Bridging Divides: Engaging Diverse Communities Efficiently.

• Author: McMahon, Nic

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 67.3 million people in the United States spoke a language other than English at home as of 2018. Many of these individuals are also considered to have limited English proficiency [LEP], Without language access, LEP residents may struggle to access a variety of government services. In some cases, this is an inconvenience. In other cases, it can keep people from making use of essential services. And in worst-case scenarios, when someone needs to access emergency services or is seeking health information, these language barriers can be literally life-threatening.

Language access is a legal requirement that keeps communities strong and residents safe. State and local governments face limited funding here, as they do in providing so many other services, but there are ways to budget efficiently for language access services to ensure that no one in your community gets left behind.

The following best practices will help your government create and optimize a language access plan to ensure that residents with LEP can take advantage of the services they require.

Your organization needs a language access plan

A language access plan is a formal policy that describes how your team will provide communication assistance services to individuals who don't speak English or have LEP; are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or blind; or who otherwise require language assistance services.

Although specific statutes and requirements vary according to circumstances and location, government entities are legally bound to make their services accessible to constituents, regardless of their English proficiency or disability status.

A language access plan ensures that your organization remains compliant with relevant laws while simultaneously guaranteeing that your staff is aware of what to do when someone needs language assistance. It also provides you and your colleagues an opportunity to tailor your language access services to your specific community and uncover opportunities for efficiency.

Steps to creating an effective language access plan

Pinpoint your community focus. The first step in designing a language access plan is to assess the language needs in your community. These will vary, depending on the level of government involvement and whether the area you serve is rural, suburban, or urban. Urban areas tend to have more immigrant and refugee communities and therefore a wider variety of spoken languages. More than 200 languages are...