Transcript Components of a Language Access Plan

COMPONENTS
OF A LANGUAGE
ACCESS PLAN
Components of a Language Access Plan
Moderator:
Hon. Patricia W. Griffin
State Court Administrator
Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts
Panelists:
Mr. Paul F. De Losh
Director of the Department of Judicial Services
Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme
Court of Virginia
Hon. Maria Kahn
Superior Court Judge
Fairfield Judicial District, State of Connecticut
Ms. Mindy Masias
Director of Human Resources
State Court Administrator's Office, Colorado Judicial
Department
LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS – THE BASICS
THE PURPOSE OF A
LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN:
Provides the framework for a state/jurisdiction to work
towards access to justice through effective implementation of
language assistance programs in courts. courts
Establishes standards of practice and future direction for courts’
language access programs.
Prom Promotes consistency and a focus on achieving
long-term language access goals.
Promotes consistency and a focus on achieving long-term
language access goals.
CONSIDERATIONS IN
DEVELOPING A LANGUAGE
ACCESS PLAN
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 requires that recipients of
federal financial assistance must
take reasonable steps to ensure
meaningful access to their
programs and activities by LEP
persons.
FOUR-FACTOR ANALYSIS
An individualized assessment that balances the following
four factors:
 Number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be
served or likely to be encountered by the program
or recipient
 Frequency with which LEP individuals come in
contact with the program
 Nature and importance of the program, activity or
service provided by the program to people’s lives,
and
 Resources available to the recipient and costs.
BASIC COMPONENTS IN A
LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN
A Language Access Plan should include:
•Realistic goals and expected outcomes
•Information on:
1. Identifying LEP persons with whom your Court has contact
2. Explaining how language assistance will be provided
3. Providing training to staff
4. Providing notice to LEP persons about how language services
are available, and
5. Monitoring and updating the language access plan.
OTHER LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN
COMPONENTS
• Identification of persons charged with implementing the Language
Access Plan
• Specifics related to identification and assessment of eligible LEP
persons in the service area, including
o Addressing the resources needed to assess the number or proportion of
eligible LEP persons from each language group and to provide those services
o Outlining the work needed to maintain systems for data collection and
management
• Description of timeframe, objectives, and benchmarks for work to
be undertaken
• Identification of funding and procurement issues and steps to
address them
• Collaborating with LEP communities and other stakeholders