HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-02-2006-7aORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 2, 2006
Action Agenda
Item No. ~~_
SUBJECT: Report on the County's Efforts and Ability to Serve Limited English Proficient
(LEP) Populations
DEPARTMENT: Human Rights and Relations PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT: INFORMATION CONTACT:
Milan T. Pham, 960-3877
LEP Assessment Report
PURPOSE: To receive a status report regarding LEP populations in Orange County, the
County's efforts to serve LEP populations to date, and recommendations to improve service to
LEP populations.
BACKGROUND:
History
In 2002, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a goal to improve Hispanic/Latino
Relations. After receiving direction from the Commissioners, County staff determined that
Hispanic Latino relations could be enhanced by improving employment diversity to better serve
Latino communities and improving assessment, resource coordination and resource
development.
Improving Employment Diversity
Towards the end of improving employment diversity, the County Commissioners adopted a
multi-lingual hiring policy; staff initiated employment advertisements in Hispanic/Latino media
markets; and staff instituted a cultural diversity training initiative and made provisions for
existing staff to receive Spanish language training. Since 2000, approximately 1,400
employees have participated. in the diversity training initiative which includes Latino 101.
Additionally, since 2000, almost 400 employees have received Spanish Language training with
CHICLE. Expanded external recruitment efforts included releasing new job opportunities to
agencies and organizations serving the Hispanic/Latino community. Among these are N.C.
Governor's Office of Hispanic/Latino Affairs, N.C. Governor's Advisory Council on
Hispanic/Latino Affairs, EI Pueblo, Inc, EI Centro Latino, La Conexion, Saludos Hispanos and
Job Finder (La Version de Espanol) as well as Spanish language advertising.
Improving Assessment, Resource Coordination and Resource Development
At the January 24, 2005 regularly scheduled BOCC meeting, the BOCC approved the
realignment of the three-quarter time ESL Coordinator Position to a Limited English Proficiency
Coordinator Position responsible for inventorying and assessing with each operating
department, beginning with those providing critical services, the current ways in which services
are provided to limited English proficient clients, the possible service barriers to such clients,
and the unmet needs to be addressed.
In August 2005, Marlyn Valeiko was hired as the County's LEP Coordinator, and, beginning July
1, 2006, the BOCC approved a permanent increase in hours for the LEP Coordinator position.
Since joining County staff. Marlyn has been focused on two projects - a Spanish .language
assessment tool and a study of County departments their resources and abilities to serve LEP
communities and perceived barriers to serving LEP communities. The LEP Coordinator's work
is currently focused exclusively on the Spanish speaking community which is the only LEP
community that Orange County is required to provide native language access to according to
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI states that any agency receiving any federal
government funding is required to provide reasonable access to programs for LEP populations
that are "1000 individuals or 5% of the total population whichever is less."
The Spanish Language Assessment Tool, otherwise known as Proyecto Aceso Latino, was
developed by the Chapel Hill Institute for Culture and Language Education and the Department
of Human Rights and Relations using US Department of Housing and Urban Development
funding. The tool is designed to evaluate the level of an individual's ability to speak and
understand Spanish and knowledge of Hispanic/Latino cultural differences that might impact
service delivery. It was tested with a group of Orange County employees and reviewed by the
Orange County Human Services Management Team. The LEP Coordinator used the tool to
test applicants for a position in the Department of Social Services where Spanish language
ability was required. A few minor revisions were made to the assessment tool following the first
official test, and the tool is available for use by any Department Head beginning September 20,
2006.
Concurrent with the development of the Spanish Language Assessment Tool, Marlyn
conducted an assessment of County Departments with extensive LEP contact to determine .
their resources, needs and perceived barriers to serving LEP communities. This report serves
as a record of County employees efforts to serve LEP communities to date and presents
recommendations for improving service to LEP communities based on these Departments
stated needs and perceived barriers.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact related with the BOCC receiving the status
report on LEP communities in Orange County.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The Manager recommends that the Board receive the LEP
Assessment Report, review the report with special attention to the Recommendations section
(pages 21-24 of this agenda abstract -pages 19-22 of the actual report), and provide
comments, direction or questions to County Staff.
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Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Communities
and Access to services
In Orange County
Report 2006
Human Rights and Relations Department of
Orange County
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Contents
Acknowledgements ...................................................... 3
Foreword ........................................:.............................. 4
Introduction .................................................................... 5
Demographics of LEP in Orange County ..................... 6
Title VI ................................................................................ 7
Myth and Realities of Immigrants .....:........................... 9
Orange CountyAbilities and Resources ........................ 11
Barriers ....................................................................... 12
Recommendations ................................................... 14
References ............................................................ 15
Appendix I - Departmental Surveys
Appendix II -Departmental Responses
Appendix III -Spanish Assessment Tool
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Acknowledgements
This report would not have been possible without the collaboration of many County Departments that
shared their experiences about working with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities in
Orange County.
Authors give special thanks to staff members of the Human Rights and Relation Departments who
provided technical assistance in the production of this report. Last but not least researchers would
like to thank the Human Services Management Team and Dr. Rosemary Summers and Nancy Coston
fortheir support and assistance in the visioning and editing ofthe both the report and the Spanish
Language and Culture Assessment Tool.
The Department assumes the responsibility of any errors and/or omissions. Funding was provided
in part by the United States Departmentof Housing and Urban Development.
Introduction
The residents of Orange County are the County's highest priority. Orange County's
residents are growing increasingly diverse due to the influx of both immigrants and
emigrants to the Triangle region. It is estimated that regional population growth will increase
tenfold over the next decade.
Orange County's new immigrant populations bring important resources to the
community including a ready and able labor force for different industries such as
construction, restaurants, hotels, processing plants and the agricultural sector. In addition,
a growing number are entering professional fields, including law enforcement, medicine, and
education. Along with resources, changing communities bring challenges. One
consequence of the growing community is an increased demand for services from the
government. Delivery of these services may be difficult because of language and cultural
barriers.
Orange County is a leader in providing government services to under represented
communities, including Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities. Orange County's
Immigrant Emergency Communications group received an award for its innovative work from
the North Carolina Association of Counties. Orange County Commissioners have adopted a
multilingual hiring policy and, just recently, Orange County hired the State's first LEP
Coordinator for a county government body.
The County continues to work to alleviate and eliminate the barrier between
government services and LEP communities. This report highlights the continuing efforts,
accomplishments and challenges which county departments encounter as they seek to
serve Orange County's diverse population.
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This report will explore the changing demographics of the CEP population in Orange
County, debunk commonly held beliefs regarding immigrants, explain Title VI requirements,
and explore Orange County's abilities, resources and barriers to serving LEP populations.
This report will focus primarily on the Spanish-speaking population because it is the only
population for which the County is currently required to provide native language access
services under Title VI.
Definitions
What does it mean to be Limited English Proficient?
Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language. and who have a limited
ability to read, write, speak, or understand English can be considered limited English
proficient, or "CEP," and are entitled to language assistance with respect to a particular
type of service, benefit, or encounter. (DOJ, Title VI, Civil Rights. Executive Order
13166)
Who are the foreign-born?
The term. foreign=born refers to people residing in the United States on census day who
were not United States citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes
immigrants, legal non-immigrants (e.g., refugees and persons on student or work visas),
and undocumented persons residing in the United States. It is the foreign- born
population who. are primarily in need of language access services.
What are the levels of proficiency in a second language?
Beginner - Unable to communicate in Spanish. .
Conversant - Able to communicate at least minimally in Spanish in person or on the
phone.
Proficient -Adequate to interact professionally with and provide services to Spanish
speaking clients.
Fluent - Completely able to interact professionally with and provide services to Spanish
speaking clients. These individuals are most often native speakers.
Demographics
As the United States becomes more ethnically and racially diverse, local governments face
growing challenges in serving LEP communities. Local governments across the country are
trying to determine how to effectively ensure access to adequate language assistance
services.
According to the U.S. Census, North Carolina's population grew 21% from 6.6 million in
1990 to more than 8 million in 2000. North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in
terms of immigrant communities; the fastest growing community is the Latino community
increasing by 394%, followed by the Asian Pacific Islander communities increasing by 128
from 1990- 2000. In 2004, according to the latest report of the Frank Hawkins Kenan
Institute of Private Enterprise, North. Carolina's Hispanic population totaled 600,913, or 7%
of North Carolina's total population.
United States
According to Census 2000, the United States has a population of 281,421,906. Eleven
percent (11%) of the total population was foreign-born. Eighty- three percent (83%) of
the foreign-born five years old and older spoke a language other than English at home,
including 52% who spoke Spanish,,21% who spoke other Indo-European languages, 22%
who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 4% who spoke other languages.
Among the foreign-born at fihe national level, 38% reported speaking English "very well",
26% "well," 23% "not well," and 12% "not at all.
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North Carolina
According to Census 2000, North Carolina has a population of 8,049,313. A little over five
percent (5%) of the population is foreign-born. Eighty-two percent (82%) of the foreign-born five
years and over, speak a language other than English at home in North Carolina. Of those who
spoke languages other than English at home; 50% spoke Spanish, 14% spoke Asian and Pacific
Island languages, 13% spoke other Indo-European languages, and 4% spoke other languages.
Among the foreign-born in North Carolina who speak languages other than English at home 36%
speak English "very wel I", 22% well, while 16% speak English "not at all." Nineteen percent
(19%) of the foreign-born in North Carolina live in poverty and among those, 10%were citizens
and 22% were non-citizens.
Orange County
Orange County had a population of 118,000 according to Census 2000. Four and one half
percent (4.5%) of the population was Latino or Hispanic and 4.1%were Asian. Nine percent (9%)
of the County population is foreign-born. Eleven percent (11%) of the total population spoke a
language other than English at home. At last count, 19% of Spanish speaking households were
linguistically isolated and 34% of Asian Pacific Islander households were linguistically isolated.
Orange County had arr overal I poverty rate of 14% and 13% of foreign-born were poor. Of those,
12%were naturalized citizens and 88% were not citizens.
Title VI
Government and the legal structure are currently in the process of adjusting to meet
the changing reality of the nation's demographics. Part of this adjustment, has
created increased emphasis on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 particularly Title VI of the
Act.
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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits recipients of federal assistance from
discriminating against or otherwise excluding individuals on the basis of race, color,
or national origin in any of their activities. Section 601 of Title VI, 42 U.S.C. Sec.
2000d, provides:
"No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national
origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal
financial assistance."
Recipients of federal funding are required to take reasonable steps to ensure
meaningful access to their programs and activities by LEP persons who are five
percent (5%) of the total population or 1000 individuals, whichever is less. While the
standard of "reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access" is designed to be a
flexible and fact-dependent standard, the starting point. is an individualized
assessment that balances several different factors such as the number or proportion
of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by the program or
grantee; the frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the program;
the nature and importance of the program, activity, or service provided by the
program to people's lives, and the resources available to the grantee recipient and
costs.
Title VI in Orange County
Under Title VI guidelines, Orange County is currently required to provide meaningful
access to Spanish speaking LEP individuals. However, Chinese (Mandarin) speaking
LEP individuals are a growing population. in Orange County and access services may
soon be required for this population as well.
The Health Department, Department of Social Services, Emergency Management
Services (EMS) and the Immigrant Emergency Communications Group (a
collaborative effort of Health and EMS) were among the first to experience challenges
in serving the growing Latino population. These agencies and groups have identified
significant barriers to LEP access including: interpreter/staff/volunteer
qualifications, provision of culturally competent service, and appropriate use of
interpreter/staff/volunteer skills.
The Health Department and the Department of Social Services have been required to
submit voluntary compliance plans to the North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services (NCDHHS) consistent with expectations from the United States
Department of Health and Human Services. The United States Department of Health
and Human Services noticed the rapidly growing LEP population in North Carolina
and focused intense scrutiny on this State and its agencies in its compliance efforts.
The County recently created new positions - a Limited English Proficiency Coordinator
- to coordinate the efforts of different departments who serve LEP communities, to
identify and eliminate barriers to LEP communities receiving equal services in Orange
County.
"Each agency is required by the Civil Rights Act
to have a Title VI plan and within that.ptan, each agency is required to
have an individual designated as the LEP Coordinator. The Coordinator's
chief responsibility is to ensure that all LEP individuals are given
their full right to have an interpreter or translated documents. Also,
if that is not the case, the Coordinator has a responsibility to ensure
the right of "due process" for the LEP individuals if those services
are not offered".
Terry Hodges - NCHHS -Compliance Attorney
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Immigrant Communities: Myths and Realities
Immigrants take away jobs from Americans. Research shows immigrants often create
businesses and provide j obs to other immigrants and Americans as well. This contributes
substantially to the economy of this country. According to a report o n The Economic Impact
of the Hispanic Population on the State of North Carolina, in 2002, there were 9,047
Hispanic-owned businesses in North Carolina that generated $ 1.8 billion in sales and
receipts. The potential forfurther Hispanic business development is immense. This
potential will not be achieved, however, unless barriers are addressed (e.g., complex English
language only legal and reporting documents, lack of credit histories and associated
financing) that limit the start-up and growth of Hispanic businesses.
Immigrants do not pay taxes. The tax contribution for immigrants is high. Without their
contribution, the output of goods and services in the U.S would be at least $1 trillion less
than it is today. Immigrants earn $240 billion a year and pay $ 90 billion a year in taxes.
The U.S. Social Security administration has estimated thatthree quarters of undocumented
immigrants pay payroll taxes, their contribution is between $6 - 7 billion dollars in Social
Security funds that they will not be able to claim. In North Carolina, Hispanics after-tax
income totaled an estimated $8.3 billion in 2004. Their annual contribution in direct and
indirect taxes was approximately $ 756 million.
America is' being overrun by immigrants. Even though the immigrant population has
increased in recent years, they still continue to be a small percentage in comparison with the
rest of the population. According to the 2000 Census, 22 percent of U.S. counties lost
immigrant population .between 1990 and 2000.
Immigrants contribute little to American society. Immigrants are concerned aboutthe values
of education, family unity and respect of the law. Historically immigrants have made
significant contributions to the defense of America. For example, on July 3, 2002, President
Bush recognized the contributions of immigrants in the U.S. Armed Forces by signi ng an
executive order that provided for "expedited naturalization" of non-citizen men and women
on active-duty since September 11, 2001. The order granted some 15,000 members of the
U.S. military who served fewer than three years the right to apply for expedited citizenship in
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recognition of their service. In recent natural disasters like hurricane Katrina in New
Orleans, many of the people responsible for rebuilding have been immigrants.
Immigrants do not want to learn English. According to the report, The Economic Impact of
the Hispanic Population on the State of North Carolina, over the past twenty years, Hispanic
enrollment at the public schools has increased by 2,614 % (from 3,735 in 1985-86 to
101,380 in 2004-05), while overall enrollment grew by only 24 percent (from 1,086,130 in
1985-86 to 1,347,177 in 2004-05). Hispanic enrollment growth has been especially strong
since the mid-1990s, increasing by 33,933 students between 1995 and 2000 and by
45,148 students between 2000 and 2004. Over the past four years alone, Hispanic
enrollment has accounted for 57 percent of total enrollment growth in N.C. public school
system. According to the ESL (English as a Second Language) Program at Durham Technical
Community College, in the fall of 2005, Orange County residents enrolled in ESL programs
were 52% Hispanic (predominantly from Mexico)39%Asian and 8% other. Additionally,
scholars at the University of North Carolina estimate that it takes approximately two (2)
generations to acquire another language proficiently within a family unit.
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Orange County: Capabilities and Resources
In order to determine Orange County's ability to serve the Latino community, 19
Departments were asked to fill out a surrey and talk with the County's LEP
coordinator. The Departments were selected on the likelihood of their providing
services to immigrant communities. This report is based on the 17 departments who
responded to the survey. The survey was designed to assess the demand for
multilingual services and the resources available to meet the demand. (Attached as
Appendix I). The following analysis is based on those responses. (Attached as
Appendix II).
Orange County Departments use a diverse array of tools to work with the Spanish
speaking communities. These include contract interpreters and translators, Spanish
speaking employees, the AT&T language line, and translated materials. In addition,
Departments mention using voice mail, software programs, and volunteers.
Contract Interpreter and Translators
Contract interpreters and translators are the County's primary method of overcoming
language barriers with the Spanish speaking community. Six of the seventeen
Departments who responded use contract interpreters and translators; this does help
to reduce the communication barrier between the Spanish speaking community and
government agencies. However; use of contract interpreters and translators has
limitations. On occasion documents and signs have been translated literally and
without intention the translation has relayed misleading or inaccurate information.
In the past fiscal year 2004-2005, the Department of Health and Social Services
spent approximately $17,845.00 on contract interpreters and translators. The cost
of contract interpreters supplements the work of the limited but growing number of
Spanish-speaking staff members in most Departments.
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Spanish Speaking Employees
The Departments surveyed employ 503 full-time employees. Several Departments
use Spanish- speaking employees to bridge the language gap. The 17 Departments
who responded to the survey had 39 Spanish-speaking employees. These
employees have not, for the most part, been formally assessed as to their Spanish
speaking abilities. The measure of their ability to speak Spanish has been self-
determined. Some Department Heads have sent potential employees to be
evaluated for Spanish speaking ability through the, Chapel Hill Institute for Cultural
and Language Education, CHICLE and some Department Heads have attempted to
determine employees knowledge of Spanish themselves. There are currently no
Department Heads who speak Spanish fluently.
The Departments surveyed estimated that they serve an average of 430 Latinos a
week. Over the course of a year those same Departments serve an average of
20,640 Latinos. Large numbers of Latinos are being served by a total of 39 Spanish-
speakingstaff members. Of these staff members, 13 self- identified as beginners; 9
conversant; 4, proficient; and 13, fluent.
In order to assist Departments in hiring bilingual/bicultural individuals and
developing the Spanish language capacity of current employees, the Department of
Human Rights in conjunction with CHICLE has developed an LEP Assessment Tool.
This tool has been reviewed throughout its development by frontline Spanish
speaking employees and is designed to assess an individual's ability to speak and
comprehend Spanish. Specific scripts for Departments requiring specialized
vocabulary have been created to assess comprehension for those Departments.
Employees are placed in one of four Spanish speaking ability categories. Each
category is accompanied by a list of recommendations for advancement to the next
level and appropriate service activities for employees at each level. In addition, the
tool is designed to assess the cultural competency of individuals. (Attached as
Appendix III). The annual cost of administering the LEP Assessment Tool is the salary
of the LEP Coordinator approximately $ 36,000.00.
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The County currently does not offer any hiring incentives or bonuses for multilingual
employees; however, some positions are designated for bi-Lingual employees and
individuals considered for those positions must speak Spanish as a minimal job
requirement.
AT& T Language Line
A number of Departments also use the AT&T language line. The language line is a
service that provides interpreters over the phone 7 days a week, 24 hours a day in
approximately 140 different languages. The service enables speakers. of different
languages to communicate by telephone via athree-way conference call, which
includes an interpreter.
The language line is a very important tool because it provides access to interpreter
assistance in almost every spoken language. However, interpreters mayor may not
have specialized abilities to use medical or legal terminology and the services are
expensive. Orange County does not have a general subscription with the AT&T
language line so individual Department's subscribe as they are financially able.
Additionally, use of a telephone interpreter may make it difficult to provide services
when sensitive issues are being handled such as domestic violence services or child
abuse related services.
Based on the Department of Emergency Management's records, there is no set fee
for the use of the AT&T language line. The charge is based on the language needed,
the date, time and length of the call. From July 2005 to February 2006, Emergency
Management Services - has paid $ 6,893.12 for language line translation services
averaging approximately $690 per month. However, cost varies vastly month to-
month, in March 2006 the County was charged almost $2000 for language line
services. The cost of the language line is paid by several County Departments.
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Translated Materials
Departments also rely on translated documents to provide service to the Latino
community. These documents do play an important role in reducing the barriers but
do not eliminate it entirely. Language can be a major barrier to literacy when a
person speaks an unwritten language. There are individuals who are unable to write
or read in their primary language. The Latino community has illiterate individuals and
individuals who speak native dialects which are vastly different from Spanish and
who are unable, given their life circumstances to learn Spanish. Most County
Departments have used volunteers to translate their materials, but the materials
have limitations which will be discussed in the barrier section of this report. Health
and Social Services spent a significant amount of money to translate as they became
compliant with Title VI several years ago.
Other
In addition to the aforementioned resources, some Departments use automated
translation programs. These programs are computer programs that provide a
translation for any text that is entered. While those programs may seem like quick,
convenient and cost effective fixes to large problems, there are many shortcomings.
These software programs are unable to ascertain context and this results in incorrect
translations. For instance, "race" has several meanings. In a vital record for the
County, it means any of the main groups into which human beings can be divided
according to their grouping as people with the same history, language, customs, etc.
Automatic software programs can translate it as an athletic competition or a contest
of speed. Both translations are right but only one is proper. In addition, these
programs may not use proper spelling and orthography, for example the words ano
and ano. The first word means anus, the second means year. Notice that the lack
of appropriate spelling significantly impacts meaning. These automated translation
programs are not expensive costing approximately $100-$200 per license. However,
they are ineffective in translating.
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Barriers
In spite of these efforts, obstacles remain to effective communication between
government and LEP communities in Orange County. In the survey, Departments
were asked to identify the most prevalent barriers to their work with the Latino
community. The most prevalent barriers were identified as language, culture, lack of
community contacts, lack of resources to translate materials/information into
Spanish or other languages, the LEP community's lack of understanding about how
the system works, lack of adequate Spanish speaking staff, LEP community
avoidance of government, and lack of resources to find and assess employment
applicants who may speak Spanish.
Language:
The language barrier continues to be a major struggle between government and the
LEP. Orange County is continuously looking to bridge the gap between communities
but there is still a long way to go. Of the 17 departments, 16 considered language
the main barrier in the County.
Note: The following examples are taken from instances arising around North
Carolina and not specifically Orange County.
Example: " I was treated in some way acceptable, but because we can't speak
English, they don't listen to us."- Said an imrnigra nt from Mexico who was looking for
clinic assistance in'the County.
Example: "My boy is six years old now, and I just realized a few days ago that he is
able to apply for Medicaid. I don't speak English and that is probably why I didn't
realize before; nobody told me that he qualifies because we are slow-income family."
-Mexican immigrant.
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Culture:
It is important to know the culture or the cultural backgrounds of the LEP.. Lack of
cultural awareness may not seem an important barrier. However, understanding a
culture will cause us to understand why individuals act and react in certain way, why
LEP populations do and do not interact with government.
Example: Trust is imports nt in many Latino cultures and your word is considered
your bond. Therefore, the signing of papers is not considered important nor is it
considered important to get things in writing. When many Hispanics come to the
Department of Human Rights,complaining ofdiscrimination they frequehtly have no
paperwork to provide as evidence.
Example:' In Latin American countries in legal documents the two full last names a re
used, for example: Manuela Maria Perez Rodriguez. Manuela is the first name, Maria
is the middle name, Perez Rodriguez are the last names. The primary last name is
considered Perez. When names of Hispanic are entered in the records of department
computer systems; individuals not understanding the culture may use the improper
last name and identifythe wrong individual for services. This is particularly
problematic in enforcement agencies like the police. The lack of precise, culturally
correct information about the client can create confusion and frustration.
Culture is one of the strongest challenges to serving LEP com munities in the County.
Example: "They should have more bilingual personnel. I didn't know I owed them.
They didn't explain to me if I could have access to question, I don't understand those
taxes for ambulance service. In my country we don't paid for it. Is not only new for
me, is also lack of information in my language."- A conversation between immigrant
friends after one of them was taken to the emergency room by 911.
Example: " In my country, it is a law that everyone write their full (both) last names on
legal documents. We don't have social security numbers, nobody is born with a
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number, that is why is important with police departments, courts and schools, to give
our two last names. If we don't we run the risk of getting confused with another
person. That was my case here , I got a call from Chi Id Support a Ileging that I have
to support my child but I don't have a child. It was someone else with a last name
like mine but not me." Mexican immigrant.
Community contacts: '
Community contacts are vital to the County's ability to work with LEP communities.
They can alleviate the barriers of language access and mistrust. Some of the
departments interviewed consider community contacts in the area to be under-
resourced and overburdened. It appears that there is not a strong bridge with
community resources and our services.
Example: "We have a meeting with the neighbors related to concerns about
necessities in our neighborhood, we live here more than 10 years and we felt lack of
information about service. I find some information in Spanish, but once I call nobody
speak Spanish. It seems there are important issues we can bring to the. County
authorities, we have concerns, besides we live here for ten years, and we pa id taxes,
we are residents here. I wonder if there are places like in my country to attend these
necessities. I talked to my church about because they probably know how we can
contact the government services in Spanish." Mexican immigrant.
Spanish Speaking Staff
Lack of immediate, on site, on-call assistance becomes an obstacle, even though the
departments have already developed voice mail and written materials, etc. There is
no one who can answer phone calls or assist walk-in clients immediately. The
departments have to contact a staff member from other departments to help with
translations or they have to wait for contract translators to become available.
Example: I like my job because it lets me bring resources to my community and I
consider my self a link between them However, I am frequently out of work, because I
get sick with job stress related. I have to visit many families by myself and my
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caseload keeps growing because I am one of the only Spanish speakers on staff.
When I am not there, there is no one to handle my cases. It would be helpful, if the
County considered hiring more professionals who speak Spanish. It will alleviate and
improve the quality of service for our communities in the County. I think is time to
find balance between my health and my job. Otherwise, I will be forced to look for
another job." -Anonymous Orange County employee
Avoidance:
Some departments believe that the Latino community has the wrong perception
about governmental offices, that there is fear of being turned over to Homeland
Security, or the information that Latinos provide will be sent to other agencies. These
Departments believe that immigrants are afraid to receive services because they do
not trust the government based on experiences in their home countries.
Recommendations
Recommendations are based on the survey results with Department Heads and
information gathered during Human Service Management Team discussions
regarding access to government services for LEP communities.
1. Build Staff Capacity to Provide Service to LEP Communities -Orange County
should increase the number of staff with language and cultural skills and develop
the skills of the staff already existing.
a. For existing employees, the County provides opportunities for employees
to take Spanish courses as part of their professional development.
Additionally, Supervisors should be encouraged to allow employees work
time to attend those classes.
b. When hiring new staff for positions serving LEP Communities, the County
should evaluate the second language abilities of potential staff members.
The LEP Assessment Tool will be available for this purpose and
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Department Heads will be able to use it whenever they desire with the
assistance of the LEP Coordinator.
c. Consider revising the multilingual hiring policy to reflect that when hiring
for positions which provide service to LEP communities candidates who
speak the target language fluently and English only proficiently meet the
minimum standards for hiring.
d. Finally, for candidates who speak multiple languages and use those
abilities in their jobs, consider implementing salary incentives.
2. Provide Notice to LEP Communities that Service is Available -County structures
and information should reflect the County's commitment to serving LEP
communities and direct communities to those services. Notice should be
prepared at levels of basic Spanish proficiency since the average, Latino
resident in Orange County has only a primary school education. It is not
necessary for these changes to be implemented immediately but as part of a
regular and on-going process implemented each time there is a change to
structure or policy impacting LEP communities.
• For instance, as County signage is replaced ensure that new
signage is created in both English and Spanish. ~ Public Works
has begun this process and most recently called the
Department of Human Rights to request appropriate translation
for signs reading; Employees Only/Los Empleados Solamente
and No Concealed Weapons/ No armas escondidas. As the
County's web presence is updated, provisions should be made
to ensure the website is capable of supporting multiple
languages including languages which do not use the Roman
alphabet. Policies impacting LEP communities covered by Title
VI should be translated into Spanish.
• Provide notice in brochures and other documents when Spanish
language services are available but it is infeasible to translate
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entire documents. Services available in Spanish/Servicios
Disponibles en Espanol.
3. Increase Representation of LEP Communities on Volunteer Advisory Boards
and Commissions - In order to get LEP communities to participate on Boards
and Commissions, it may be necessary to advertise with ethnic media and
change meeting times. Additionally, it may be necessary to provide Spanish
language applications and provide preliminary informational sessions to assist
individuals in understanding what it means to serve on a Board or
Commission.
4. Strengthen policies designed to reduce the impact of language and cultural
barriers for LEP communities - Title VI is currently the primary policy that
addresses services to the LEP community. As such, the County should have a
uniform Title VI policy that is reviewed and updated on a regular (biannual)
basis and a specifically designated employee (Title VI compliance officer or
coordinator) with review and coordination responsibilities countywide.
Currently, several Departments have created their own policies but there is no
uniformity to the policies and there is no designated Title VI compliance
person. Once a uniform Title VI policy is created all front line employees
should be given notice that the policy exists and notice as to how queries or
comments are to be referred. It is recommended that the LEP coordinator
within the HRRD be designated by the County Manager to serve in this
capacity.
5. Conduct Aggressive Outreach in LEP communities -When attempting to reach
the Latino community, conduct aggressive outreach using resources such as
ethnic media, community fairs, non-profit organizations, churches and other
less formal methods of reaching the community. The Latino community tends
to use word of mouth advertising. People and or agencies referred through the
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community tend to be more trusted than those attempting to connect through
"cold calls."
6. Build relationships that inform and strengthen the existing government
resources and leverage knowledge and resources to reduce the impact of the
LEP communities' barriers in Orange County -County agencies already sustain
relationships with EI Centro Latino, EI Centro Hispano, CHICLE, North Carolina
Minority Health Task Force and the NC WISH Coalition to name a few..
However, there are additional agencies and businesses set up to serve the
Latino community whose resources could be leveraged to reduce barriers for
LEP communities.
7. Enhance and continue the County's Training and Development Program
including trainings of Cultural Diversity phases 1,2,3. In addition, make Title VI
training mandatory for all managers and supervisors.
CONCLUSION
This report is the first in a series exploring the changing demographics of the LEP
community in Orange County. As the County continues to change, it is important to
be aware of the actual number of LEP communities and the services that they are
needing and wanting to access. By doing so, the County will.be better able to provide
quality service for LEP communities and prepare itself to change as the community
changes. With the anticipated growth of the Latino and Asian populations in the
Triangle and Orange County being aware of community needs, identifying resources
and eliminating barriers for the LEP will be increasingly important in the next decade.
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References
1. Census 2000 PHG-T-37. Table 35.a. North Carolina - Ability to speak English by
Language spoken at Home forthe population 5 years and over: 2000.
2. U.S. Census Bureau -North Carolina - GCT-PL Race and Hispanic or Latino: 2000.
3. Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise: The Economic Impact of the
Hispanic Population on the State of North Carolina.
4. Orange County Quick Facts from US Census Bureau
5. American Immigration Lawyers Association: Myths and facts in the immigration
debate
6. Urban Institute: Myths and Reality
7. NCDHHS Language Assistance- Annual Reporting Form
8. Executive Order 13166: Limited English Proficiency Resource Document
9. What a Difference an Interpreter Ca n Make -The Access Project
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10. North Carolina for Public Policy Research -New release - NC Minorities Trail Whites
on Broad of Indicators.
11. Migration Policy Institute -Migration Information Source -Fact Sheet on the Foreign
Born North Carolina
12. New South Productions -Info -Latinos in North Carolina -Some facts
13. North Carolina Justice Center- Immigrants Workers in North Carolina
14. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
15. Longman -Dictionary of English Language and Culture.
16. The New World Spanish/English, English/Spanish Dictionary
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