TITLE
Adoption of a Language Access Plan to comply with Community Development Block Grant requirements.
ABSTRACT
Action Requested:
Adoption of a Language Access Plan to comply with Community Development Block Grant requirements.
Introduction & Background:
To apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, the county was required to adopt a Language Access Plan to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The plan approval from the North Carolina Division of Community Assistance (DCA) expired in September 2012 and must now be re-adopted. A draft of the Language Access Plan has been included as an attachment.
Discussion & Analysis:
Any local government receiving CDBG funds is responsible for adopting and implementing a Language Access Plan and the plans must be submitted to the NC DCA. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of race, color or national origin by any entity receiving federal funds. For CDBG purposes, in order to avoid discrimination based on national origin, the county must ensure that individuals who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) have equal access to benefits and services for which they qualify.
Some of the plan requirements include having signs posted in regularly encountered languages other than English in reception areas informing applicants of their rights to free language assistance services. The county is also required to provide bilingual/interpretive services, such as staff interpreters or outside agency contracts when needed. Written materials will also have to be provided in languages other than English where a substantial percentage of the population eligible to be served are not fluent in English. The Health Department currently has an adopted Language Access Plan and the attached plan is comparable.
Recommendation:
Adoption of the Language Access Plan for Chatham County.