D.C. Language Access Program Disseminates Vital Documents to the District’s Limited-English Proficient (LEP) Constituents
Washington, D.C. -- The D.C. Language Access Program is sponsoring the
first ever “Document
Drive” for
translated documents in the District of Columbia in an effort to reach residents who are
limited-English proficient (LEP). The Program, part of the D.C. Office of Human
Rights, is providing local community-based organizations with the opportunity
to identify District government agencies from which they would like to receive
documents and to request materials in specific languages other than English.
Examples of essential documents selected for dissemination include agency
brochures, fact sheets, “how to” instructions, and applications that have been
translated into several languages, including Amharic, traditional Chinese,
French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Approximately 60 organizations have
been contacted to participate and, depending on the level of response, the
Program aims to have all identified documents disseminated to participating
organizations by the end of October 2006. Cesar Watts, Outreach Coordinator for
D.C. Learns, believes the drive to be an “excellent initiative on behalf of the
Office of Human Rights in making District government information available to
community-based organizations.”
The D.C. Language Access
Program is charged with collecting all vital documents translated to date under
the D.C. Language Access Act of 2004. The Program presently works internally
with 22 District agencies including the Department of Human Services, the
Department of Employment Services, and the D.C. Public School System. This
initiative also encourages representatives from organizations that receive the
translated documents to meet with their respective Language Access Coordinators
to bridge other potential language barriers. “This is a clear demonstration of
the government working hand-in-hand with the District’s LEP communities to
create awareness of and ensure access to government services,” says the
Director of the Office of Human Rights, Kenneth L. Saunders. “It is a true
indication of what we can collectively achieve.”
Data from the 2005
U.S. Census shows that the District presently has a reported 15.7% resident
population who speaks a language other than English. Of that 15.7% resident
population, approximately 6% are LEP or speak English “less than very well.” Pursuant to federal and local laws, including the
D.C. Language Access Act of 2004, the District is committed to initiating
efforts such as the “Document Drive” to make its services, programs and activities more
accessible to all of its communities.
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