County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA Eligibility Policy and Procedures Guide Services to NonEnglish Speaking Customers and Customers with Disabilities Reasonable AccommodationsModifications Page 1 of 2 Revised Date 02012022 BackgroundThe California Department of Social Services CDSS requires counties to provide effective bilingualinterpreter services to NonEnglishLimited English Proficient NELEP customers and provide reasonable accommodationsmodifications to customers with disabilities Disability is defined as any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities has a record of such impairment or is regarded as having such impairment PurposeThe purpose of this document is to establish requirements for serving customers whose preferred language is other than English and customers with disabilities This policy has been revised to introduce the new form CR 6181 Interpreter Services Statement and Confidentiality Agreement PolicyThe language needs of nonEnglish speaking customers must be met by provision of free interpreter services at all contacts without delay These services are to be provided by bilingual staff professional interpreters contracted by the county or if the customer prefers an adult relative or friend Only under an extenuating circumstance should a minor under age 18 be allowed to temporarily act as an interpreter The nature of the extenuating circumstance must be documented in the case record The use of a minor as an interpreter is subject to the same documentation as adult customerprovided interpreters Forms and written notices must be provided in the customers preferred language when available Procedures Refer to Services to NonEnglish Speaking Customers and Customers with Disabilities Reasonable AccommodationsModifications Processing Guide located in Eligibility Essentials 1 BilingualInterpreter Services All bilingualinterpreter services must be provided entirely in the customers preferred language The use or insertion of English words or phrases is not acceptable unless there is no corresponding word or phrase in the customers preferred language 2 Customer Provided Interpreters and Minors Acting as Interpreters The CR 6181 is a consent and release of information form that allows the customer to use their own interpreter and should only be used after customers have been offered free countyprovided interpretive services but choose their own interpreter Customers may provide their own interpreter however they cannot be mandated to do so Form CR 6181 must be obtained from the customer when individuals other than Health and Human Services Agency HHSA employees or HHSA approved interpretation vendors are used as interpreters The CR 6181 is not required for any interpreters provided by HHSA which would include HHSA bilingual staff as well as HHSAapproved interpretation vendors 3 Acceptance or Refusal of Forms or Other Written Material Staff must document in the case record the customers acceptance or refusal of forms or other written material offered in the customers preferred language at intake andor redetermination When a nonEnglish speaking or LEP customer refuses written translations in the customers preferred language staff should ensure that the customer is aware of the Countys availability to translate notices for customers who are unable to read or need accommodations 4 Individuals with Disabilities County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA Eligibility Policy and Procedures Guide Services to NonEnglish Speaking Customers and Customers with Disabilities Reasonable AccommodationsModifications Page 2 of 2 HHSA must provide reasonable accommodationsmodifications and auxiliary aidsservices to customers who indicate they have a disability Examples of impairments include but are not limited to Hearing impairments Speech impairments Visual impairments Mentalemotionalcognitive impairments Manual skillsmobility impairments 5 Reasonable AccommodationsModifications and Auxiliary Aids Examples of the types of reasonable accommodationsmodifications and auxiliary aids that HHSA may make available to persons with disabilities include Audio file versions of written text materials Electronic notices and correspondence compatible with assistive technology Teletypewriter Services TTY Video Relay Services VRS Large print materials Forms completionassistance Sign language interpretation Braille documents Referrals for services to community organizations that can provide prompt services without delays The service needs of individuals with disabilities may also be accommodated by other means such as reading a form to a customer Staff should always narrate the action taken in the case record If a form is needed to be translated to braille or another type of modification that is not readily available reach out to the Civil Rights Liaison in your office to request this accommodation 6 Access Telephone Assistance for Hearing Impaired The Access Customer Service Center serves residents providers and other government agencies with questions or needs related to selfsufficiency programs and services Access has Telecommunications Device for the Deaf TDD capability for the hearing impaired Access contact numbers are 866 2629881 tollfree voice and 6196682266 TDDhearing impaired ImpactsAll Programs References MPP 21115 EAS 42435 ACL 0620 0865 21128 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance by 02282025 Approval for Release Rick Wanne Director SelfSufficiency Services