TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file a status update on the implementation of the Language Access Policy; and adopt resolution amending and restating the Language Access Policy. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Language Access Policy (LAP) was adopted by City Council on August 13, 2013, and on September 2, 2014, City Council allocated $250,000 toward implementation of the LAP. On March 3, 2015, Development Services staff provided an update to City Council and, as a follow-up, on June 1, 2015, sent a memo to the City Council on the implementation of the key elements of the LAP which included: (1) analytics on language line; (2) Google translation on the City website; (3) recorded telephonic messages; and (4) public notices, and amendment to the LAP with reference to the use of minors as interpreters.
Following the June 1 update, a number of initiatives have occurred to further the implementation of the LAP. A directory of staff receiving bilingual skill pay in LAP Languages was completed and uploaded to the City’s intranet for citywide accessibility. This directory will be maintained and updated every six months. City employees have been notified about the directory with utilization instructions.
Development Services has selected vendors to provide court-certified translation and interpretation services to implement the LAP. Development Services staff has requested 177 documents from City Departments to comply with document translation as part of the LAP. The Language Access Coalition and Centro CHA identified these documents as priority documents to translate. We received 165 documents from City Departments, and they have been translated into the LAP Languages (Exhibit A). The remaining documents were deemed as no longer in use by the departments. Twenty additional documents, not on the initial list, were translated using LAP funds due to requests by the general public.
The Technology and Innovation Department has completed Phase One of the City's new website update, which includes the Google translate feature on each webpage. As part of Phase Two, all departments will be encouraged to upload the previously translated documents onto their respective department web pages. Oral interpretation and document translation continues to be available upon request for City Council and Charter Commission meetings.
The Language Line Pilot Program is now available citywide. The Technology and Innovation Department has all recorded outgoing messages in LAP Languages for the most frequently used phone lines within City departments (Exhibit B). The designated City staff receiving phone calls in the LAP Languages have been instructed on how to utilize Language Line for interpretation services.
Development Services worked with the Water Department to have the LAP notification inserted in the June 2015 Newsletter, which is included in utility billing. This insert notified residents of the LAP and was provided in LAP Languages. It is reported that 150,000 households in Long Beach received the notification.
Development Services selected a vendor who has developed a training curriculum for staff receiving bilingual skill pay. The training includes appropriate techniques and ethics with respect to interpretation and translation. It is estimated that all bilingual skill pay staff (approximately 447 staff) will have completed the training by September 30, 2015.
Also, at its meeting on March 3, 2015, City Council passed a motion to amend the LAP to address the use of children as interpreters. Staff worked with the City Attorney’s Office and public safety departments, and crafted the attached Resolution updating the LAP pursuant to such request.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Vu on September 9, 2015, and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on September 24, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 15) budget included nearly $250,000 in General Fund (GF) funding in the Department of Development Services to implement the LAP. This non-recurring funding was used to record phone messages in the LAP languages, to use Language Line, translate highly used documents and webpages, train staff and notice the public about the LAP. The City made significant progress in implementing the LAP during FY 15. Because FY 15 was the first year implementing the LAP and the budget was based on staff’s best efforts to estimate costs, LAP implementation had a budget savings of $70,000. The FY 16 budget for the LAP includes the $70,000 in savings and an additional $80,000 in non-recurring GF support. During FY 16, staff will continue to translate documents, utilize Language Line, program the remaining 16 most frequently called phone lines, make interpretation services available for public meetings, conduct annual staff training on best practices for translating, post notices about LAP services in the public areas of City facilities, including evacuation routes.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AMENDING AND RESTATING A LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICY
Respectfully Submitted,
AMY J. BODEK, AICP
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER