Language Access Plan

Direct In-Language Communication#

HCAI’s Workforce Development Program has the capacity to provide direct Spanish language communication with the public upon request, through a certified bilingual staff person.

Certifying Bilingual Staff#

Only certified bilingual staff are permitted to communicate with the public in languages other than English. Per HCAI’s Bilingual Services Policy, designated bilingual positions and bilingual testing is outlined consistent with Government Code Section 7292. HCAI is required to employ a sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in public contact positions. A CalHR designated bilingual position is a position where the incumbent uses bilingual skills on a continuous basis an average of ten percent (10%) or more of the time whether the incumbent is using them in a conversational, interpretation, or translation setting.

Language proficiency testing to certify employee(s) in a designated bilingual position and/or job applicants offered employment in a designated bilingual position with HCAI will be provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) or other approved testing authority. While passing a language fluency examination demonstrates that an employee is qualified to receive a bilingual pay differential, they must be serving in a designated bilingual position to receive the pay differential. It is the position, not the employee, that receives the bilingual designation.

To designate a position as bilingual, an HCAI Office or Program must document that 10% or more of work time in the position is spent in continuous conversational interpretation, or translation setting and submit the request with supporting documents to the Bilingual Services Coordinator in the EEO Office. The EEO Office will review and submit the request to the Human Resources Services Section for final review and approval through CalHR. Upon approval of a designated bilingual position, the EEO Office will schedule and coordinate the language proficiency testing with LAUSD or other approved testing authority and communicate test date(s) and times with the employee. The two-part language tests (oral and written) will be conducted virtually and in-person. HCAI will pay the cost of the language testing to certify employees in a designated bilingual position and for selected qualified job applicant(s) for a bilingual-required position that have received a tentative job offer pending completion of language testing and bilingual proficiency certification.

At this point, HCAI has identified the need for one certified Spanish bilingual staff person for its Workforce Development Programs. HCAI has certified one bilingual staff to communicate with the public in Spanish regarding any of HCAI’s Workforce Development Programs previously listed in this document.

This is HCAI’s first year implementing the HFBP. Lead HFBP staff are assessing and reassessing the language needs of the program on an ongoing basis. Per the DABSA, if deemed necessary, the HFBP will certify bilingual staff to communicate with the public in languages other than English based on the above.

Interpretation#

HCAI Programs that communicate with the public in languages other than English will utilize HCAI’s Dial-in Telephonic Interpreting Instructions to provide services to non-English speaking and LEP persons in their requested language.

To ensure timely interpretation services for events scheduled in advance, HCAI Programs submit requests for interpretation service requests, including ASL services, to the EEO Office at languagesservices@hcai.ca.gov at least five business days in advance. For expedited requests, HCAI has the capacity to secure translation services within 24 hours and interpretation services within 72 hours. The EEO Office will submit interpretation requests to the contracted vendor and provide the interpreter’s contact information to the requesting HCAI Program. The EEO Office maintains all language requests and requested language.

The language interpretation, including ASL, request process is outlined in HCAI’s Bilingual Service Policy and the EEO site. It is also shared with HCAI Programs (HFBP and Workforce Development Programs) that currently provide and/or in the future will provide services to the public including non-English speaking and LEP persons.

Translation#

As described previously in this document, HCAI looks at four factors to determine which program materials require translation into non-English languages.

1. Number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by the program or service
2. Frequency with which LEP individuals come into contact with the program
3. Nature and importance of the program, activity, or service
4. Resources available to our department and costs of language services

The following HCAI programs currently provide and/or in the future will provide services to the public including non-English speaking and LEP persons: HFBP, CHW/P/R, BHSP, and AHSP. Program staff and the Language Access Coordinator reviewed these programs to identify vital documents or documents that must be translated into the top five threshold language and ASL under the CalHHS Language Access Policy. HCAI translates the identified vital documents using its translation contracts managed by the EEO Office.

HFBP#

The HFBP ensures uninsured and underinsured individuals with family incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level receive financial assistance for medical services received in licensed hospitals, and that proper debt collection practices are followed. The program is very important to aid those already struggling financially, and to encourage individuals to seek care when needed instead of foregoing medical care to avoid medical debt. HCAI began administering this program in January 2024. As such, the volume of complaints and/or public contact that HFBP will receive is unknown including the volume of complaints from individuals that are non-English speaking or LEP. Written complaints will be the primary way the public accesses HFBP services. As such, written translation services will be the primary communication pathway utilized in this program for non-English speaking or LEP persons.

The HFBP will follow Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) Medi-Cal threshold language list, as they serve the same population (California residents who are low income) and the DHCS Medi-Cal languages reflect the population who meets the 5% threshold language calculated for each County. Covered California also serves the same population and translates documents in the same language listed as the DHCS Medi-Cal threshold languages.

The HFBP documents below have been identified as vital documents and have been translated into the following languages: Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Filipino, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer/Cambodian, Korean, Lao, Mien, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese.

• Patient Complaint Form
• Authorized Representative Form
• Release of Information Form
• Appeal Notice to Patient

The HFBP will translate the above vital documents and any other HFBP information into other languages, upon request.

Workforce Development Programs#

CHW/P/R Program#

The CHW/P/R Program seeks to expand the community health worker/promotor(a/ representative workforce through training and certification. The target audiences for this effort are current CHW/P/Rs, individuals interested in becoming CHW/P/Rs, and organizations that employ CHW/P/Rs. Per the Understanding California’s Community Health Worker/Promotor Workforce Survey, 70% of CHW/P/Rs surveyed reported they spoke more than one language, and among this group, 84% indicated they spoke both English and Spanish. The most common language other than English is Spanish, but other languages may be needed. HCAI will have the next CHW/P/R application and other key outreach materials available in multiple languages in compliance with the CalHHS Language Access Policy.

The CHW/P/R Program has identified the documents below as vital documents. These documents are under development and will be translated into the top five threshold languages (Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean) required by the CalHHS Language Access Policy when the CHW/P/R implements the application cycle for the program.

• Certification Portal/Application
• Materials related supporting the use of the certification application

The CHW/P/R Program will translate the above vital documents and any other CHW/P/R information into other languages, upon request.

BHSP#

The BHSP provides scholarships to individuals interested in pursuing training in behavioral health. Some of the behavioral health professionals eligible for the scholarships include CHWs and Peer Personnel Specialists, who may be non-English speaking or LEP persons and access training in languages other than English. The target population for BHSP scholarships are individuals looking to enter the health workforce and that are in need of financial support to pursue their training or education. There is no data available of the number or proportion of non-English speaking or LEP persons who are eligible to be served or likely to utilize the BHSP and what languages they speak, but CHWs and Peer Personnel Specialists, and potentially other disciplines may have some LEP students. The frequency that LEP students will be in contact with this program or service is once a year during the application cycle for scholarships. HCAI will have the next BHSP application and other key outreach materials available in multiple languages in compliance with the CalHHS Language Access Policy.

The BHSP has identified the document below as a vital document. The BHSP will translate the document below into the top five threshold languages (Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean) required by the CalHHS Language Access Policy when the BHSP implements the application cycle for the program.

• BHSP Application

The BHSP will translate the above vital document and any other BHSP information into other languages, upon requests.

AHSP#

The AHSP provides scholarships to individuals interested in pursuing training in allied health. Some of the professions eligible for these scholarships include CHW/P/Rs and Home Health Aides, who may be non-English speaking or LEP persons and access their training or education in their own primary language. The target population for Allied Health scholarships are individuals looking to enter the health workforce and are in need of financial support to pursue their training or education. There is no data available of the number or proportion of non-English speaking or LEP persons who are eligible to be served or likely to utilize the AHSP and what languages they speak, but professions such as CHW/P/Rs, Home Health Aides, and potentially other disciplines may have some LEP students. The frequency that LEP students will be in contact with this program or service is once a year during the application cycle for scholarships.

The AHSP has identified the documents below as vital documents. The AHSP will translate the documents below into the top five threshold languages (Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean) required by the CalHHS Language Access Policy.

• AHSP Application
• HCAI-Scholarship-Cost-of-Attendance-Form
• Scholarship-Program-Verification-SPV-Form
• Conflict-of-Interest-Letter-Examples-Template
• AHSP-Grant-Guide-FY-2023-24
• Technical-Assistance-Guide
• Program-FAQ

The AHSP will translate the above vital documents and any other AHSP information into other languages, upon requests.

Essential Website Content#

HCAI essential website content is identified as information on the HCAI home page which includes the following: About Our Organization, HCAI Program Areas, and Important (Vital) Documents. HCAI will translate its essential public website content into the top five threshold languages (Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean) and post an ASL video clip, per the CalHHS Language Access Policy. The translation will include notification to program participants that additional translation and interpretation services are available at no cost upon request.

The HFBP Patient Complaint Portal webpage has been translated and is available in Spanish and the Patient Complaint Form is available in 21 different languages that can be downloaded from HCAI’s website and submitted to the HFBP by mail.

The CHW/P/R Program webpage has been translated and available in Spanish and 17 bilingual taglines (Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mien, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese) are accessible on the CHW/P/R webpage notifying non-English speaking and LEP persons that services are available in languages other than English upon request.