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Effective: December 1, 2006 |
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05.05ar1 - Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (Archive) |
Archived: March 1, 2008 |
The Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Program at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) helps counties provide spoken and written language assistance services to individuals whose limited English skills prevent them from accessing health and human services.
Factors in Creating LEP Plans.
Worker Action Providing LEP Plans.
LEP plans were developed in response to state and county human services’ legal obligation to provide language assistance, outline approaches and services to provide meaningful access for all program applicants and recipients to programs and services.
Each county has a LEP plan. Each worker should know the content of their county’s plan and how to provide those services covered by the plan.
Each county LEP plan is based upon:
l The size of the eligible non- or limited-English speaking population it serves.
l The size of the agency or provider; the nature of the programs and services and their objectives.
l The language assistance resources available in the affected service delivery areas.
l The frequency with which particular languages are encountered.
l The frequency with which persons with LEP come into contact with the programs and services offered.
Worker Action Providing LEP Plans
It is never the responsibility of the client to provide an interpreter.
l Initiate an offer for language assistance to clients who have difficulty communicating in English.
l At a minimum, all people with have limited English skills who seek services from county agencies or other service providers must be given oral assistance, including an interpreter, free of charge, whether in-person or by telephone.
l Record applicants' and recipients' preferences for spoken and written language. Provide translated materials when available.