TITLE VI DEVELOPMENTS AND EXECUTIVE ORDER 13166 ACTIVITIES

The Civil Rights Division Releases New Mapping Tools:  The Division’s first mapping application, the Language Map App, allows users to view and download data from an interactive map.  The interactive maps provide data on the languages spoken by LEP populations at the State and County level for all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  In addition, a series of printable maps, located at lep.gov/maps, provide both the number and percentage of LEP individuals in each region.  County and judicial district maps provide the top five languages spoken by LEP individuals within those areas in the form of detailed pie charts. 

Website Improvements at LEP.GOV: The Civil Rights Division is continuing a series of updates to LEP.GOV.  The most recent changes include a reorganization of the State Courts portion of the webpage, which is now organized by state.  Explore the newly organized resources at go.usa.gov/362Rk.    

NASA Reissues Nondiscrimination Brochure:  NASA recently reissued a community education brochure Nondiscrimination in NASA-Assisted Programs and Activities: Title VI and Related Nondiscrimination Laws.  The reissuance of this brochure is to ensure that beneficiaries of NASA funded educational programs are aware of their rights under Title VI, including the right to file a discrimination complaint directly with NASA.  Accompanying the reissuance are instructions to post the brochure electronically on NASA-funded program websites and physically at grantee locations.

Read the Brochure at go.usa.gov/362k5.

HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) Releases The Guide to Providing Effective Communication and Language Assistance Services: On June 30, OMH released a tool to help health and health care organizations facilitate communication with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, including limited English proficient individuals.  The Guide covers strategies for communicating in a way that considers the cultural, health literacy, and language needs of patients and their families.  It is designed for health care providers, administrators, and executives who work across a broad spectrum of health care organizations.  The Guide consists of two parts:

1. Information on planning, implementing, and evaluating effective communication and language assistance services for health care administrators.

1. Information on cross-cultural communication skills, working with an interpreter, and more for health care providers (or those providing direct care and services).

Updated with guidance on health and health care organizations’ responsibilities under Title VI and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, this Guide is a revision and replacement of HHS OMH’s previous communication-related e-resource, A Patient-Centered Guide to Implementing Language Access Services.  For more information or to access the Guide, please visit go.usa.gov/36284.

HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) Releases an Updated E-Learning Course, Entitled: Culturally Competent Nursing Care:  A Cornerstone of Caring: Culturally Competent Nursing Care is designed to help nurses and social workers provide culturally and linguistically competent care and services.  HHS OMH initially launched Culturally Competent Nursing Care in 2007 and has now updated it to reflect the changes in health policy and health care practices.  The e-learning program now includes current information and resources on Title VI, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, and HHS OMH’s enhanced National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care.  The e-learning program also has a re-designed website with updated graphics and interactivity.  Culturally Competent Nursing Care is still accredited for up to nine continuing education credits for nurses and social workers.

For more information or to access the e-learning program, please visit go.usa.gov/3628G.

Forest Service Expands Language Services for LEP Individuals: The USDA Forest Service has announced a pilot program for expanding language access to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals visiting property under its jurisdiction.  The pilot covers both interpretation and translation needs.  Additionally, over the last several years, all Forest Service law enforcement officers have been trained on federal nondiscrimination obligations to ensure language access for LEP individuals.  The new language services and trainings are part of a broad effort by the Forest Service to improve access for LEP individuals.

USDA Rural Development (RD) Works to Improve Service in LEP Communities: RD is using a newly developed LEP Tool to allocate resources for language services in the Single Family Housing Direct Loan program.  The goal of the RD LEP Tool is to improve services to the limited English proficient public in both federally conducted and federally assisted programs.  The RD LEP Tool is a planning tool that allows RD to identify the need for additional language access resources in its programs, including the Single Family Housing Direct Loan program.  RD administers over 40 programs offering loans, grants, and loan guarantees to support essential services such as housing, economic development, health care, first responder services and equipment, and water, electric, and communications infrastructure.

Department of Transportation (DOT) Unveils Language Assistance Volunteer Program: Drawing from a Department of Education in 2012 program, the DOT Language Assistance Volunteer Program aims to expand how the Department provides meaningful language access for LEP persons in all its conducted programs, as required under Executive Order 13166.  The voluntary program will assess and employ Department staff in providing language assistance services.  Department linguists will also support the mission of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by providing technical assistance to recipients on language assistance matters.  This program not only aims to use existing staff to ensure language access at DOT, but also to provide employees with an opportunity to utilize their language skills for mission-critical work.

FEMA Disseminates the Help After a Disaster Guide in More Than 20 Languages: The Guide, which provides critical information about the Individual and Households Program and how to apply for disaster assistance, is translated in frequently encountered languages including: Arabic, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.  During disasters, FEMA establishes contact with LEP populations and multilingual media in order to ensure that diverse audiences receive critical, accessible, understandable, and simultaneous disaster assistance communications.

The Guide is available at go.usa.gov/362Q9.

FEMA Provides In-Language Disaster Assistance: FEMA has an established a call line that provides disaster survivors direct access to disaster assistance information in more than 50 languages.  This line has been promoted through community outreach, engagement with state and local government officials, flyer distribution, news releases and media interviews. 

CRCL and FEMA Disseminate Tips For Effectively Communicating With Protected Populations During Response And Recovery:  The Tips Guide is provided to state, localities, and other recipients to remind them of their obligations to carry out their disaster related activities in a nondiscriminatory manner and provides specific tips regarding effective communication to assist jurisdictions in ensuring meaningful access to LEP persons. 

The Guide is available at go.usa.gov/362Uw.

Treasury Department Releases Proposed Title VI Regulations for Public Comment: On July 13, the Treasury published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to enact a regulation for the enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The proposed rule is open for public comment until September 11, 2015.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is available at go.usa.gov/362PV.