients The components listed below are offered as suggested tools that departments may use to accommodate the .needs of non-English or limited-English speaking clients. Approaches may vary depending upon specific departmental needs. 1) County Employees. Interpreter services may be provided through County employees as follows: a) Employee whose primary duty is to provide interpreter services. Implementation timetable contingent upon funding of position(s). i) This employee may be hired by a single department or shared among departments who need interpreter services for a major portion of the working day on a daily basis. This type of arrangement would be .recommended primarily for departments who are categorized in the Policy as a provider of "critical services" and by the informs#ion compiled in the departmental surveys, indicated a high need for interpreter services. Departments seeking to add staff for this function would be subject to the new employee approval carried out as part of the annual budget process. b) Limited interpreter services provided by employees on a rotational basis. Implementation achievable within fiscal year 2001-2002. i) Departments with bi-lingual employees, who have demonstrated fluency, may participate in an interpreter pool. • ii) Employees may be scheduled during certain hours of the week to receive calls from any County department needing interpreter assistance. This would be particularly advantageous to departments with infrequent interpreter needs. iii) Call lists could be available on the Intranet so a Department needing interpreter service could easily access help while the caller was on the line. (Achievable within 60-days) iv) In order to experience the least amount of disruption in their regular job .duties, employees assigned to offices (as opposed to field personnel) would be most effective in this capacity. 2) .Independent contractors. a) Interpreters would be expected to execute a contract with the County prior to being used for interpreter services. (Current practice) b) Interpreters must prove competency to the County's satisfaction prior to being included on the list of available service providers. (Current practice) c) A list of interpreters who may be willing/able to provide interpreter services is centrally maintained. (Currently maintained within departments. Centrally maintained information achievable by end of February. 2002) d) Departments needing interpreter services may. consult the list and schedule the interpreter as needed.