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Alternate interview examples When a client is hospitalized, a telephone interview or an authorized representative interview should be offered.

1. A home-bound disabled client or his/her authorized representative should be offered a telephone interview.

22.3 Title VI Prohibition against National Origin Discrimination As It Affects Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) In order to ensure compliance with Title VI, DSS must take steps to ensure that LEP persons who apply for or receive TANF and related programs have meaningful access to those programs. The most important step in meeting this obligation is to provide the language assistance necessary to ensure such access, at no cost to the LEP person.

Agency policy for LEP services is set forth in the Civil Rights Toolkit available with the Office of Individual and Provider Rights.

The type of language assistance provided depends on a variety of factors, including the:

1. size of the organization providing the service; 2. size of the LEP population it serves; 3. nature of the program or service; 4. objectives of the program; 5. total resources available to the organization providing the service; 6. frequency with which particular languages are encountered; and 7. frequency with which LEP persons come into contact with the program.

The key to providing meaningful access for LEP persons is to ensure that DSS and the LEP person can communicate effectively. The steps taken must ensure that the LEP person is:

1. given adequate information 2. able to understand the services and benefits available 3. able to receive those benefits and services for which he/she is eligible 4. able to effectively communicate the relevant circumstances of his/her situation to DSS 5. In order to ensure that persons are not excluded from equal program participation due to limited English proficiency (LEP), DSS must provide trained and competent interpreters and other oral language assistance services to accommodate LEP clients.

DSS may use any of the following services:

1. hire bilingual staff 2. hire staff interpreters 3. use volunteer staff interpreters 4. use volunteer community interpreters 5. contract with an outside interpreter service 6. use a telephone interpreter service