PR Language Access Plan for Limited English Proficiency 09-08

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Language Access Plan 9-08 Parks and Recreation GUIDELINES: P&R will determine how to provide effective language access by considering the four factors of the Reasonableness Test which are: 1) the number of LEP contacts compared to the eligible population, 2) frequency of contacts by LEP persons with P&R employees, 3) the nature and importance of the services provided and 4) the resources and costs associated providing interpretation and translation services. By far the greatest contact with the public in P&R offices is for facility use permits for gyms, community centers and pavilions. Other contacts ask questions about P&R programs for youth and elderly at pools, gyms, community centers and senior centers. Still other contacts are with seniors who are part of RSVP; volunteers at State and County offices and Non-profit agencies. Contacts may also involve burials at three Veterans cemeteries and several community cemeteries on the island. PROCEDURES:P&R staff shall provide oral interpretation by first showing the card or signage to help LEP customers identify the language they need. Multilingual personnel shall be used, if available. The telephone 800 number shall be used where no other help is available. P&R will keep a list of employees within the County who are able to speak other languages and will use that source as they are able. P&R will provide written translations of vital documents for LEP groups who constitute 5% or 1,000 persons, whichever is less, subject to the four factor test. The Language Access Coordinator will arrange for a written translation into an appropriate language within 10 business days after a request is made. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN:The Director has been designated the Language Access Coordinator (LAC) for the Department of Parks and Recreation. The LAC is responsible for implementing the Language Access Plan; conducting the initial survey and subsequent surveys to monitor changes in the LEP population it serves; producing internal documents that outline the policy and procedures of the plan; identifying the need for training, following through to provide training as required; reviewing, modifying the LAP as needed; and filing the LAP with the Office of Language Access. DATA COLLECTION – INTERPRETER REQUIREMENT: To determine what communication barriers LEP persons may encounter, P&R conducted a survey of its employees to assess the frequency with which LEP persons have attempted to access our services and programs. To determine whether to provide language access, P&R considered the totality of the circumstances as directed by the Office of Language Access using the following four- factor analysis: The number or proportion of Limited English Proficient speakers: 460 employees surveyed. o 3