The new HHS Language Access Plan plays a vital role in ensuring that government and health services are accessible to all, particularly to people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and individuals with disabilities. It is designed to set the highest bar for language access among government agencies and covered organizations and to be a model of meaningful access in a country where 68 million people speak a language other than English at home.
Key Improvements and Objectives
Greater Access to Services: The plan aims to ensure greater access to life-saving services provided by HHS and recipient organizations of federal fund for people with LEP.
Why the need for a new plan?
An inter-agency civil rights complaint alleging a lack of meaningful access to information on Covid testing, vaccination, and treatment programs was levied against HHS in April 2021 shortly after President Biden issued Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. These events prompted HHS to develop a new Equity Action Plan in April 2022
Alignment with Equity Goals: The 2023 Language Access Plan aligns with the HHS Equity Action Plan developed in April 2022, which focuses on removing barriers to equitable outcomes in HHS programs and activities. The plan is part of a broader commitment to advancing equity and supporting underserved communities.
Department-wide Effort and Leadership: The plan is supported by a department-wide effort, with a memo issued by the Deputy Secretary emphasizing the commitment to provide language assistance services under various executive orders. The Language Access Steering Committee has been relaunched to implement the plan, signifying a coordinated and organized approach.
Specific Policy and Implementation Goals: The plan sets clear goals and is designed to ensure meaningful access for individuals with LEP to HHS-administered and funded programs and activities, which includes most large US healthcare providers. It emphasizes compliance with various legal requirements, such as Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, and executive orders, aiming to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.
Objective Measures for Progress: The plan includes methods for recording progress, such as annual data calls or surveys requesting information essential for measuring progress in implementing action steps. This includes collecting disaggregated and intersectional demographic data.
Short- and Long-term Benchmarks: It incorporates benchmarks from the 2022 Equity Action Plan, covering various areas like in-language web content, interpreter services, program and benefit information in other languages, and federal funding for language assistance services.
Language Access Benchmarks include:
- Establish procedures for providing telephonic interpreter services in 2 to 4 years.
- Every agency will have Help Lines supported by telephonic interpreters in 5 to 8 years.
- Every agency will develop a mechanism for receiving document translation requests in 5 to 8 years.
- Establish how LAS funding can be distributed to funding recipients providing language access services in 2 to 4 years, with grant programs providing funding help in 5 to 8 years.
Agency-Specific Plans: Within six months of the plan’s issuance, HHS divisions are required to develop and implement agency-specific language access plans and policies. These plans must incorporate action steps to implement all elements of the Language Access Plan.
Comprehensive Implementation: The plan outlines ten elements, each with specific actions and responsibilities, to be holistically and complementarily implemented by the agencies. This includes assessing needs and capacity, interpretation services, written translations, policies, procedures, and practices, among others.
Awareness and Training: The plan emphasizes the need for ongoing training and technical assistance to make entities funded by HHS aware that language assistance services must be provided at no cost. It also highlights the importance of using various methods to raise awareness about available language assistance services.
A Positive Trend going into 2024
The implementation of the HHS Language Access Plan is part of a trend among various federal agencies, with over 35 agencies revamping their plans. This joint effort signifies a transformative shift in public service, aiming to foster a society where language inclusivity is the norm. These initiatives are crucial in ensuring equal access to government resources and services for every individual.
For a detailed understanding of the HHS Language Access Plan, the full document is available here. It offers insight into the approaches HHS is taking to enhance language accessibility in healthcare services.