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Q&A
Language services provided by B-HEARD
2:09:12
·
93 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse inquires about the language services provided by B-HEARD responders. Chief Cesar Escobar and Jason Hansman provide information on the language capabilities of their teams.
- FDNY uses a translator application to communicate in many different languages
- H+H uses a language line service that covers over 200 languages
- Council Member Narcisse expresses concern about relying on apps during mental health crises
- The panel agrees to provide more information on bilingual and multilingual staff capabilities
Mercedes Narcisse
2:09:12
Coming back a bit on the language part, what language that you are staff speaking right now for the one that dispatching?
2:09:26
What languages that you provide services now?
Cesar Escobar
2:09:30
I'm sorry.
2:09:31
I'm I'm here I'm having a
Mercedes Narcisse
2:09:32
hard time.
2:09:32
What languages are be heard services after it in?
Cesar Escobar
2:09:37
I don't have the exact number, but we have we have an application that allows our members to use a translator application to be able to communicate in many different languages to the members of the public.
Jason Hansman
2:09:52
And then for just for for H and H, just going back to the the language line question.
2:09:56
It's over 200 languages through through language line.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:09:59
For the app.
Jason Hansman
2:10:01
Yeah.
2:10:01
For the I I assume to be I mean, I don't know much about the app, but for through language line to the telephonic translation.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:10:08
After all, we are in New York City.
2:10:10
And depending on an app, when somebody have a mental health crisis, app is not gonna help you much.
2:10:18
So I wanna know how many languages that you'll have serve like, your folks, your staff having in place?
Jason Hansman
2:10:24
Yeah.
2:10:24
We'll circle back on how many so for the multilingual bilingual staff, we'll circle back on how many folks are bilingual.
2:10:32
Multilingual, and then the the the languages that
Mercedes Narcisse
2:10:35
That's very important,
Jason Hansman
2:10:37
absolutely.
Mercedes Narcisse
2:10:37
Even in physical health is a problem.
2:10:40
So can you imagine somebody having a mental crisis and you're trying to put a app for them?
Jason Hansman
2:10:45
Absolutely.