Common use of Qualified Interpreters Clause in Contracts

Qualified Interpreters. A. Provision of Qualified Interpreters. The Jail shall provide qualified interpreters when necessary for effective communication with, or effective participation in Jail programs and activities by inmates and visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing. The following are examples of circumstances when it may be necessary to provide interpreters: initial intake and classification processing; regularly scheduled health care appointments and programs (medical, dental, visual, mental health, and drug and alcohol recovery services); treatment and other formal programming; educational, vocational, or religious classes and activities; parole board or similar hearings; rules infraction board hearings; criminal investigations; classification review interviews; grievance interviews; religious services; and formal investigations conducted by Jail staff. The foregoing list of circumstances is neither exhaustive nor mandatory, and shall not imply that there are not other circumstances when it may be appropriate to provide interpreters for effective communication. B. Qualified Interpreters. A qualified interpreter means an interpreter who is able to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary. An employee who signs "pretty well" should not be considered an interpreter until he or she possesses the proper skills to observe someone signing and change their signed or finger spelled communication into spoken words and vice versa. A Jail employee should not be allowed to interpret if his or her presence poses a conflict of interest or raises confidentiality and privacy concerns. On occasion, an inmate may possess the skill level necessary to provide interpreting services; however, the impartiality concerns remain, and in many--if not most--situations, inmate interpreters should not be used due to confidentiality, privacy, and security reasons. Someone who has only a rudimentary familiarity with sign language or finger spelling is not a "qualified interpreter" under this policy. Likewise, someone who is fluent in sign language but who does not possess the ability to process spoken communication into the proper signs or to observe someone else signing and change their signed or finger spelled communication into spoken words is not a qualified sign language interpreter. C. Contracts for the Provision of Interpreting Services. The County shall establish contracts, or the Jail shall provide other effective means, to ensure that qualified interpreters are available when required, without delay. D. Other Means of Communication During Non-scheduled Circumstances. Between the time an interpreter is requested and when an interpreter arrives, ▇▇▇▇ personnel shall continue to try to communicate with the inmate or visitor who is deaf or hard of hearing for such purposes and to the same extent as they would have communicated with the person but for the hearing impairment, using all available methods of communication. For instance, seeking the services of an interpreter shall not mean that emergency medical treatment will be delayed until the interpreter arrives. In addition, upon arrival of the interpreter, personnel shall review and confirm with the inmate all information received prior to the arrival, without benefit of the interpreter. This provision in no way lessens the County’s obligation to provide qualified interpreters in a timely manner as required by this Policy. E. Staff Interpreters. The Jail may, but shall have no obligation to, hire or otherwise contract with qualified interpreters for a staff position. Inmates and visitors who are provided with staff interpreters must have the same level of coverage (for both duration and frequency) as the Jail is otherwise obligated to provide under this Policy. The Jail may assign other duties as appropriate to staff interpreters.

Qualified Interpreters. A. Provision The Office will maintain a list of Qualified Interpreters. The Jail shall sign language and oral interpreters or interpreting services that are available (on-call 24 hours per day) and willing to provide qualified interpreters when necessary for effective communication with, or effective participation in Jail programs and activities by inmates and visitors who are deaf or hard of hearingas needed. The following Office will review this list annually to ascertain whether such persons or interpreting services are examples of circumstances when it may be necessary to provide interpreters: initial intake still available and classification processing; regularly scheduled health care appointments and programs (medical, dental, visual, mental health, and drug and alcohol recovery services); treatment and other formal programming; educational, vocational, or religious classes and activities; parole board or similar hearings; rules infraction board hearings; criminal investigations; classification review interviews; grievance interviews; religious services; and formal investigations conducted by Jail staff. The foregoing list of circumstances is neither exhaustive nor mandatory, and shall not imply that there are not other circumstances when it may be appropriate to provide interpreters for effective communication. B. Qualified Interpreters. A qualified interpreter means an interpreter who is able to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary. An employee who signs "pretty well" should not be considered an interpreter until he or she possesses the proper skills to observe someone signing and change their signed or finger spelled communication into spoken words and vice versa. A Jail employee should not be allowed to interpret if his or her presence poses a conflict of interest or raises confidentiality and privacy concerns. On occasion, an inmate may possess the skill level necessary willing to provide interpreting services; however. The use of a video remote interpreting service may be considered where appropriate, the impartiality concerns remain, and in many--if not most--situations, inmate interpreters should not be used due to confidentiality, privacy, and security reasons. Someone who has only a rudimentary familiarity with sign language or finger spelling live Qualified Interpreter is not available. To determine whether a "qualified interpreter" under this policy. Likewise, someone who is fluent in sign language but who does not possess the ability to process spoken communication into the proper signs or to observe someone else signing and change their signed or finger spelled communication into spoken words is not a qualified sign language interpreter. C. Contracts for the Provision of Interpreting Services. The County shall establish contracts, or the Jail shall provide other effective means, to ensure that qualified interpreters are available when required, without delay. D. Other Means of Communication During Non-scheduled Circumstances. Between the time an interpreter is requested and when an interpreter arrives, ▇▇▇▇ personnel shall continue to try to communicate with the inmate or visitor person who is deaf or hard of hearing for such purposes and to requires a Qualified Sign Language Interpreter, Department Members will, in non-emergent situations, offer the same extent deaf or hard of hearing person the form attached as they would have communicated with Appendix 2. If the person but for who is deaf or hard of hearing selects “Yes”, the hearing impairment, using all available methods of communication. For instance, seeking Department Member will provide the services of a Qualified Sign Language Interpreter. Whenever possible, a Qualified Sign Language Interpreter should hold a current certification issued by the registry of interpreters for the deaf or a successor organization, which shall be made available for immediate inspection and review by any consumer of such interpretation services. Interpreters should also be certified to provide legal interpretation when the interpretation might be used as evidence of any violations of law or regulations, including making reasonable efforts to provide an interpreter shall for major violations related to inmate conduct. The interpreter does not mean that emergency medical treatment will be delayed until require a legal certification for simpler communications including, for example, basic communications with inmates regarding the interpreter arrivesbooking process, the routine operation of the jail, and interpretation of many Inmate Services or Programs. In additionemergency situations involving a threat to the safety or welfare of any person, upon Department Members may use whatever auxiliary aids and services that reasonably appear effective under the circumstances, even if the preferred method of communication is a Qualified Interpreter. ATTACHMENT B This may include, for example, exchanging written notes or using the services of a person who knows sign language or oral interpretation but is not a Qualified Interpreter. Once the emergency has abated, the Office will provide the services of a Qualified Interpreter. For interpreter requests that are not scheduled in advance, the Department Member will notify the deaf or hard of hearing person of the anticipated wait time for a Qualified Interpreter. Prior to the arrival of the interpreter, personnel shall review and confirm with the inmate all information received prior Department Member should try to minimize communication, unless the arrivalindividual requests to continue to communicate, without benefit either in writing or otherwise, in the absence of the interpreter. This provision in no way lessens the County’s obligation to provide qualified interpreters in a timely manner as required by this Policy. E. Staff Interpreters. The Jail may, but shall have no obligation to, hire or otherwise contract with qualified interpreters for a staff position. Inmates and visitors who are provided with staff interpreters must have the same level of coverage (for both duration and frequency) as the Jail is otherwise obligated to provide under this Policy. The Jail may assign other duties as appropriate to staff interpretersQualified Interpreter.