QUESTION
What does language access look like at older adult centers?
0:31:13
·
63 sec
All older adult centers are required to have language access services to assist any individual in their preferred language.
- Older adult centers are mandated to provide language access services, like language line, to cater to individuals' language preferences.
- Providers of these services are selected based on their ability to serve specific community languages, with many staff members belonging to those communities.
- Staff at these centers are expected to speak the languages of the majority of the population they serve.
- A mandatory language service is available for languages not spoken by the staff, ensuring comprehensive language support.
Crystal Hudson
0:31:13
What does language access look like at older adult centers and what languages are available I know you addressed some of this in your testimony.
0:31:22
Are multiple languages available at different locations, or is it that specific locations based on population data you know, focus on 1 language maybe 2?
Anya Herasme
0:31:31
Sure.
0:31:32
So so all of our programs are required to have a language access service oftentimes with language line is one example, so that anybody who walks into the door can be helped in the language of their preference.
0:31:43
But on top of that, part of what I mentioned with the RFPs is we chose providers based on their ability to serve the communities, and a lot of them come from the communities.
0:31:51
And so there's an expectation that the staff will also speak the languages of the majority of the population.
0:31:56
So there's 2 parts of the there's the the staff that usually represent the community, but then also in case there is somebody who walks in with another need that, you know, they can't speak every language, of course.
0:32:07
They're they are required to have a language service available.
Crystal Hudson
0:32:11
Thank you.
0:32:12
And I wanna acknowledge that we've also been joined by council members, Brewer, and Krishnan.