Training on Interpretation Coordination Protocols
LOOKING FORWARD
There are multiple approaches that the City can take to improve compliance with the LAO in FY 2023-2024 . It will be important for Departments to prioritize language access in the context of the current economic outlook for the City and continued arrival of newcomers and asylum-seekers in San Francisco , many of whom need language support . This includes prioritizing City language access capacity-building , improving data collection and analysis methods , and strengthening City language access resources through budgeting .
LANGUAGE ACCESS CAPACITY-BUILDING
Training on Interpretation Coordination Protocols
Increase the frequency of Department-specific language access instruction and training for public-facing City staff .
Customer wait time and connection to real-time in-language support were areas for improvement identified by OCEIA ’ s analysis of spot checks this year . The 2022-2023 spot check results found that when asked to estimate approximate wait times for accessing information in their language , 21.67 % of respondents indicated wait times of 10-20 minutes and 31.76 % of respondents indicated they were never connected to a bilingual employee or vendor interpreter during the interaction .
Departments should regularly instruct public-contact staff members about Department-specific language access policies and protocols for arranging language services . Many Departments have experienced high levels of staff turnover since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic . Language access complaints from this fiscal year indicate a lack of consistency in public-contact staff training and awareness . Departments should prioritize regular instruction and training to ensure consistent awareness across public-facing staff of their responsibilities to implement the requirements of the LAO in their day-to-day work . This includes the step-by-step process for arranging interpretation after identifying a language need , whether
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