| I. PURPOSE
| Establishes Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) standards regarding language translation and interpreter services.
Ensures that a beneficiary is not denied access to mental health services due to language barriers.
Ensures that all non-English speaking and Limited English Proficient (LEP) or who are proficient in a Language Other Than English (LOTE) clients receive equal access to interpreter services in their primary or preferred language, including threshold and non-threshold languages.
Contracted agencies shall develop an internal policy and associated procedures that are consistent with their organizational practices and meet the requirements set forth in this policy.
| | II. DEFINITIONS
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Departmental Language Access Plan (DLAP): This document establishes the minimum requirements for County departments to ensure that they strive to provide consistent, high-quality language access.
Interpreter Service: A conversion from a source, verbal, or sign language of a message into an equivalent verbal target or sign language.
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Face-to-Face Language Interpreter Service: DMH services that involve the physical presence of a language interpreter to facilitate verbal and/or sign language communication, in real time, between two (2) or more people who are not fluent in each other’s languages. Language interpreters take into consideration the spoken language and the cultural differences related to nonverbal forms of communication, including facial expressions, eye-to-eye contact, physical space, body posturing, and gestures. (National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services [CLAS] Standards)
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Simultaneous Interpreter Service: Highly complex cognitive activity that requires the interpreter to listen, analyze, comprehend, convert, edit, and reproduce in real time a speaker or signer’s message while the speaker or signer continues to speak or sign, in a specific social context.
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Telephonic Language Interpreter Service: A method of providing interpreters via telephone to individuals who wish to communicate with each other but have issues with the language barrier. The telephone interpreter converts the spoken language from one language to another enabling listeners and speakers to understand each other.
- Telephone or Telephonic Language: Interpreting is carried out remotely, with the interpreter connected by telephone to the principal parties, typically provided through a speakerphone or headsets. In health care settings, the principal parties, e.g., doctor and client, are normally in the same room, but telephone interpreting is served as a three-way teleconference. (National CLAS Standards)
- Language Other Than English (LOTE): Synonymous with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) or English Language Learner (ELL), this term refers to individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who do not read, write or speak English. (Office of Immigrant Affairs, Departmental Language Access Plan).
- Limited English Proficient (LEP): A limited level of English language communication that, within the context of accessing mental health services, would call into question the consumer’s ability to adequately understand and respond to issues related to their treatment.
Non-Threshold Language: Other non-English languages that do not meet threshold language criteria described in this policy.
Primary or Preferred Language: A language, including sign language, which must be used by the beneficiary to communicate effectively, and which is so identified by the beneficiary.
Threshold Language: A language identified as a primary language spoken at a high proportional rate within a geographic region of the state. -
A countywide annual numeric identification of either 3,000 beneficiaries or five (5) percent of the Medi-Cal beneficiary population, whichever is lower, in an identified geographic area, whose primary language is not English and for whom information and services shall be provided in their primary or preferred language. Other than English, the threshold languages are Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian/Khmer, Cantonese, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese (California Department of Health Care Services). Translation: A conversion of a text message or written form from the source language into an equivalent target language. | | III. POLICY
| | In accordance with applicable federal, State, and County policies, DMH shall provide equal access to all LEP clients in Los Angeles County for threshold and non-threshold languages as well as clients needing services in American Sign Language (ASL).
Non-English or LEP clients shall have the right to language assistance services at no cost in their primary or preferred language.
Non-English or LEP clients shall be informed in writing of their right to language assistance services at no cost and how to access these services.
Clients shall have the right to culture-specific rendering providers and to receive specialty mental health services in their primary or preferred language.
DMH shall provide a listing of service providers that identifies names, locations, telephone numbers, culture-specific services, bilingual capabilities of staff, and specialty mental health services.
Emergency assessments for involuntary hospitalizations shall be conducted with assistance from appropriate language interpreter services.
DMH shall continue to recruit and hire mental health professionals who are proficient in non-English languages and able to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
Use of personal language translator devices or software devices is prohibited.
| | IV. PROCEDURES
| Procedures - Language Translation and Interpreter Services
| | V. AUTHORITIES
| | | | VI. ATTACHMENT
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