| I. PURPOSE
| | Establishes Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) standards and procedures regarding interpreter services for the deaf and hard of hearing community seeking mental health services.
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
| | Sign Language: A system of communication using visual gestures and signs. With signing, the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes. The shape, placement, and movement of the hands, as well as facial expressions and body movements, all play important parts in conveying information. It is not a universal language – each country has its own sign language, and regions have dialects, much like the many languages spoken all over the world.
American Sign Language (ASL): The sign language used in the USA and Canada.
Interpreter: A person who interprets, especially one who translates speech orally or into sign language.
After Hours ASL Appointment Scheduling: From 5:01 pm to 7:59 am on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays.
Business Hours ASL Appointment Scheduling: From 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday; excluding holidays.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD): An electronic device for text communication over a telephone line that is designed for use by persons with hearing or speech difficulties.
Teletypewriter (TTY): A device like a typewriter that has a small readout. It is a special device that lets people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired use the telephone to communicate by allowing them to type text messages. A TTY is required at both ends of the conversation in order to communicate and can be used with both land lines and cell phones. Unlike text messaging, it is designed for synchronous conversation, like a text version of a phone call. A modern digital cell phone must support a special digital TTY mode in order to be compatible with a TTY device.
| | III. POLICY
| | In accordance with applicable federal, State, and County policies and agreements, DMH shall provide equal access to services for the deaf and hard of hearing community seeking mental health services at all Directly Operated (DO) and contracted provider sites.
Live telephone contact to schedule sign language interpreter services for clients from the deaf and hard of hearing community seeking mental health services at DO and contracted provider sites shall be available 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week as follows: - Business hours scheduling via the Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Division starts at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday excluding Holidays. Contact information: ARDIAccessiblity@dmh.lacounty.gov
- After hours scheduling via the Help Line starts at 5:01 pm and ends at 7:59 am, including weekends and holidays. Contact information: 800-854-7771.
Questions or concerns related to this matter shall be directed to the ARDI Division at ARDIAccessibility@dmh.lacounty.gov.
Sign language interpreter services coordinated by DMH shall be available at no cost to clients who are deaf and hard of hearing.
| | IV. PROCEDURES
| Procedures - Interpreter Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community
| | V. AUTHORITIES
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