Is This Working? Assessment and Evaluation Methods Used to Build and Access Language Services in Social Services Agencies In Social Services Agencies

The enactment of President Clinton’s Limited English Proficiency (LEP) executive order, issued in 2000, triggered a proliferation of efforts to provide services to individuals who cannot speak, understand, read, or write English fluently. With increased service provision, state and local government agencies have expressed a strong and growing interest in assuring the quality and cost-effectiveness of language access services. In turn, many agencies have developed unique and innovative monitoring tools and assessment practices that can be used to improve existing services and guide agencies as they conceptualize, implement, and manage the ongoing operations of language access service programs.

This paper attempts to catalog and describe some of those tools and practices. They are generally designed to meet three core program needs: develop an effective and comprehensive service delivery plan, certify and train translators and interpreters, program monitoring and evaluation.