Common use of Language Access Services Clause in Contracts

Language Access Services. Contractor shall comply with the California Department of Health and Human Services language access policy, adopted on May 22, 2023, and revised January 10, 2024, as it may be amended from time to time. In accordance with that policy, contractor shall: A. Provide access and delivery of written translation and verbal interpretation services to Clients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and/or disabilities, upon request of DSH. B. Provide vital documents, upon DSH’s request, translated into, at minimum, the five threshold languages identified by the California Department of Health and Human Services Language Access Policy: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. For purposes of this contract, Chinese language interpretation will be provided in the client’s preferred dialect of Cantonese or Mandarin. If the LEP client’s primary language falls outside of the five threshold languages, Contractor shall provide written translation of vital documents and sight translation using a certified translator to convey the information to the LEP client or family members to accommodate their primary language. The contractor shall provide a certified interpreter to provide translations. A certified interpreter is one who has passed an exam and evaluation process by a recognized governmental or professional organization showing interpreting competence in at least two languages. The certification exam must have been validated as effectively testing interpreting knowledge skills. An LEP client’s primary language is the language in which they most effectively communicate when interacting with DSH. This can be their native language, sign language or tactile sign language. If a client or client’s family members’ preferred language is a unique dialect or language, sight translation is allowable. “Vital documents” are vital to client rights and responsibilities, care and treatment, notices regarding eligibility or benefits, posted information, and information about the availability of free language assistance services. C. Provide DSH with interpreter services 24-hours a day for its monolingual, non-English- speaking, or LEP clients and their family members, either through interpreters, sign language or tactile sign language personnel or telephone language services.