DCDHS Language Access Coordinators developed this action plan, related procedures, and interpreting resources to support compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. [1] These materials reaffirm DCDHS’s commitment to meaningful access for individuals with limited English proficiency, effective communication for people with disabilities, and accessible communication practices, including digital accessibility consistent with WCAG and ADA requirements. [2] Together, they help community members understand their rights and available accommodations while equipping DCDHS staff to provide communication services effectively and consistently. [3]

DCDHS Language Access Practice

All Dane County Department of Human Services (DCDHS) programs and offices must make every effort to provide appropriate language assistance services at no cost to all visitors and callers. DCDHS must ensure that individuals who need language assistance have meaningful access to all programs and services, including information delivered through outgoing messages on public contact telephone lines.

At the initial point of contact with someone who might need language assistance, DCDHS staff will use Language Access Signs and Notices created by DCDHS Language Access Coordinators to identify the person’s primary language. These tools will be available in all public-facing lobby and reception areas.

DCDHS Staff may identify whether an individual may need language assistance in several ways, including but not limited to:

• The individual self-identifies a preferred language (when able to do so).
• Staff use language identification signs, cards, or posters.
• Staff confirm the individual’s primary language with assistance from qualified multilingual staff or a telephone interpreter.
• Staff observe communication indicators, such as difficulty providing a fluent narrative response in English; incomplete or fragmented sentences; requests for language assistance; switching between English and another language; or use of words indicating the need for an interpreter.  

Vital Documents and Translation Guidelines

Based on U.S. Census data, English and Spanish are the most commonly spoken languages in Dane County.[4] Materials that meet at least one of the criteria below should be provided in both English and Spanish.

• Any material may be translated at the discretion of the Division Administrator.
• If more than 5% of the target audience is a part of a Non-English Language Population (NELP), considerations should be made to translate the material into the appropriate language(s).
• News release
• Client handouts and form
• Directional/instructions signage
• Videos (Spanish voiceover and/or closed captioning)
• Webpages intended for the general public
• Documents or flyers posted to the website or widely distributed to the general public
• Dane County/Public Health-wide surveys for the general public
• Applications
• Consent forms
• Enrollee handbooks
• Information pertaining to eligibility for benefits
• Information or forms pertaining to rights, appeals, complaints, or grievances
• Information pertaining to reduction, denial, or termination of services or benefits
• Intake forms with potential for health consequences
• Letters or notices that require a response
• Letters or notices as part of emergency preparedness or risk communications
• Notices regarding the availability of free language assistance services or auxiliary aids
• Program descriptions.
• Provider directories
• Written materials that must be provided by law

Language Access Signs

Dane County Department of Human Services (DCDHS) is responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to information, programs, and services for all residents and visitors. This includes notifying current and potential residents and visitors that language assistance is available at no cost.  

All public facilities must display appropriate language access signage so residents and visitors know how to request language assistance services. To reduce errors when identifying an individual’s primary language, DCDHS staff should obtain approved signs, posters, icon images, and language identification cards through the DCDHS intranet or by contacting the Language Access Coordinators at hslanguageservices@danecounty.gov.

Interpretation Services

Interpretation services are available to DCDHS staff who need oral language support when communicating with Dane County residents who prefer to speak in their primary language. DCDHS works with language service providers and employs qualified, certified interpreters to support all divisions, programs, and offices.

To help manage costs and meet demand, DCDHS hired two Spanish-certified interpreters to handle requests in Spanish.

DCDHS staff may use phone, video, or in-person interpreting when working with residents who need language support. Staff can contact the Language Access Coordinators for help choosing or arranging the best option

Collaboration with Interpreters

DCDHS recognizes that working with interpreters is new and can be challenging for many professionals, especially when staff have had limited formal training in collaborating effectively with interpreters in community and educational settings.

In addition to providing Language Access training within DCDHS, to help DCDHS staff work effectively with interpreters and promote inclusivity and equity for community members who speak languages other than English, Language Access Coordinators have developed the Working with an Interpreter Guide and the In-person Interpretation Service Agreement. These resources are intended for in-person interpreter appointments to support staff, interpreters, and clients.

The Interpretation Service Agreement must be signed by the staff member, the interpreter, and the client to ensure everyone has read and understands DCDHS expectations for collaboration. Promoting accurate communication, cultural respect, and a shared understanding of each person’s role. Together, these practices can strengthen trust in language access services and encourage both staff and clients to use them. They can be found on the DCDHS intranet or by contacting Language Access at HSlanguageservices@danecounty.gov.   

Working with an Interpreter

Before the Interpretation:

• Send any forms or information to be discussed to the interpreter in advance. They don’t need to be translated already. Any notes shared with the interpreter are confidential.
• If another entity (e.g., school or law enforcement) brings its own interpreter, the social worker should coordinate who will interpret. Even if the other interpreter leads, the DHS interpreter may still listen in and assist with debriefing.
• Have a pre-session briefing with the interpreter.
• Use the correct seating arrangement for the client, interpreter, and DHS staff.

During the Interpretation:

• Face the client.
• Use names, not pronouns, when referring to people.
• Speak in short sentences and plain language; avoid jokes and jargon.
• Let people finish speaking – one person at a time.
• Take pauses to think silently instead of thinking out loud. Anything said aloud will be interpreted.
• Pause at logical breaks; don’t stop mid-sentence.
• Show addresses/phone numbers visually instead of reading them aloud.
• The DHS employee should manage the environment: address loud TVs, pets, cooking, or other distractions so interpretation can be accurate.
• Be mindful of cultural differences – clients may be unfamiliar with programs or systems that seem obvious locally.
• Never say, “Don’t translate/interpret that.” It will be interpreted even if you say that. If something is sensitive, handle it before or after the session and cover it in the debrief.
• Remember that while the client may understand or speak some English, best practice is to provide full interpretation to ensure accurate and equitable communication.

After the Interpretation:

• Expect a debrief with the interpreter.
• Plan to submit a Language Access request form for every meeting, including follow-ups
• Keep the same interpreter for a client when possible.

DCDHS Genesys Call Center

The Economic Assistance and Work Services Division (EAWS) runs a call center for participants in Income Maintenance and Work Services programs, including FoodShare, Medical Assistance, Child Care, Emergency Assistance, the Refugee Assistance Program, and FoodShare Employment and Training. Callers can choose English, Hmong, or Spanish through the phone system. Calls in Hmong or Spanish are directed to bilingual staff members who speak those languages.

Consult/Conference 3rd Parties Language Line

1. Click Consult after connecting with the client in need of language services
2. Enter your county’s designated phone number for the language line and connect the 3rd party line.
3. The original call will be placed on hold. See pages 2-4 for your county-specific instructions on language line numbers and prompts.
4. Once you have an interpreter on the phone, you can connect all parties to the line in one of two ways:
   • Click the play button and the client will enter the conversation -or-
   • Click Start conference icon to combine all callers into one conversation

Notes and Reminders:

• Select “Other” language when collecting telephonic signatures for clients who do not speak English, Hmong, or Spanish. You will read the entire telephonic signature script as there are no automated prompts.
• Conferencing disables the Consult feature. You will need to start a second interaction in order to consult/call out to the Lead Line once a conference call has started.

Sources

[1] Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.; Exec. Order No. 13166, 65 Fed., Reg. 50121 (August 16, 2000); Wis. Stat. 46.2895.

[2] Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S. C. 12101 et seq.; 28 C.F.R. pt. 35; U.S. Department of Justice, “ADA Requirements: Effective Communication, “accessed April 6, 2026.

[3] Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), June 5, 2018; Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services, 28 C.F.R. pt. 35.

[4] U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), language spoken at home data for Dane County, Wisconsin.

[5] Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Your Right to an Interpreter (poster), accessed April 7, 2026, https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p0/p00417.pdf.

[6] Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, I Speak… Language Identification Guide (April 2006), accessed April 7, 2026, available via Office of Justice Programs, https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/i-speaklanguage-identification-guide. (ojp.gov)