Case Manager Procedures for Providing Interpreter Services for Telephone Conversations
Clients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who communicate to us over the phone, regardless of case status, must be provided assistance by staff authorized to provide translation in their language or through the Department’s contracted professional interpreter services. Professional interpreters are offered free of charge to all clients in order to conduct Department business; clients with LEP must not be turned away or told to call back with an interpreter.
Outbound Calls to Clients with LEP
When placing an outbound call to a client, always check the primary language that the client speaks. If the client does not speak a language that you are not approved to communicate in, then you must first connect with an interpreter in the client’s language following instructions in Accessing Telephonic Interpreters. Once you have an interpreter on the line, you can ask them to dial out the client’s number and have them connect them to the call.
Inbound Calls from Clients with LEP
When clients call into the DTA Assistance line, they are given the option to select their preferred language. IVR services are available in six languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole. All other language requests are routed to a case manager during business hours to provide a translator.
Once authenticated, SNAP-only clients whose primary language is recorded in BEACON as being one of these six languages will be automatically transferred to a FAW who speaks the applicable language, provided that the FAW is available within a reasonable wait time. If the FAW is not available within a reasonable wait time, the client will be transferred to a different FAW who will use interpreter services. This automated transfer process will occur even if the client does not select the language in the IVR menu.
Once connected to the client, confirm the client requires an interpreter in their language. If the client does need an interpreter, place the client on hold and call the Department-approved interpreter services vendor, following instructions in Accessing Telephonic Interpreters. Then, connect the client and the interpreter using three-way calling. Speak clearly and directly to the client, pausing to give time for the interpreter to translate, usually every 2 or 3 sentences. When you are finished with the call, thank the client and the interpreter and say, “End of call.” The use of an interpreter and their ID number must be noted in the case narrative.
If a client calls with an adult intending to act as an interpreter, you must offer the option for professional interpreter services. The client may decline the use of professional interpreter services and choose to have the adult serve as an interpreter. In this situation, you must enter the following on the Narrative tab: “Client declined professional interpreter services.” You must also specify in the Narrative who they are using as an interpreter.
Note: Clients who communicate with ASL also use the phone line through a Video Relay Service. Upon answering the call, an interpreter will introduce themselves; treat these calls as normal phone calls where the client has provided their own interpreter.
Any worker can serve this client.
Related Topics
Interpreter Services Policy and Procedures